Development Programme
The 2007 Boskruin Tennis Club Committee has created a development programme with Kingsway School, providing coaching to the school that caters for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Financially assisted by Jody’s Tyres Hi Q, the programme is known as the Jody’s Tyres Hi Q Boskruin Tennis Club Development Programme.

The programme has been running since the end of January 2007 and currently extends to ten grade 4 children that are given tennis coaching for an hour every Monday during school terms.

The development programme is a partnership between the club, local businesses, the community and Kingsway School. Partnerships with businesses are vital, as tennis clubs generally don’t generate enough money on their own to sustain these types of programmes. With the help of Jody’s Tyres Hi Q and the fundraising from the Outreach Programme, the BTC dream to assist underprivileged children has become a reality.

Jody’s Tyres Hi Q is the lead sponsor of the programme for 2007. The sponsorship will help to cover transport and coaching costs for the children.

Jody Robey, director at Jody’s Tyres Hi Q has been involved with Kingsway over a number of years, in different ways. Jody sees sport as very important to prepare children for adult life. In addition, it provides physical activity and encourages team spirit.

Special prizes for tournaments and challenges for the programme will be funded by an outreach programme from Randpark High School under the leadership of Wesley Vine, a grade 9 learner.

The members of the Boskruin Tennis Club have also donated generously to ensure that the children have all the right equipment for tennis.

David Kets, under the expert guidance of Wayne Kets, coaches the group for one hour per week. Coaching includes all aspects of learning to play tennis, co-ordination exercises, improvement of fitness, ball skills, footwork, ground stroke technique - forehand and backhand, volley technique and fun drills such as ‘wild tennis’ and ‘king of the court’. The programme also covers the rules of tennis. In due course they will start on the serve and return of serve. Rainy days are spent on indoor lessons that focus on strategy and planning.

The Boskruin Tennis Club would like to extend the programme to more children, hopefully with support from other clubs.