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Here, we take a look at Ackworth School in West Yorkshire’s inspiring tennis and racket sports-focused community outreach initiative, which aims to nurture the UK’s next generation of Grand Slam stars

For more than three years, Ackworth School has been running a community outreach programme aimed at getting more young people into tennis and other racket sports.

The participation project, jointly funded by the Tim Henman Foundation and Ackworth School, in partnership with the LTA, the UK’s national governing body for tennis, has helped local coach Alice Robson bring tennis to nearly 2,000 pupils at 28 local primary schools, as well as to generate 200 new Ackworth Tennis Club members, a club which calls the school home.

Led by Alice, who was named Development Coach of the Year at last year’s LTA Tennis Awards, the programme has delivered teacher training to help teachers run tennis activities in their own schools, broadening the programme’s reach across thousands more children. When asked about the school’s programme, Tim Henman said: “Talent is spread evenly across the country, but sadly opportunity is not, which is why this foundation initiative in association with the LTA, Ackworth School and Ackworth Tennis Club is so important.”

Alice Robson, Ackworth Tennis Club Head Coach and LTA Development Coach of the Year, said: “It has been a privilege to give so many children around Yorkshire the opportunity to play tennis for the first s

Children got the opportunity to rally with the former UK number one

THE OUTREACH PROGRAMME HAS DELIVERED TEACHER TRAINING to help teachers run tennis activities in their schools, BROADENING THE PROGRAMME’S REACH ACROSS THOUSANDS MORE CHILDREN

time. Seeing them pick up a racket and learn new skills is wonderful. Ensuring they have a positive rst experience on the court is important when trying to engage them with racket sports, and inspiring Britain’s tennis players.”

Anton Maree, Head of Ackworth School said: “Introducing children to activities which they don’t normally have access to has to take place at their convenience. We work with our partner schools at their schools with the facilities they have at their disposal. is approach allows us to reach a signi cant number of children and we help them to nd their spark!” Richard Garrett, CEO of the Tim Henman Foundation said: “ e Tim Henman Foundation Community Tennis programme in Ackworth is a leading model for developing tennis participation. e programme involves schools and a club with outstanding levels of participation creating thousands of ‘one life, one opportunity’ moments for young people to pick up a tennis racquet and potentially nd their spark. e scheme’s success re ects a one education sector approach with children and teachers from both state and independent schools being inspired through tennis.”

Paul Bennett, LTA Head of Region for North of England said: “ e results of this partnership speak for themselves and it’s great to see so many of the schoolchildren that Alice has inspired to pick up a racket enjoying a session with Tim. We’re continuing to work closely with the foundation as we both work towards encouraging more and more young people from all backgrounds to get involved in our sport. ere are plans in place to follow a similar model to this project in other areas of the country, and hopefully, we will see similar levels of success.”

Ackworth’s programme has brought tennis to almost 2,000 children at 28 local Yorkshire primary schools