‘The Road to Wimbledon’,
the All England Club’s community investment programme, initiated
in 2001, continues to engage young people through tennis at both
national and local level. Highlights include:
Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative
(WJTI)
Part of The Road to Wimbledon: at local level, working with
Merton and Wandsworth Councils.
Through a dedicated All England Club coaching team, headed by
Dan Bloxham, AELTC & WJTI continue to lead the way in delivering
tennis coaching and promoting a fitness lifestyle and sports education
programme in Merton and Wandsworth schools.
More than 65,000 children in the two buroughs have had a racket
put in their hand for the first time. This milestone was reached
at Singlegate Primary School, Wimbledon, in April 2006.
More than 40 schools visited to date this year, 60 projected
by end of school year. 280 visited in total since 2001. Around
300 children per day attend free tennis coaching and skills sessions
held at the Club, from 10.00am to 4.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays,
45 weekends a year.
Squad structure has changed to incorporate a larger age range
of players. New group for 10 players aged 4-7 years. Extra squad
added at the top end aiming to involve players with the WJTI after
age 15.
Also act as an indoor winter training session for young players
from five local clubs, Westside, Wimbledon Club, Wilton, Surbiton
and Cranleigh which are unable to provide winter indoor training
for their top juniors.
10 WJTI performance players currently receive additional individual
coaching.
3 youngsters have been accepted into the LTA national training
squads.
Many red, green and yellow mini-tennis winners in Surrey, Kent
and Middx are WJTI players.
Part of The Road to Wimbledon: at national level, some 20,000
young players from 850 clubs competing in 2007.
The National Finals, 64 boys and 64 girls, made up of the 44
County winners and 20 best runners-up are due to be held on Wimbledon's
Championship grass courts, 20-25 August 2007.
In the last year, more than 2,500 children have taken part in
activities, making a total of 6,500 overall since 2002.
Programme caters for 5- to 18-year-olds and consists of Museum
workshops, tours of the grounds and education room workshops directly
linked to the National Curriculum.
Secondary School Programme, developed to meet the needs of students
studying for GCSE and A-Level courses in Leisure and Tourism and
PE, is very popular.
Special Events programme is well established with regular costumed
interpretation events and school holiday activities.
The Playing for Success Study Support Centre is a joint initiative
between the Club, the London Borough of Merton and the Department
of Education and Skills.
Operating since early 2003, the SSC offers an after-school programme
to assist local children with numeracy, literacy and IT.
Firm links are now established with two-thirds of local primary
schools and the Centre also works with the eight secondary schools
in the Borough on a bi-termly basis.
In the last three years, over 1000 students have graduated at
PfS award ceremonies.
