It’s a wrap on the third edition of Tennis Month in Canada. June saw people across the country play our game, many for the first time, through try tennis events and the Rogers First Set program which allows kids to participate in a fun, welcoming, and safe environment.
In Edmonton, Karina Trkulja organized TENNISfest, Canada’s largest try tennis initiative with more than 1,000 attendees, both kids and adults. Former Canadian pro Stacey Fung in the opening exhibition match and spent time with participants throughout the day. Trkulja also launched a women in sport and leadership conference that aligns with Tennis Canada’s Game. Set. Equity. commitment.
In the Northwest Territories, five weeks of tennis programming was delivered at various schools in Yellowknife and Fort Smith. Those more than 400 students were then invited to take part in try tennis events so that they could continue playing. Similar to Edmonton, tennis camps for girls were also run with inspiring female coaches leading the charge.
The Tyandaga Tennis Club in Burlington, Ontario hosted a try tennis event for 30 junior players in the area. There was even a smash cage which was enjoyed by everyone. Coaches Bruce Cates and Stephen Spencer spent time on the courts teaching the participants.
In Montreal, activities like touch tennis and try tennis were held in multiple parks across the city with more than 150 kids between the ages of three and fifteen getting introduced to the sport. The activities were led by Tennis Montreal coaches Thierry Letellier, Adele de Maurivez, Grégoire Jodoin, Julien Boitiveau, Harrisson Tang, Sacha de Maurivez, Kevin Villarpando, and Olivier Benogo Nguene with the support of Maé Ambroise and Jo-Annie Charbonneau.
These are just some of the highlights of another successful Tennis Month spearheaded by the leadership and passion of our Provincial and Territorial Tennis Associations (PTTAs) who are instrumental in developing the grassroots of tennis in Canada.
