Following the launch of the Rising Star Tennis Tournament, a nationwide school tournament, Next Generation Tennis which is an academy at Sandton Sports Club adopted several schools in Alexandra township.
Through this, learners will be introduced to tennis, get coaching support and equipment and be prepared for entry into the Rising Star tournament in 2021.
A sports project with a purpose, BNP Paribas RCS Rising Star Tennis aims to create opportunities for boys and girls from all communities and to increase youth participation in tennis.
The tennis initiative, which involved close to 400 schools in 2019, is seeking to build on the positive momentum of its first year by expanding the programme even further.
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This year, the BNP Paribas RCS Rising Star Tennis Competition will see the inclusion of high school players and a wheelchair category, alongside the existing primary schools’ competition, increasing opportunities for a new generation of player.
Inspired by the first edition of BNP Paribas RCS Rising Star Tennis, Sandton-based tennis coach Ndumiso Ncube has launched a programme to provide playing opportunities for young players in Alexandra.
Ncube, the head coach at Next Generation Tennis, has partnered with Hope Mathopa, a coach from Alexandra, to take the sport to the youth of the Gauteng township.
“Some of the children have played tennis before, but most of them haven’t, so the idea is to give them basic ball skills,” said Ncube.
“The goal is to get them to play in the BNP Paribas RCS Rising Star Tennis Tournament, which offers an entry-level point for them, without being too nervous to take part. The children are loving it, and we as coaches are enjoying it as well.”
Grey College and Oranje Meisieskool will start the defence of their titles when the 2021 BNP Paribas RCS Rising Star Tennis campaign begins in March, after winning the boys’ and girls’ divisions respectively at the inaugural series finals held in Soweto earlier this year.
Entries are now open, entry is free and schools can enter at www.tennissa.co.za
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