Overview

Our Community Projects aim to provide free and affordable playing opportunities to members of the local community who do not normally participate in tennis. We are looking to ‘grow the game’ and help to get more people participating at our local community facilities and in schools. Anyone that would like to be involved in these projects volunteering time towards coaching, competition organising or support in any other way can contact James Webber directly for further information – info@lifetimetennis.co.uk .

Current Projects

Lambeth and Wandsworth Housing Associations Project

Brockwell Park, King George's Park, Lambeth Academy

This project was developed in partnership between Lifetime Tennis, L & Q and Amicus Horizon Housing Association, the LTA and Lambeth Borough Council. The goal of the project is to establish better participation opportunities for children from 'non-traditional' tennis playing backgrounds across Lambeth and Wandsworth for juniors aged between 8 – 14 years. All sessions are coached by Lifetime Tennis coaches and hold a Level 2 or 3 certificate by the LTA (all coaches have current CRB checks by the LTA)

The project had 3 stages:

Stage 1. Pilot 6 Week Term:

Funded by – L & Q and Lifetime Tennis

In April 2011 a trial term was completed to determine the amount of demand that there would be from the Social Housing residents to participate in a tennis program. 

6-8 years: Capacity – 20 participants, 45min session

9-14 years: Capacity – 20 participants, 1hr session

Capacity: 40

Total Participants: 49 (New places were offered to players that did not wish to continue after the initial 3 weeks)

Average Class Participants Weekly: 73%

NOTE: In the interim period between stage 1 and 2 applications to the housing association committees and the LTA had to be made. During this period Lifetime Tennis continued to fund the program of Free coaching for an 8 week term (Summer Term 2011) free of charge.

Stage 2. Full Housing Association Program Offered

Duration 36 weeks following School Term Time – 3 September 2011 to 21 July 2012

Free program offered at 3 Locations (Brockwell Park, Lambeth Academy and King George's Park) with 2 classes per week (total 6 classes per week offered)

Classes:

6-8 years: Capacity – 20 participants, 45min session

9-14 years: Capacity – 20 participants, 1hr session

Program participants: 

Term A – Autumn Term: 132

Term B – Spring Term: 89

Term C – Summer Term: 119

Total Individual program participants:

Average Weekly class: 68% of capacity

British Tennis Members: 103

Development Club players selected: 9 players selected to play in Lifetime Tennis development club with fees subsidised by the club. 

Tournament performance player: Harlem Morgan fist attended a Housing association club session in May 2011. His progress was rapid and by Septemeber he was selected to attend a Free 6 week performance coaching session with 2 other players. From October it was clear that harlem was too strong to continue to play in the Housing Association sessions. The club decided to support Harlem's tennis development, offering him a scholarship to attend Tournament Squad sessions 2 x's per week and 2 week long performance tennis camps in the school holidays. In August 2012, playing in only his 2nd county level tournament Harlem won the Mini Red (8 and under) event at Sutton Church's Tennis Club. Harlem will continue to be supported by Lifetime Tennis scholarship program over the coming academic year 2011-2012.

Stage 3. Integration into Junior Tennis Program  (30 weeks)

8 September, 2012 – 20 July, 2013 (no classes winter term January – February)

Option A. Participants whose attendance was above 50% in 'Stage 2' are offered places on the regular junior program courses. These places are subsidised by project partners L&Q Housing Association, Amicus Horizon, Lifetime Tennis, the LTA. 

Weekly fee to parents: £2.00

Program goal: 60 participants

Option B. All attendees in 'Stage 2' are signposted to attend an open play community session weekly at each location. These sessions are based on the Street Games model and are less formal then regular program coaching. They are however organised and led by a coach with a team of volunteers. The sessions use a games based approach with the goal being to develop players to matchplay standard and offer the opportunity to enter the British Tennis competition framework (gain a rating, tournament participation etc)

Weekly fee to parents: £2.00

Program Goal 40 regular weekly participants

King George’s Park, Weekend Community Academy Project – Wandsworth

The Weekend Community Academy aims to bring all enthusiastic members of the tennis community together to promote junior tennis.

Selected participants from all the Lifetime Tennis Community programs will be invited to participate in one of the two workshops lasting five weeks run by Lifetime Tennis Director James Webber.

The workshops will also be run by local volunteer players that are wanting to help promote junior tennis and LTA coaching assistants that can gain valuable experience. All volunteers are CRB checked and agree to adhere to the Tennis Clubmark volunteer policy. Our enthusiastic Tennis Leaders will also be on hand to help assist in these sessions.

Lifetime Tennis Schools Community Academies – Swaffield Primary School

The aim of this project is to make tennis a more accessible sport within schools local to Lifetime Tennis Clubs. The goal is to expand the number of juniors from a diverse range of backgrounds that get regularly play a comprehensive on site tennis program that includes teacher training and offering better  exit routes for children to continue playing at the nearest Lifetime Club.

The project requires the schools to agree to what the LTA describes as an advanced level school / club partnership ensuring that tennis becomes better integrated into everyday school life.

Our first term at Swaffield under this new project has been a great experience for the Club, teachers and most importantly the students. Tennis activities this term will includefree curriculum time coaching, out of school hours clubs (breakfast, lunchtime and after school), a school competition day , teacher training, participation in the local Borough Mini tennis competitions, affordable and accessible exit route opportunities to continue playing tennis outside of school.

We have further opportunities for schools to be involved in this project and encourage pro-active Heads and PE co-ordinators to get in touch with our Schools Coordinator Pia Jaime for further information – pia@lifetimetennis.co.uk.