Badges for backhands! New LTA and Scouts partnership gets Beavers into tennis
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The LTA has announced a new three-year partnership with the Scouts, with the national governing body for tennis becoming a supporter of the Beavers Sport Activity Badge.
The partnership means Beaver Leaders will have access to a collection of tennis activities from the governing body’s LTA Youth Start programme, with completion of the courses helping Beavers towards achieving the Sports Activity Badge.
LTA Youth Start is a dedicated taster course designed to make it easier for children aged 4-11 years who have never played the sport before. Start courses are designed for kids to have fun, be active and learn decision-making skills that they can take into all walks of life. Beavers who complete the tennis activities will also be offered a 10% discount on the full LTA Youth Start programme.
To gain the Sports Activity Badge Beaver Scouts will need to play sport with other Beavers in their Colony, understand the rules of that sport and carry on that activity for at least six weeks. They will then be required to show the rest of the Colony the skills they have learnt from taking part and demonstrated the correct use of the the equipment required to take part in that sport.
LTA Youth Start forms part of the governing body’s new and innovative LTA Youth junior programme. Aimed at kids aged 4-18, the programme is designed to help more children enjoy the benefits of playing and staying in tennis, whatever their age, gender, race, ability, disability or background, and builds on the success of previous LTA initiatives, such as Tennis for Kids and Team Challenge.
The LTA is striving to help young people live happier and healthier lives, with a target of inspiring 10% of children in Britain to play tennis once a week by 2023. More than just learning tennis, LTA Youth helps them develop a whole range of physical and neurological abilities including balance, coordination and fine motor skills, with activities involving decision-making and strengthening hand-eye coordination.
What they said...
Sam Richardson, LTA Head of Tennis Products & Programmes said: “This is an exciting partnership and we’re very pleased to be collaborating with the Scouts as we both work to help young people from all backgrounds get active. Tennis is an amazing sport that can be played by anyone regardless of age, background, ability or disability and has unique physical and mental health benefits.
“Our LTA Youth programme has been created with world leading expertise and creates a clear path that supports kids’ enjoyment of tennis, progression and an informal environment within which kids will thrive. We are already seeing how this complements the fantastic work of Beaver Leaders across the country, and we’re looking forward to building on this over the next three years.”
Simon Carter Assistant Director at the Scouts said: “Coming out of lockdown it’s important to make sure that young people have as many opportunities to grow, develop and learn as many new skills as possible. This partnership with LTA enables thousands of our youth Members try a sport that’s new to them and to keep fit and healthy. A Beaver Scout that picks up a tennis racket for the first time this summer may go on to be a Wimbledon champion in the 2030’s.”
