Latest testimonials from the KRRP BINNU PRIMARY SCHOOL (WESTERN AUSTRALIA) Our students are thoroughly enjoying the Kids Tennis Foundation program with Coach Colsie. It has been wonderful to see students developing not only their tennis skills but also their self-confidence and resiliency skills. This program has provided students with the opportunity to develop their cooperative skills and friendship groups. Thank you so much for visiting Binnu Primary School and allowing us to be part of the Ken Rosewall Regional Project. Helen Barnes Acting Principal FRANKLIN PRIMARY SCHOOL (NEW SOUTH WALES) The program here at Franklin has been very good, the students have thoroughly enjoyed been involved. Their skills have developed over the weeks with a definite enjoyment in tennis seen. The students are encouraged and motived to strive to improve their skills. They are given every opportunity to practise these skills and excited to participate in the games used to improve their skills in tennis. A very worthwhile program. Jodie Barton Acting Principal The KTF program has been fun and beneficial for the Franklin children. I have Kindergarten and Year One and we thoroughly enjoyed learning the skills involved in playing tennis. The students look forward to tennis every week and are extremely sad if it is cancelled at all. The students are passionate about tennis and some students even bring their own tennis racquets. “Birdie” is an amazing teacher for tennis and always ensures our children understand the basics needed to be successful. She supports the staff, as well as the staff supporting her, and ensures the children have a good time whilst learning. It is an amazing opportunity that I hope continues. Veronica Manns Teacher This is my second year that I have been involved with the Ken Rosewall Regional Project by conducting the KTF program at Franklin P.S. I instruct approximately 86 children in the fundamentals of tennis. We have so much fun. The interaction between the students and the tennis equipment, games and ball skills is amazing and so encouraging. Children who normally have limited hand/eye coordination are completing all the tasks each week. The children, as I do too, look forward to playing tennis with the modified equipment every week. I do love that the Ken Rosewall Regional Project, through the KTF programs, is available to each child at this school. Bernadette Cahill TA Coach & Official ST VINCENT DE PAUL PS (VICTORIA) Over the past few years, the students in my classes have been lucky enough to participate in the KTF program with Mr Andrew Peavey. The program has always ran smoothly and Andrew has always been more than accommodating to our staff and school. Each year the program has been suited to cater for every student’s needs and Andrew has made sure every student was involved no matter what ability level they may be. All the students have left the classes with a smile on their faces feeling special that they have succeeded thanks to the program and feeling important thanks to Andrew’s wonderful sense of fun and humour. It has been a wonderful program which allowed each student to improve as the lessons developed and we hope that we are part of KTF and the Ken Rosewall Regional Project in the years to come. Charley Askew Teacher KANGAROO FLAT PRIMARY SCHOOL (VICTORIA) The Kangaroo Flat Primary School has been fortunate enough to be involved with the Kid’s Tennis Foundation over the past 18 months. This relationship has allowed our students, the majority of whom are from low socio-economic backgrounds, to access fantastic tennis opportunities during school time. Over this time, we have been lucky enough to have Bree Smith and Steve Storer come out to our school. They are absolutely adored by our students and have developed a number of positive, meaningful relationships with students from Grade 3 to Grade 5. Their enthusiastic nature, ability to create safe learning environments and fantastic coaching knowledge, has allowed our students to walk away with positive experiences. Whilst we are aware that many do not have the ability at home to engage in tennis outside of school, this has allowed them to develop a love of being active and will no doubt be tennis viewers when they can. We cannot thank KTF, under the banner of the KRRP, enough for the opportunities we have been given to provide positive experiences to our students through tennis. Travis Colley PE Teacher KEVIN BANNER (QUEENSLAND COACH) This year has been an exciting year when I took the Kids Tennis Foundation Program out to the rural regional area of Wide Bay to the oldest town in Queensland, Gayndah, a 160 Klm drive west of Bundaberg every Friday. I spent two terms of 2 hours every week at St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and the same at Gayndah State Primary School. St. Josephs had approx 70 children attending the school & I was lucky and privileged to introduce tennis to all the children in the school on the schools tennis court. The smiles on the kids’ faces and the excitement shown meant that I was really meant to be there. Tennis is one of the only sports willing to have ALL kids of all ages participate. After the first couple of weeks you could see the improvement in their eye hand co ordination and their willingness to participate in all facets of the sport whether it was game work or just learning how to hit a forehand. Gayndah State School is a bigger school & I worked with grades 4/5/6 classes. We were lucky that the local tennis club gave me the use of 3 courts free of charge so the players could have a look and play in a proper tennis environment. This gave the kids the opportunity to learn & play the game. Being rural and a low economic climate a lot of the children aren't exposed to sport but after the program at both schools had finished, the players’ self- esteem had risen to a stage where the kids were wanting more. At this stage, the timing was right when Tennis Queensland conducted a Schools Teams Challenge in the different regions in the same format as the ANZ Hot Shots program with the Red, Orange, & Green Balls. The Red Ball Comp for grades 1-4 was conducted on home soil & invited 4 other schools in the region to participate with the 2 local schools. Both local schools qualified for the next level in Bundaberg and joined the Orange team players from grades 4/5 & grades 4/6 in the Green Ball. Even though none of the teams made it to the next stage to play at the Brisbane International, it has given the kids a real taste of the opportunities tennis can give them. I only hope now the kids will be interested in joining the local club to continue learning. It has been a privilege to travel to the schools supported by the Kids Tennis Foundation and the Ken Rosewall Regional Project. Kevin Banner KTF Coach St Vincent Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin
