Summary of activities 2024

2024 has once again been a bumper year for our Kenton Philanthropy Programme! And what a way to celebrate the IC-Kenton 10th birthday!!

This Kenton Sports Trust Junior Club in the small coastal village of Kenton-on-Sea in the Eastern Cape, had a modest beginning in 2011. When the IC Council agreed to provide a grant to support the small local foundation in 2014, the initiative went from strength to strength.

Today the programme is one of 2 main providers of players feeding into the EC regional and provincial teams for their (and TSA’s) Development initiatives.

We have on average 30 children who attend coaching sessions three times a week. Of those 10 are now regular tournament players. This year we have participated in 6 tournaments as well as the East Cape Trials, a 2-day trip to East London and 4 players participated in a clay court experience in Southwell, near Port Alfred. On 2 occasions, 8 children travelled to Port Elizabeth for TSA events. This meant staying over in local guesthouses and what a treat it was.

A team of u14 boys was entered in the National Rising Stars team competition for schools. The same team also played in a quadrangular schools’ event in Grahamstown. The team gave a good account of itself but found itself a little outclassed by the local private schools.

The Kenton Tennis Club continues to provide its facilities free of charge and we are thrilled that the Kariega Foundation (Kariega Game Reserve’s Outreach) has seen fit to partner us in the form of transport in their own Quantum on numerous occasions for longer trips and have also provided the players with food parcels. We are incredibly grateful for their assistance.

Off to East London in the Kariega Quantum

Admiring their racquets – on their way to coaching

Success stories:

Prince started with us 2 years ago and is now in the EC IPT u15 IPT team on merit.

Prince and his first “big” win.

Prince 2023-24

2024 Prince and Othando off to IPT in Pretoria.

Thimna (middle) began by winning Rainbow Kidz tournaments and next year (2025) will be included in the u11 primary schools’ team going to Bloemfontein.