Tennis Charity Serves Up Free Tennis Coaching In Ipswich

April 15, 2010 - PRLog -- Charity ‘Tennis For Free’ has served up an ace for Ipswich by investing in a two year free coaching programme at the county town’s Christchurch Park courts.  

The charity has joined the strategic partnership between Team Ipswich and Ipswich Sport Club to help provide free tennis coaching across Ipswich and Suffolk starting Saturday 17th April between 1-3pm, and for the next two years, as part of its ‘Tennis In The Park’ programme.

Tennis For Free is a registered charity founded by comedian Tony Hawks.  It aims to provide to create healthy, vibrant tennis communities on FREE public park tennis courts creating new tennis players of all ages and backgrounds, and showing that tennis can be enjoyed by all.

Professional tennis coaches from Ipswich Sports Club will be on hand to teach the budding tennis players and manage the Saturday afternoon’s at Christchurch Park, as part of their involvement in the whole scheme.
Tennis For Free’s (TFF) Coaching Programme – in selected parks throughout the country - is a new community initiative creating a partnership between the local council, local LTA and the tennis clubs surrounding each particular park.  The Ipswich Free Coaching Programme is the first of its kind in the UK - a two year (100 weeks, 50 weeks per year) initiative for those who want to ‘have a go’.  If it’s your first time and you don’t have a racket, TFF will lend you one, free of charge for the session.

Paul Jessop, CEO of Tennis For Free said: “We’re very excited about this launch.  It’s the first of our new model partnering with a local sports club and local authority to provide the free tennis coaching.  I’m very grateful to Ipswich Sports Club and Team Ipswich for joining with us and hopefully creating thousands of new tennis players in the area.  Who knows, we could find another Elena Baltacha!”

Paul Sheldrake of Ipswich Sports Club said: “This is the final piece in our ‘tennis jigsaw’.  Not only can we guarantee the people of Ipswich have the use two free courts, seven days a week at Christchurch Park but we now we have the infrastructure to provide a structured coaching programme for those who want to make tennis one of ‘their sports’.  I’m particularly delighted that Ipswich Sports Club is providing this coaching programme and I hope Tennis For Free’s involvement will generate more interest in tennis from people in the area.”

Richard Wilson, Chair of the Friends of Christchurch Park, added: “We are delighted with the Council's continuing commitment to free tennis for all in Christchurch Park, and very pleased that this is now combined with opportunities for expert coaching.  Beginners and more experienced players can now enjoy and develop their game in the wonderful surroundings of the Park, and increased investment in the courts can only mean better facilities in the longer term.  We hope that as many people as possible will make the most of this opportunity."

As part of its commitment to free parks tennis, TFF also employs a team of researchers to continually update the list of UK public park tennis courts available for free.  Their website www.tennisforfree.com enables the public to find their nearest free courts, allowing them to just turn up and enjoy a game of tennis.

For more information and to sign up for the Christchurch Park, Ipswich Free Coaching programme visit www.ipswichparktennis.co.uk and following the instructions.  For further information on Tennis For Free visit www.tennisforfree.com.