Tennis festival treat served up for Vale youngsters
The Vale of Glamorgan’s
first ever tennis festival for children with disabilities and
additional needs has been held at Penarth Lawn Tennis Club.
Twenty three pupils from four Vale primary schools – Palmerston,
Gwenfo C/W, Ashgrove and Ysgol Erw’r Delyn – all enjoyed taking
part, with some playing the sport for the first time.
The festival was organised by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s
Disability Sport Wales officer Linda Ruston after she teamed up
with one of the tennis club’s coaches, Simon Clarke.
Linda said: “The smiles on the children’s faces said it all.
They had a fantastic morning having a go at eight different skill
exercises and I really hope that tennis will become an activity
that they start to enjoy playing regularly. The venue was great and
gave the pupils the opportunity to experience tennis in an idyllic
environment – it gave them a brilliant taste of the sport.”
Linda and Simon were helped on the day by the club’s head coach
Rob Cunningham, members of the Vale Council’s sports and play
development team, staff from the schools involved, Tony Pibb from
the Cardiff wheelchair tennis club and three sixth formers from
nearby St Cyres Comprehensive School. Linda added: “Thanks very
much to everyone who supported the festival, particularly the three
sixth formers – Jordan Roach, David Riseborough and Dan Payne – who
were an exceptional help and full of enthusiasm and energy.”
There are plans for the festival to be held again next year, but
in the meantime Simon Clarke is available to go into the four
schools, as well as Ysgol Maes Dyfan in Barry, to provide some
follow-up sessions which will be sponsored by Bernard Cody Motor
Engineers of Penarth.
If any Vale schools are interested in tennis coaching sessions,
please contact Simon Clarke on 07976 241780 or Linda Ruston / Simon
Jones on 01446 704728 or email sljones@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk.