Leon Smith with with Apprentice Tennis Coach Dillon Slade (left) and Head of Club Coaching Tom Ellis (right) (Photo: Matchtight Ltd.)

Smith, who led GB to a historic victory in 2015, worked with Team Bath Tennis staff as they shared details of the Tennis For Kids scheme with around 60 coaches who will implement the free six-week training plan back at their clubs and schools.

Tennis For Kids courses are taking place at venues across the country – including the University and its satellite centres in Wellow, Saltford and Monkton Prep School in Bath – starting in April. Last year’s inaugural programme saw more than 13,000 youngsters aged between five and eight get involved, each of them taking home a new, specially-designed Davis Cup racket.

Smith also visited the Sports Training Village ahead of the 2016 programme and Tom Ellis, Head of Club Coaching at Team Bath, said: “It was great to welcome Leon back here and also see so many coaches from across the South West benefit from his advice.

“Tennis For Kids was a huge success last year and we hope to see many more children getting involved and picking up a racket on this year’s course.”

To find out more about Tennis For Kids and register an interest in attending one of the free six-week courses, visit here.

Team Bath Tennis provides coaching and playing opportunities throughout the year for youngsters aged three and over as part of its all-inclusive tennis programme. Find more information here.

Report courtesy of Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd.

He worked with more than 70 coaches to ensure they are now ready to deliver the Lawn Tennis Association’s Tennis For Kids initiative, which aims to get 10,000 children aged between five and eight to pick up a racquet and play tennis for the first time.

It is part of the LTA’s Davis Cup Legacy Project, looking to build on Great Britain’s heroic and historic victory in the 2015 competition.

“The legacy is about impressing on these coaches about inspiring, captivating children and families to take up tennis,” said Smith, who captained GB to their first Davis Cup win since 1936.

“The Sports Training Village is an amazing facility, one of the best in the country. There is a great buzz when you walk in and the fact there are so many sports training under one roof gives it a real positive energy.

“Bringing the Davis Cup trophy home last year was a massive achievement for Great Britain – I want to be able to use this historic moment to inspire our coaches and support them as we continue to grow the love for our game across many generations.”

Smith was joined at the STV by former British number one Anne Keothavong, who – along with Greg Rusedski and Annabel Croft – is serving as a coaching mentor for the national scheme.

Tennis for Kids will offer a free six-week course led by one of the 1,000 coaches recruited, and 10,000 free rackets to children across the whole of Great Britain. To join the initiative, parents can simply sign their kids up online from April, when further information will be released.

Coaching mentor Sam Richardson said: “The day has gone brilliantly. The coaches were really positive and we’ve had a really good turnout.”

Photo above shows: (from left) Matt Smith, Head of Club Coaching at Team Bath Tennis; Anne Keothavong; Davis Cup captain Leon Smith; and Team Bath Director of Tennis Barry Scollo.

Report courtesy of  Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd