JOHN Forrest Secondary College (JFSC) tennis co-ordinator John Campbell is hoping to continue to help kids develop a “lifelong love” for the game in years to come after the college was named WA’s Most Outstanding School at the 2017 WA Tennis Industry Awards Night last week.
JFSC was a joint winner alongside Riverton Primary School.
The college’s specialist tennis academy has more than 80 students and offers training, match play and participation in competitions including the Slazenger Cup and the Herbert Edwards Cup.
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READ NOWSenior school students also take part in a Certificate II Sport and Recreation course which involved developing a coaching program for young children.
Selected students were lucky enough to fly to Melbourne to watch the 2017 Australian Open in January.
Campbell said the number of players had increased each year.
“It is good to be recognised in that area and for the efforts we have put in over the last 10 years to develop the program to where it is today,” he said.
“We take the kids on a tennis camp at the end of the year and we also have a before school and after school training program.”
Campbell said the academy had three state-level players but he wanted to recruit more players in years to come.
“We are always trying to improve what we do at the school, our structure and promoting it more out to the primary schools in and out of the area,” he said.
“We want to get kids who have a passion for tennis to come and learn about tennis and develop a lifelong love for the game.”
Other major winners included Scarborough resident Tristan Schoolkate, who was named the Junior Tennis Star and Onslow Park’s James Edwards who won the Volunteer Achievement Award.
All award winners have been nominated for their respective categories at the Newcombe Medal Australian Tennis Awards, which will be held at Crown Melbourne on November 27.
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