G20 competition far cry from SW19 but just as important

Tennis courts that normally sit empty in a deprived area of Maryhill have been brought into use ahead of the big Wimbledon launch on Monday 22 June. A group of volunteers and sports charity ASAP (After Schools Activities Programme) have teamed up with Glasgow MSP Bob Doris to help breathe new life back into the courts after Glasgow City Council withdrew funding last year.

The public tennis facility at Maryhill Park -Glasgow G20- will play host to a community tennis competition for teenagers on Sunday 21st of June, the day before the first ball is served at upmarket Wimbledon's SW19.

On the eve of Wimbledon, young people from Glasgow, Barrhead and Giffnock will participate in a friendly tournament in Maryhill which will be the culmination of a series of free tennis coaching sessions that ASAP offer young people. The event will also mark the first time that all 5 tennis courts have been in a playable state in over a decade. SNP MSP Bob Doris has contacted Culture and Sport Glasgow and local tennis clubs to encourage them to work in partnership in the future with the charity ASAP, who use volunteer coaches, to develop a strategy which will see the courts maintained and get more young people involved in tennis.

ASAP are also hoping that any publicity generated from the competition will help generate more interest in volunteer coaching and wider participation by young people in tennis. Anyone wishing to get involved in ASAP's sports activities whether as a volunteer coach or as a participant should contact ASAP on 07766 70 8363.

Speaking ahead of the G20 tennis competition, Stephen Koepplinger of ASAP said: "Our tennis competition is a perfect way to round off our five week course of coaching sessions as part of the 2010 Spring ASAP Tennis Programme. It will be a fun day for all involved, as well as an excellent way of celebrating bringing all 5 courts back into a usable state. I hope the interest generated from our competition will be a springboard to get more youngsters involved not just in tennis but in wider community activities in general. I am looking to work in partnership with others to ensure that Maryhill's tennis courts don’t sit idle, are maintained and youngsters get the opportunity to be active.

SNP MSP for Glasgow Bob Doris added: "Tennis is viewed by many in Glasgow as being a middle class sport. It can be both expensive and daunting for many kids to get involved. Its crazy that as Scotland's Andy Murray inspires our youngsters to swing a racket that 5 tennis courts in Maryhill would otherwise sit empty if it was not for this charity. ASAP have a volunteer model for tennis which is free for youngsters. Given the shrinking budgets coming from the UK to Scotland in the years ahead, the volunteer coaching model will become increasingly important. SW19 is a world away from G20 but the youngsters of Maryhill deserve the same opportunities as everyone else and that is what we are trying to achieve here. I am hopeful that both local tennis clubs and the City Council will work with us to promote the scheme and to support the roll out of further tennis provision."

Notes:

All training sessions have been free and a small donation is appreciated by any individual participating in the tennis competition.