Marlborough Tennis Club has been selected by the Lawn Tennis Association(LTA) and Amazon Prime to deliver two programmes (multi-year) to inspire thousands of girls to pick up a racket and play tennis. The ‘Prime Video LTA Youth Girls Programme’ has trained two Marlborough Tennis Coaches to deliver lessons and guidance specifically designed for girls. Amazon are paying for the equipment packs, (racket & ball set, wristbands, and t-shirt) plus postage and packaging but a £35 fee will be charged to each participant which will go to the coach. Players can sign up via the Marlborough Tennis coaching website
The programme will focus on creating an environment that motivates girls and young women to play and stay in tennis. LTA research identified that girls want to play with friends in a fun and pressure-free setting, with relatable coaches who can build confidence and drive enjoyment. The initiative fulfils Prime Video’s promise to reinvest the funds from sharing the broadcast of the 2021 US Open Final with Channel 4, into British women’s tennis.
The Clubs volunteer lead for coaching Hilda Moore , said, “This is an exciting next step for our club. We are actively seeking girls to enter this programme, which is grouped by age range and offers inclusive, fun tennis, with excellent coaching. It builds upon our Step-Up programme which was kindly supported by Marlborough Area Board to help get kids into tennis and support those who needed a little encouragement to keep fit.”
Neil Watts, Head Coach and Wiltshire Men’s captain and performance coach said, “With three separate programmes on offer this May, this programme provides a flagship opportunity for those who want to come back to tennis or learn a new sport.”
An appeal to Wiltshire Council – Marlborough Leisure Centre urgently needs investment now
