Tennis player helps fill the courts at Lammas Park
British tennis star and Commonwealth Games medallist Sarah Borwell put Ealing’s young tennis players through their paces at Will to Win’s Lammas Park Centre on Thursday as part of Will to Win’s The Big Hit free tennis fun day.
Borwell, who has been ranked as high as 64 in the World in doubles, hit with local children to help spread the word that tennis is free 3pm – 6pm on weekdays for under-16s at all Will to Win parks tennis centres, including Ealing and Chiswick.
“I think it’s brilliant just to be able to turn up to so many kids enjoying themselves playing tennis and for the parents to know that they’re not going to have to fork out £20 each time,” said Borwell, who hit balls and played tennis-based games with children as young as four during The Big Hit. “It’s going to make the parents want to bring them back because it’s something that kids can join in with together and, best of all, it’s free.”
Will to Win’s Director Steve Riley is keen to see Will to Win’s courts
filled with as many young players as possible as part of the
organisation’s commitment to making tennis accessible and affordable
for the whole community. “We’re a public park; we’re not a private
enterprise, and we want to get the message out there that kids don’t
have to pay to play tennis,” said Riley. “There’s no catch. You can
turn up without a racket and we’ll give out rackets and balls, we’ll
make sure there is a court free for them and kids can just hit with
their friends and see if they like it. The main thing is to have fun.
That’s what tennis should be all about.”
Borwell competed at this year’s Wimbledon in doubles alongside Melanie
South and has represented Great Britain in Fed Cup team competition,
as well as winning a bronze medal in mixed doubles alongside Ken
Skupski at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year. “I wasn’t the
most talented junior going but I enjoyed it and that’s what kept me
coming back and why I ended up eventually playing at Wimbledon,” said
Borwell. “The more kids we can get onto a tennis court, loving
playing, the more chance we have of getting more British players
succeeding at the top.”
For more information on Will to Win's community sports centres in Ealing, Chiswick, Regent's Park, Hyde Park, Greenwich, go to www.willtowin.co.uk.
30th June 2011