The COTECC AGM was held in El Salvador on Sunday 30th July at the Hilton Princess. The AGM was well attended by a total of nine representatives from the English Speaking Caribbean. The organizers (COTECC) organized an ITN On-court assessment with the assistance of Carlos Rodriguez and Anthony Jeremiah (ITF Development Officers). Presidents and representatives from ITF member nations participated in the on-court assessment and received an ITN number. In addition, a presentation on Wheelchair Tennis was made by Paul Walker from the USA. A special mention should go to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for attending the AGM for the first time.
The HSBC JITIC was held in El Salvador from Sunday 31st July – 6th August 2006. A total of one hundred & ninety nine players participated in the 14&U, 16&U, and 18&U age categories (boys & girls). Seven nations represented the English speaking Caribbean which had a total of forty seven participants.
The competition was well organized and very competitive. Congratulations to Rasid Winklaar (AHO) for winning the boys 18 & Under singles event 6-1, 1-0 ret. over Cesar Ramirez (Mex). Rasid then teamed up with Alejandro Moreno (Mex) to also win the boys doubles title 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 over A. Bucaro (Gua)/C. Ramirez (Mex).
A special mention must go to Jean Marc Arends (ARU) for reaching the boys 16 & Under finals in both singles and doubles, and to St. Vincent and the Grenadines for also competing for the first time in the JITIC by HSBC. I look forward to more participation from the Caribbean in 2007.
ITF 14 & Under Caribbean Development Championships
The 14 & Under Caribbean Development Championships were held in Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad) from 27th August – 3rd September. The event was an historic one, with a total of twelve member nations participating as follows: Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Surinam and Trinidad & Tobago.
Congratulations to Darian King (BAR) and Fausthyara Pietersz (AHO) for winning the boys/girls singles' titles respectively. Pietersz teamed up with Keneel Teesdale (TRI) to also win the girls doubles. The nations standing at the end of the week-long event were: Trinidad & Tobago (38pts) and Netherlands Antilles (28pts).
Thanks to the Tennis Federation of Trinidad & Tobago (tennisTT) and Mr. A. Jameson (referee) for organizing a successful event which was completed one day ahead of schedule. I look forward to nations coming forward to organize the event in 2007.
To read about the event and access the results, please click here.
Regional Training Camp
An ITF/COTECC Regional Caribbean Training Camp is scheduled to take place at the National Tennis Centre in St. Vincent from 7 - 12 November 2006. The camp is organized to assist the best 14 & Under players and as a pre-selection for the ITF Junior Team to the COSAT Circuit which will take place early next year. The camp will be conducted by Ivan Molina, ITF Junior Touring Team coach and Anthony Jeremiah, ITF Development Officer. Invitations are being sent to the selected players’ respective Federations at the moment.
5 YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2007-2011 (No Plan No Assistance)
I would like to remind ITF member nations to submit your 5 Year Development Plan, using the ITF template. The deadline is 30th November 2006, to be in effect by 1st January 2007. Should you not submit a plan by 1st January, then you will be unable to receive Development assistance.
The 4th ITF Central America and Caribbean Regional Coaches Workshop was held at the Royal Decameron Beach Resort and Casino in Panama from 10 – 15 September 2006. A total of one hundred and thirty six coaches participated from 14 member nations. Nineteen coaches from five member nations in the English speaking Caribbean attended. Each year the ITF emphasizes the importance of Coaches Education and the importance of coaches capitalizing on the opportunity to attend the workshop which is organized in the region every 2 years. More support should be given to the workshop, especially from the English speaking Caribbean. I look forward to your participation in 2008 at the next Regional Coaches Workshop.
For more information on this event and to access the speakers’ biographies and summaries of their presentation, please click here.
ITF Worldwide Coaches Workshop 2007
The ITF Worldwide Coaches Conference is scheduled to take place at the Hotel Yacht & Golf Club Asuncion Paraguay on 22 - 28 October 2007. I would like to encourage Federations to send a representative. For further information please refer to the following website: http://www.itftennis.com/coaching
Belize
The Belize Tennis Association organized an ITF/OS Level 1 Coaches Course which was held from 21 - 29 July 2006, at the Pick Wick Tennis Club, Belize City. Seventeen persons participated, with six participants successfully completing the course and five having to re-take one practical exam.
Play Tennis Course
This course continues to be a challenge in the Caribbean. The course is ideal for School Teachers as an introduction to the STI Programme and young aspiring coaches as a pre Level 1. I would like to encourage nations to explore the opportunity of having a Play Tennis Course. To know more about the course, please click here.
The JTI Programme has been slowly improving in the Caribbean. There are presently 4 nations with ITF assisted programmes: Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti and Barbados who have successful Junior Tennis Initiative programmes which encompasses both the School Tennis Initiative (STI) and the Performance Tennis Initiative (PTI).
An update on the other nations in the Caribbean is as follows:
Aruba officially launched theIr Road Tennis sponsored by the Government
St. Vincent has launched its JTI programme sponsored by Digicel
Grenada has a successful School Tennis Initiative (STI) programme and is working on their follow-up programmes
Guyana will be launching their STI Programme soon
Cayman Islands have in place a JTI programme.
The ITF continues to encourage member nations to start a JTI Programme which is in effect, a 14 & Under Junior Development Programme. If the Caribbean is to continue to produce top players, we must strengthen the base and continue to create more opportunities for our players. I look forward to more follow-up programmes in 2007.
To learn more about the JTI programme, please click here.
The EDP Programme continues to assist and encourage developing ITF member nations to have a JTI programme by providing free equipment to support the programme. In 2006, 13 countries benefited from this programme in the Caribbean: Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Surinam, Grenada, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Jamaica, Haiti, Belize, Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Guyana, Bermuda.
There are ways to motivate players and to also encourage new players to the game. The introduction of the International Tennis Number (ITN) could be a great incentive for top players and recreational players, and coaches can use the ITN in their business to increase tennis participation at their tennis club or centre. I am encouraging Federations to explore this area. With a little more emphasis on the ITN, participation will increase at all levels. Please visit www.itftennis.com/itn for more information.
