'It is heartwarming': the JTI and its major impact in Namibia
Development and participation are at the centre of the ITF’s vision for tennis, while at the 2019 ITF World Participation Conference a hugely ambitious target of 120 million players – another 30 million people – participating in the sport worldwide by 2030 was set. In the first in a series of articles and case studies focusing upon the initiatives which are helping to grow the number of players across the globe, the spotlight falls on the Junior Tennis Initiative and the success which that programme has had in shaping the future of tennis within Namibia.
“It is heartwarming. It feels like an opportunity you are giving kids that they would not otherwise have. It is a good feeling.” That is the view of Tapiwa Masunga, the ITF’s Development Officer for Southern Africa, when considering the impact of one of the ITF’s key development programmes in Namibia.
The Junior Tennis Initiative (JTI) – the 14-and-under development programme for a National Association, supported by the ITF – has been instrumental in repositioning the sport of tennis within Namibia and other southern African countries.
Although tennis was not a sport traditionally played by less privileged communities in Namibia, the JTI has been essential in ensuring that it is now a multiracial pursuit and one which is accessible to all. Through the JTI, the sporting landscape in Namibia has changed significantly in recent years.
“Tennis in Namibia was mainly played by white people and white communities and was not really seen as a sport for black communities. Equally, black people did not see themselves playing tennis,” said Masunga.
“Similar to a lot of countries in our region, tennis has been an elitist sport in Namibia. It used to have an elitist image, a game played by ambassadors and not the everyday person, but that has all changed and the JTI has been integral to achieving that.”
The overriding aim of the JTI is to provide opportunities across the world for increased participation by junior players, while also identifying the most talented individuals for focused development within a country.
The most talented 14-and-under players from their respective age categories are selected to receive performance-based training and are granted access to national 12-and-under and 14-and-under competition. In total, 137 ITF National Associations had an active JTI during 2019.
In Namibia during that time, 3513 players, consisting of 2138 girls and 1375 boys, participated in the JTI in both schools and clubs across the nation, all under the supervision of JTI Coordinator and coach Wellington Sibanda.
“The JTI in Namibia has targeted under privileged communities – some of the poor communities in the capital city of Windhoek for instance – and the programme has introduced kids in those areas to tennis,” added Masunga.
“That also links into a national training programme whereby talented kids are identified and they have the opportunity to attend the country’s National Training Centre.
“For years and years, the Namibian national junior team was predominantly white, but in the last two or three years more and more black kids are making it through to the national team and winning junior competitions.”
Athletics, football and boxing have historically been the sports of choice within the less privileged communities of Namibia, but tennis is now a viable option for children throughout the country.
“The JTI is successful both in terms of number of participants and with regards to giving kids access to tennis – an opportunity they would not otherwise have had,” said Masunga. “Tennis is another option for these kids, especially when you look at the importance of sport in the development of a child.
“They now have access to those values which sport teaches, while some of those individuals are now getting the chance to be part of the national junior set-up. Had tennis not been introduced to their community, those options would not be available.
“The hope, of course, is that the kids involved in the JTI programme play tennis to an advanced level, but, if they don’t that doesn’t matter. It is more important that they can be rewarded with the value of tennis.”
The JTI is an integral strand of the ITF’s strategy to increase participation in tennis worldwide for all ages, genders, playing standards and physical abilities, contributing to the consistent global growth and quality of tennis.
It is a key part of a National Association’s player development pathway and also provides increased opportunities for tennis coaches and school educators – across 2019, close to 6,000 coaches and schoolteachers delivered sessions.
“The ITF Global Tennis Report 2019 showed there were 87 million people playing tennis worldwide, while the ITF has an ambitious goal that by 2030 that number will have reached 120 million,” said Luca Santilli, ITF Executive Director, Tennis Development.
“The JTI is a key grassroots programme that offers children their first taste of tennis. It’s importance in terms of participation and development cannot be understated.
“Clearly, the JTI is having a significant impact in Namibia and throughout southern Africa, and that success is replicated across the world. Last year alone, more than 300,000 players participated in the JTI, providing much-valued opportunities that were not on offer previously.”