The Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) is one of three sporting disciplines to have an integral part of the administration of their sport boosted with the opening of 3 new courts in the compound of the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown.
In the case of Tennis, their two other facilities are both located in the North Georgetown area, on Woolford Avenue and in the National Park. As such, the commissioning of a new court on Mandela Avenue is set to open new horizons for the sport, as indicated by GTA President Cristy Campbell.
“The plan for this facility, of course the first objective, is to introduce this sport to the residents, the children and even adults in the South Georgetown area. That is important. It allows us to expand our reach and introduce the sport and expand it into new areas,” Campbell related to this publication at the Court’s opening on Saturday last.
A look at the new tennis court and accompanying bleachers at the National Gymnasium
“Because many people are of the impression that tennis is somewhat of an exclusive sport, so we do not want to have those barriers in place. It is important to have the sport introduced into as many areas as possible. That is a goal and objective and vision of the Executive of the GTA.”
She added about plans to further expand the sport, “When we start in this area, and then we look to take the sport into another area, and then branch off into other region.”
GTA President Cristy Campbell
Not only is the court set to attract new players, but playing time would be extended with the inclusion of high-powered lights. Campbell spoke about the convenience that this component would offer to tennis players.
The GTA President explained, “We’re extremely grateful, because it allows our players to have more time to train, especially with the facilities that are all equipped with lights. So that is important to us, and I’m certain it’s going to go a far way in developing our sport. It also gives our working players, even those who play competitively or recreationally, it gives them the opportunity to hit up to 10 – 11 o clock at night. That is important, and we’re grateful for the infrastructural development that we’ve been seeing recently.”
This has been the second facility in recent months to have been commissioned for the playing of the sport, and Campbell could not be more grateful to the agencies who have made it possible.
“Within the past 2 and a half years, the GTA has seen a tremendous investment in terms of funding and infrastructural development from the National Sports Commission; the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and by extension the Government of Guyana,” Campbell shared.
She further stated, “So we, the GTA and those agencies, we have really good relationships, and it’s something that all the members of the GTA, the players, the parents and the entire Tennis fraternity, we sincerely appreciate that. Because, for many years we have tried to foster good relationships in terms of funding and make representation for better facilities, but we have not been able to see that materialise, until recently.” (Jemima Holmes)
