Tennis kids make a racquet

Ninety students at Sunshine Beach State School have received brand new tennis racquets, thanks to ANZ and Tennis Australia’s School Partnership Program.
ANZ’s support of the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots program has ensured students in their first year of school at a Tennis Australia partner school receive a brand new tennis racquet, with an astonishing 80,000 taking up the opportunity since January 2015.
ANZ Tennis Hot Shots ambassador Alicia Molik is delighted to see the opportunities the program offers to young children around Australia.
“ANZ has helped us deliver 80,000 racquets to children around the country and you can’t wipe the smiles off the kids’ faces,” Molik said. “It’s fantastic to see so many tennis racquets in the hands of young children, which really encourages them to participate in physical activity while doing something that is fun.”
Sunshine Beach Physical Education teacher Cameron Porter said the ANZ Hot Shots tennis program is designed specifically to meet the needs of children.
“With the inclusion of smaller courts, lighter racquets and low compression balls it makes tennis fun and easy to learn,” he said.
“In addition to the skill improvement students also benefit from such programs in terms of the child gaining a sense of achievement, self-worth and confidence. It helps their social skills and develops a sense of sportsmanship and fair play. Evidence also suggests a positive correlation between children’s physical activity participation and academic achievement.”
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley firmly believes sports like tennis are vital to children’s health and wellbeing at a young age.
“Sport has, and continues to play, a very significant role in the lives of all Australian families and communities,” Tiley said.
Prep students were delighted to receive their racquets from their respective sporting house captains.