JTI quality must improve before expansion: Suresh

KARACHI: It is important to ensure that the quality of Junior Tennis Initiative (JTI) programme in Pakistan is improved before it is expanded, Suresh Menon, International Tennis Federation ITF’s development officer for Asia, has said in a report.

He said the level of schoolchildren that he observed competing [during his visit to different schools in Lahore and Islamabad] was still very low. “Many of 10 year old children were struggling to coordinate even with the red balls. This is to be expected as the programme is still new to schools and the coaches lack the understanding of working with modified equipment,” said Suresh.

In his suggestions to the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), Suresh stated that the JTI programme in Pakistan was still relatively new.

“Even during this period the programme had to face numerous challenges, the main one being the closure of schools and suspension of outdoor activities for an extended period of time due to a terrorist incident at a school. Despite all these challenges the number of schools and schoolchildren being exposed to tennis 10s is increasing,” he added. 

However, he added, much more work was still required. “PTF plans to keep expanding the programme to include more schools all across Pakistan. This is an excellent initiative,” he said.

To ensure quality, he suggested including only those schools that are interested in the JTI programme and that they should be relatively close to the regional centre/club.

“Improving the competency of schoolteachers / coaches by conducting more workshops and ensuring that the children are using the equipment appropriate to their skill level are two main things,” said Suresh.

He said the coaches involved in the grassroots development programme must ensure that children were able to acquire the competencies at each stage of their tennis development before progressing to the next stage.

In Stage 3 (red ball) children playing should be 5-7; in Stage 2 (orange ball) children playing should be 7-8; and in Stage 1 (green ball) children playing should be 9-10.

Suresh stated that a local coordinator must be appointed for each region or city in which the programme was being organised.

“The local association should support the local coordinator / coach with an allowance; the schools and the children must ultimately pay for the programme. The money received would go towards the salary of the local coordinator / coach. A portion could be used to purchase equipment and offset other related expenses.

“The children and schools must be motivated to be part of the programme through competitions; weekend or monthly competitions should be organised to entice children to participate. Minimal entry fees should be charged. Prizes should be given for Red, Orange and Green ball competitions; as the competency of the participants improves regional school team / individual competitions (Green ball) should be organised.

“Eventually National School / individual competitions could be organised. The schools that win the regional competitions will be selected to represent their region in the National championships. Eventually the successful schools will be nationally recognised together with the principal, teachers and coaches in the programme.”