South Bunbury Primary School students got the opportunity to meet one of Australia’s highest achieving athletes last week.
Australian tennis legend and current Fed Cup captain Alicia Molik visited the school on Friday, November 17 as part of the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow.
Molik helped to deliver 60 new tennis racquets to the students before participating in a Q and A session.
She then visited the Bunbury Tennis Club and led a training clinic with the club’s participants.
Molik said the program succeeded in reaching a significant number of students around Australia.
“That’s the beauty of it – presenting them with racquets that they can take home, use and help them encourage their parents to take them out more often,” she said.
“In every city, state and rural/regional area there is always a tennis club or tennis court somewhere.
“Tennis teaches so many different skill bases that are really transferable, which is part of why it’s such a really great sport.”
Noting that tennis was a “sport for life”, Molik outlined the physical and social benefits tennis provided for people of all ages.
Tennis West participation manager Brook Koenig said the visit highlighted the school’s efforts in the National Schools Partnership Program.
She said providing equipment helped to keep people interested in sporting activities.
“Tennis is really great for boys and girls, keeping kids fit and healthy, it’s really good for their well-being,” she said.
“We know that starting sport early on means that they may continue to play for life.
“We’re really trying to create memorable experiences in tennis and hoping people will continue to play our sport into the future.”
Tennis teaches so many different skill bases that are really transferable, which is part of why it’s such a really great sport.
- Alicia Molik
Ms Koening said ANZ’s long-standing sponsorship helped Tennis West to offer equipment packs and programs to schools and tennis clubs.
Tennis West has set a goal of getting one million Australians interested in playing tennis by 2020.
The campaign has delivered over 80,000 tennis racquets to students across Australia since 2015.
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