Driving through Surrey, Michele Sorensen often sees billboards for minor leagues of football, soccer and baseball.
She’d like to serve another sport into the mix starting in 2012.
Sorensen is co-chair of Surrey Little Aces (SLA), a pilot program and partnership between Tennis BC, Tennis Canada and the City of Surrey that aims to build tennis communities in the city by introducing the racket sport to kids at an early age.
While Surrey doesn’t have a formal tennis facility – there are public courts at Newton Athletic Park and Cloverdale Athletic Park, and now early plans for new tennis centre – SLA will bring free tennis to kids under 12 in school gymnasiums, parks and recreation space and participating tennis clubs.
The potential is there for the growth of tennis in Surrey, says Sorensen.
“The more exposure we can provide for the game of tennis, the more likely we’ll be able to grow tennis players.”
SLA uses what’s called the progressive tennis method with four components: Try, learn, play and compete.
“We’re starting early. We’re trying to make it something that’s fun and likable, so children will want to continue to play.”
For youngsters, courts, balls, rackets and nets (provided for free) are scaled down to accommodate the size of little people – demonstrated at awareness events in June 2011 inside Guildford Town Centre and on Feb. 4 of this year at Central City shopping centre.
That means a higher success rate to get their enthusiasm going.
The SLA program also provides wheelchair-accessible tennis, as well as free coaching for everyone.
Sorensen admits that tennis has a somewhat posh reputation of being geared towards higher-income demographics.
“The SLA program is in some ways designed to rub against that. It’s set out to provide affordable and accessible tennis for children and families.”
SLA “try” events will take place once a month in Surrey throughout 2012 starting this spring.
For more information about dates and locations, look for Surrey Little Aces on Facebook or visit www.surreylittleaces.com
Check out the video at last June’s event at Guildford Town Centre.
bjoseph@surreyleader.com
