The Wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, says the fifth edition of the Summer Tennis Clinic has trained more than 1000 children on how to play the Tennis.
Akeredolu said this on Saturday at Akure Recreation Club at the opening ceremony of the Summer Tennis Clinic for the Central Senatorial District.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 400 children between the ages of four and 13 from the district are currently taking part in the 2022 Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu Summer Tennis Clinic.
The number added up to the 620 children who had been trained at the Southern and Northern senatorial districts of the state.
Akeredolu said the event had produced several children with interest in the game of Tennis and over 150 involved and enlisted as members of the Arabirin Junior Tennis Club.
She said that the summer clinic produced players who had represented the state at national and regional championships and intended to produce more.
Akeredolu said that this year’s edition was extended to other towns in two senatorial districts of Ondo state in Owo and Okitipupa, to afford children in the nooks and crannies to also benefit from the initiative.
“After holding the first to the Fourth editions in Akure, we deemed it fit to decentralise the programme for the benefit of children in the hinterlands.
“We took this decision so that geography or any other socio-economic factor would no longer be an excuse for repeatedly denying children within the remote areas the privileges their counterparts in the state capital enjoy,” she said.
“Already, about 25 of these children have since excelled as professionals and proud representatives of Ondo State at regional, national and international levels.
“Since inception, they had participated in at least 15 tournaments at various competitions, including Chevron Open Champions, South-West U-16 tournament, Kayode Fayemi U-17, Kaduna Clay Cut Junior Championship,” she said.
Mr Dele Ologun, Chairman of the occasion and the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in Ondo State, said he was elated over the efforts of the governor’s wife.
Ologun said the clinic would engage the mental ability of the children and even produce great stars such as Venus Williams, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic.
He thanked the state governor for his love of sports development, charging parents to expose their kids to sports at a tender age.
“Her heart of love for the young ones in Ondo State has birthed many Programme s which are designed to have both short and long term positive effects on the children, ” he said.
On his part, the Chairman of Akure Recreation Club and former Chief of Staff in Ondo State Mr Kola Ademujimi, said the club was delighted with the yearly event.
She said Mrs Akeredolu had added glamour to the club by constructing a court and attracting more women to the club.
Ademujimi said the Akure Recreation Club was the oldest tennis court in the southwestern part of the country, having been founded by the British settlers in 1927.
She said the club would always be available for interested players and the summer tennis clinic.(NAN)
