Tennis BC Brings Tennis to Inner-city Schools

The Tennis BC Schools Program received $74,000 from the BC Sport Participation Program in 2004-2007 to expand a multi-session introductory program for 8-14 year-old students in inner-city elementary and middle schools in the Lower Mainland and other regions of the province. The expansion also introduced Groovy Girlz Camps, providing 7-10 year-old girls a chance to play tennis in a fun, social and non-competitive environment. More than 9,600 children and 15 coaches from 26 communities participated in the program.

The following communities participated in the Tennis BC Schools Program: Abbotsford, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Kelowna, Kimberley, Nanaimo, North Vancouver, Oak Bay, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton, Richmond, Saanich, Salmon Arm, Sooke, Summerland, Surrey, Vancouver, Vernon, Victoria, West Vancouver, Westbank and Whistler.

The BC Sport Participation Program aims to increase sport participation in community and school-based sports. From 2004-2007 the program gave more than $2 million to 22 sport organizations running programs in 109 communities for close to 85,000 participants and more than 4,600 coaches. The program is funded by the Province of British Columbia and Sport Canada.