Play & Stay

International Tennis Federation

Summary

In February 2007 the ITF officially launched a global campaign aimed at increasing tennis participation worldwide. The Tennis Play and Stay campaign aims to promote tennis as easy, fun and healthy, and to ensure all starter players are able to serve, rally and score from their first lesson. Fundamental to the campaign is the use of slower balls by coaches working with starter players, ensuring that their first experience of tennis is a positive one, where players are able play the game.

Target group(s)

• Children (3-12)
• Youth (13-18)

Purposes

• Health and Well-being
• Increase sport participation

Type(s) of initiative

• Non-Competitive Sport for All

The Tennis Play and Stay campaign aims to promote tennis as easy, fun and healthy, and to ensure all starter players are able to serve, rally and score from their first lesson. The aim of the Tennis Play and Stay campaign is to address these issues, promoting the game as easy, fun and healthy, through 5 key messages:

Tennis is easy…
when coaches use the slower Red, Orange and Green balls
Tennis is fun…
when starter players serve, rally and score from the first lesson
Tennis competition is fun…
formats & scoring systems exist to suit all lifestyles
Tennis is healthy…
when players serve, rally and score; research supports this
Tennis is a sport for all!

1. Minimize the drop out rate of children after the first tennis lession
2. Communicate the feeling that tennis is fun instead of making it look difficult

Venue

• Sport Clubs, Educational Institutions

Maximum of participants

• no limit defined

Actual number of participants

• no information

Staff

• 10 to 15 and coaches

Equipment and Facilities

• Tennis equipment and courts

• Tennis Play and Stay website
• Tennis Play and Stay resources