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ITF expert Coach Bill Adams pays visit to the NRC
To conduct Coaching clinic today at Le Ressouvenir Courts
By Sean Devers
International Tennis Federation (ITF) expert, Coach Bill Adams, paid a short four-day visit to Guyana after spending four days in St Vincent and Suriname respectively.
The fit looking 69-year-old Guyan
Coach Bill Adams talks to the youngsters yesterday.
ese who migrated to North America in 1969, arrived here on Wednesday Evening and departs early tomorrow morning.
During his short trip to his homeland he met with executives of the Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) on Thursday, visited the National Racquet Centre on Woodford Avenue yesterday and is scheduled to meet with Parents and Coaches at 10:00hrs at the National Racquet Centre today.
The Director of the Bill Adams International Tennis Academy, which was inaugurated in 1997, will then conduct coaching at the Tennis Court at residence of GTA President, Essequibian Sam Barakat at Le Ressouvenir on the East Coast of Demerara.
Sessions for the U-12s will be done from 12:30hrs and from 15:00hrs to 17:00hrs for U-19s.
In addition to the Coaching sessions and meetings, the USA based Guyanese is looking at Tennis facilities.
Tennis Facilities is also a challenge locally with just about four functioning Courts in Demerara, including the Racquet Centre.
Coach Bill Adams (middle) with some young Tennis players at the Nat Racquet Centre yesterday.
Local Coach Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan said the GTA is looking for a plot of Land to construct a Court but Adams said they have to get the Land first in order to get possible financial help from the ITF.
“You have to begin the project to show the ITF that you are doing something. They help those who help themselves and the Government could make that possible for they are the ones with the authority disburse land,” Adams said.
A Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) certified teaching professional and a United States Tennis Association (USTA) high-performance coach, Adams says the Geography of the Caribbean is a challenge.
“Moving between the Caribbean Islands and Guyana and Suriname it’s very expensive and is one of the challenges of really developing the Sport in the Region.
This prevents the staging of more regional tournament and nations being able to get a lot of players which inadvertently prevents young players from getting overseas exposure and experience,” Adams said.
“We need to motivate and encourage the young Tennis players to stay in the game and show them the benefits of staying in Tennis. Most of the good young local players give up competitive play after they turn 16 and we want to do things to encourage them,” explained Adams.
Adams, who since 1980 has directed the operations of tennis facilities and tennis programmes in Germany and Italy, besides Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida, says one way of encouraging them is providing Scholarships.
“To qualify they must have a good standard of play and must be good in academics. However, the Tennis is more important since the Coaches could lose their jobs if the College is not competitive,” Adams said.
Adams coached International Tennis champion Naomi Osaka in her early years, and has trained coaches in Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Italy and Germany.
Adams has worked with players on the professional tour like Venus and Serena Williams and Mary Pierce. Now he is helping to train some of the top high school players in the area at the school he started in 1997.
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