Sheltez Jnr tournament closing ceremony held last Saturday -Lack of facilities biggest challenge for local Tennis says Nat Coach

Jun 07, 2021 Sports

By Sean Devers
The closing ceremony of the Sheltez Independence junior tennis tournament was held last Saturday at LeRessouviner on the East Coast of Demerara after days of adverse weather conditions.The tournament commenced on May 1 and was scheduled to climax on Guyana’s 55th Independence Anniversary on Ma

The prize winners with GTA President Cristy Campbell (2nd from right) and other officials on Saturday.

y 26, but because of torrential rainfall on most of the days, the tournament was rescheduled many times.
The tournament, which was not held last year due the Covid -19 pandemic, eventually concluded with the final match being contested last Friday, while the presentation was held the next day.The categories that were contested included the boys’ and girls’ U12, boys’ and girls’ U14, boys’u18 and girls’ U16.
Over 60 matches were played over four weekends at two courts in GBTI (diamond) and LeRessouviner Club.
This is the fifth edition of the tournament at the club level and this year’s edition was sponsored by Trophy Stall, BK &Sons Distributors, Gopie Investment, Supreme Laundromat, Martina’s Cambio, LeRessouviner and Gopie investments Inc.
Results: girls’ U12 Winner Madison Plumber, Runner up Malia Maikoo
Boys’ U12 Winner Nathan DeNobrega, Runner up Elwyn Levius

Girls’ U14 Winner Renola Jordan, Runner up Paula Kalekyezi
Boys’ U14 Winner Gerald Scotland, Runner up Hayden Mentore
Girls’ U16 Winner Paula Kalekyezi, Runner up Saskia Persaud

National Tennis Coach Shelly Daly.

Boys’ U18, Winner Viraj Sharma, Runner up Wayne Baker
In an interview with Kaieteur Sport after the presentation ceremony, National Coach Shelly Daley said she was very happy and pleased that the club was able to host the tournament this year despite the COVID-19 and restrictions.
“The young players cooperated with all the requirements, it was something challenging for them to use different venues since they were in opposite directions. LeRessouviner on the East Coast and GBTI on the East Bank (Diamond) but they managed to adjust.
The officials had to repeatedly remind all participants of the Covid guidelines,” informed Daley.
The coach, who was National Champion for four successive years during the 1990s further mentioned that, “Since 2017, 2020 was the first year we didn’t host the tournament and that was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“We have plans to host a senior, junior, doubles and if possible a goodwill competition with another club in 2021.”“We are also preparing our players for the National Association’s events this year,” added Daley, who started her career at 19 and never played as a Junior.“As I have said many times, our players are performing at a very competitive level and they are competing evenly with the players from the other regions and in many cases winning matches.

What we are lacking is participation in more international matches and also having proper facilities… that will soon change,” the Coach continued with a lot of optimism.
Daley, who officially got involved in coaching when she started the first P&P sponsored Tennis camp with Debbie Bunbury in 2005, said the most important component of improving local tennis and promoting Guyana as a Sports Tourism destination is facilities.
“Once that is available, then we can invite other countries at all levels and ages to participate in tournaments here. I would like to see a tennis court at international competition standard and more programmes and clubs not only in Georgetown but in other regions. More grassroots programmes in communities that have playing space… that’s where my passion is because that’s where you’ll see more interests and talent.
Once schools reopen we can restart those programmes through the National Association… most if not all our top juniors came out of those programmes,” disclosed Daley, whose Her eldest daughter Nicola, has a tennis scholarship in the USA.Coach Daley thanked the GTA for endorsing the event and the Task Force for permission to host the tournament.