ITF's Goede says Bermuda is blessed with facilities

Lawrence Trott

Published Apr 27, 2018 at 8:00 am (Updated Apr 26, 2018 at 9:38 pm)

Ricky Mallory, a former top player and now the national tennis director, is seen with a group of the next generation of tennis players this week (Photograph by Lawrence Trott)
John Goede, an ITF representative with responsibility forthe Caribbean region, chats with No 1 tennis player Gavin Manders at the Tennis Stadium this week (Photograph by Lawrence Trott)

John Goede, the International Tennis Federation development officer for the Caribbean, is in Bermuda running the rule over local tennis.

Goede, from Surinam, is looking over the programmes of the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association with a view to further assisting with development of the sport on the island.

“He’s been coming here for several years and spends a lot of time working with the kids,” Michael Wolfe, the BLTA president, said. “He is familiar with the kids and the coaches and is definitely a friend of Bermuda tennis.”

Goede, who will be here for five days, visited Heron Bay Primary School yesterday to see their tennis programme and was accompanied by top junior player Trey Mallory.

He also planned to watch Fed Cup trial matches and Davis Cup training over the weekend.

“Bermuda is part of my portfolio and the ITF, together with the national associations, do development programmes,” said Goede at the WER Joell Tennis Stadium.

“It’s a team concept between the ITF and the national association to build the game. This is an official visit for me, we go around and see where we can assist the national associations and to see how well they are doing.

“The ITF has four important pillars of development ... facilities, coaching, programmes and events. Today they are doing a development programme.

“In terms of events, Bermuda has been organising international tennis tournaments, the national club championships and Commercial League so are doing well with that part.

“In coaching, the coaches are very active in the programme, they have a coach’s registry which unites the coaches, but probably need more continued education among the coaches. We had a meeting today and will probably have another course in the not too distant future.”

Goede was at a coaching course here in 2016 with the likes of Steve Bean, Jensen Bascome, Gavin Manders and Neil Towlson.

“I think that was the last time I was here,” he said.

“In facilities, Bermuda is blessed with the facilities they have here and there are plans to get more courts here where they are able to host more tournaments. Compared to six to eight years ago the stadium was full of activities which makes a big difference.

“I’m also very happy to see that the quality of the court and the quality of the surroundings is well taken care of, all very positive.”

“The junior development is a year-long programme and the ITF Junior Circuit Tournament is once a year and like a culmination of top tennis.

“The countries that do have those tournaments would like to see their juniors do well in their own tournaments.

“It’s a process and the process for results should be supported by the players themselves, the parents, the coaches and the clubs. It is not work only for the executive of the BLTA, it is for the national association, everybody who plays tennis.”

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