Dear TICA Member,

THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING A big thanks to all the coaches who took part in our recent online survey about schools coaching. The message that came out of the survey analysis was a simple one: more coaches would like to get into schools coaching, and would appreciate the assistance of Tennis Ireland and TICA in doing so. We will now press on with developing a strategy and practical tools to help you do just that.

A big step in this process will take place at the upcoming TICA Provincial Workshops, when Olwyn O`Toole will detail the theory and practice of schools tennis from her point of view. Olwyn has brought many new players into the game in the last few years in the Connacht area, by developing local schools and parks programme, and will share her insights with us at the Workshops.

To get more information about the date, details and booking procedure for these events, please go to www.tica.ie. All members who attend will be credited with 33 points under the Continuous Professional Development Programme 2011.

WORK OPPORTUNITY AT DAVID LLOYD RIVERVIEW (DUBLIN) We are looking for a level 1 or level 2 coach to start on our adult, junior, and potentially performance program for the term leading up to the summer months. The coach would be self-employed and therefore would be required to teach a set number of free hours a week on the existing programme, but would be given an extra 5 hours. The coach would be entitled to use the club in its entirety and can arrange private lessons, with Full Racquet Members, at their convenience. If you are interested in this opportunity, please send an email toSport.dublin@davidlloydleisure.ie, marked for the attention of Mr. Owen Morgan, and attach your up to date CV.

AN INNOVATIVE NEW TEACHING AID FROM A TICA MEMBER Well known Dublin based coach Rob Cherry writes:  “I have set up a website to promote my new product Tennis Grip Labels. The product is designed to help beginner players of any age to position their hand correctly on the tennis grip, whether right handed or left handed.

I have always tried to find better ways to help the children in my club find the correct grips, and got my inspiration from the little round stickers I used to place on the kids rackets to help them find their grips such as the serve grip. We have been using them for the past while in Sandycove Tennis Club with great success”.

To get all the details about this new product, please go to http://goo.gl/OKGI9.

MARKETING THE GAME Tennis Ireland has produced a very useful document designed to help all those involved in the game to retain existing club members and source new players: “At Tennis Ireland we believe that the retention of existing members and the active recruitment of new members must be one of the key objectives for every Club Executive for the foreseeable future. We are very anxious to actively engage with our affiliated clubs and to provide realistic and practical advice and support in the retention and recruitment of members. To this end, we have developed a marketing toolkit for affiliated clubs to use”. You can read more about this, and download the Marketing Toolkit at http://goo.gl/GUBNZ

A CAUTIONARY TALE? Coach sued by junior tennis player – read the details of this story at http://goo.gl/XY0zC

NEWS FROM JOE DINOFFER: Over 40 new drill clips posted on our satellite sites! Watch 40 FREE short video clips featuring children performing games and drills for agility, balance, reactions and speed. Visit http://www.kidfitness101.com andhttp://www.preventchildobesity101.com to take advantage of these free-access video clips.

All the best,

Peter.