http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa/pfa-in-the-community-news/fulhams-stars-join-downs-syndrome-tennis-showcase-Fulham's stars join Down’s Syndrome tennis showcase eventNicky Shorey and Stefano Okaka back the Places for Players initiative
Fulham FC players Nicky Shorey and Stefano Okaka surprised members of the Fulham FC Foundation’s Down’s Syndrome Tennis team recently by joining them, along with Anne Keothavong, British Women’s number 3, whilst they trained at the National Tennis Centre (NTC) in Roehampton, Surrey.
The players, taking part in the Premier League Places for Players initiative, took time out from their evening to assist Fulham FC Foundation and Tennis Foundation staff in coaching the training session.
The Down’s Syndrome Tennis project, the first of its kind nationally, began in January of this year, following the success of Fulham FC Foundation’s Down’s Syndrome Football team – the Fulham Badgers – which was set up in 2006 with the help of the DSA (Down’s Syndrome Association).
Each Tennis session runs from 6.30pm – 7.30pm on a Tuesday evening and is open to anyone with Down’s syndrome that is between the age of 10 and 25. The scheme encourages any siblings that come to the NTC as spectators to join in the activity too.
Formed as part of the ‘Positive Minds’ project run by the Fulham FC Foundation, the scheme works in partnership with the Tennis Foundation and forms a vital element in the DSA’s DSActive campaign to encourage those with Down’s syndrome to become more involved in sport.
Initially piloted within a 7-mile radius of Raynes Park, the scheme soon acquired a selection of participants with the disability that had not been involved in the previous football sessions.
Having moved to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton in April 2010, the weekly programme now enables those involved access to some of the most sought after tennis amenities in England.
Claire Lavers, Director of Disability Tennis at the Tennis Foundation said: “This co-ordinated approach to delivering tennis to the local Down’s syndrome community continues The Tennis Foundation's efforts to discover and encourage more players with learning disabilities to take up tennis.
“Our motto is ‘One Game All’; tennis should be accessible to and be able to be enjoyed by everyone and we very much look forward to giving the players a warm welcome at the National Tennis Centre. We are in discussion with Fulham FC Foundation to identify more partnership initiatives and would like to encourage similar activities more widely with football.”
The Fulham FC Foundation and the Tennis Foundation each supply a coach for the sessions, enforcing the partnership between the two charities, as well as providing the best tutoring possible for the participants involved.
Steven Day, Chief Executive Officer of the Fulham FC Foundation commented: “The great work being produced in partnership with the Tennis Foundation shows the diversity of our charity and enforces our motto of ‘building better lives through sport’.
"It’s fantastic for us to see that having already produced a successful Down’s syndrome football team – the Fulham Badgers – that we can also encourage participation in a different sport that normally wouldn’t be linked to Fulham.”
The Down's Syndrome Association's vast network throughout the Down's syndrome and greater learning disability communities, combined with their great links with the Fulham FC Foundation, have ensured that knowledge of the local courses are a priority and thus far have been a great success.
Paul Zanon, Business Development Director at the Down’s Syndrome Association is delighted at the involvement people with the disability have in getting access to sports coaching.
"In 2006 the Fulham FC Foundation (FFCF) partnered with the DSA to create the first football team of the DSActive programme. By 2008 news of this successful partnership was spreading fast and a host of other teams soon expressed their interest to want to participate, including QPR, Charlton and West Ham.
"Once again, FFCF in partnership with the Tennis Foundation, have taken the pioneering role and are breaking the mould by launching tennis for people with Down's syndrome. As with the football, the DSA is expecting to see incredible benefits by way of physical, social and emotional health improvements, not to mention having lots of fun during the training process!"
Steven Day concluded: “It’s valuable for us to know that we can work effectively with groups (like the DSA and the Tennis Foundation) to create successful projects in the local community, that appeal to an audience not usually at the forefront of sporting initiatives.
"We hope that the popularity of this course will be transferable to a new basketball initiative with the Kingston Wildcats that we will look to unveil later this year.”
