The Barbados Road Tennis Association’s (BRTA) Harris Paints Electing a Champion Junior Road Tennis Competition was launched this morning, at the Harris Paints main office in Wildey, St. Michael.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, stressed the importance of having the assistance of corporate Barbados in developing sporting disciplines, as well as the youth of this country.
“I want to emphasise the importance of corporate Barbados being involved in the process of youth and community development and the landscape because it is totally impossible for government to do it alone. We have done what we can in terms of working with the national federations to promote sports across the board, but our financial resources are limited,” Minister Griffith stated.
He noted that though the competition was a sporting one, it touched all aspects of the Ministry’s portfolio – sports, youth, community development and empowerment – and he commended Harris Paints for its involvement as title sponsor of the competition.
The sponsorship involves providing partial tournament funding and T-shirts for all players and officials. The company will also be providing paint to restore or add 50 road tennis courts around the island, as part of activities to mark its 50th anniversary.
The BRTA will be responsible for deciding where the upgrade of the 50 courts would occur, and schools and community organisations are invited to apply.
Harris Paints Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Luke Ticknor, explained why the organisation decided to be a sponsor of the competition.
“Harris Paints has long been a supporter of the communities in which we operate, and we feel road tennis, a community-driven and home-grown Barbadian sport, is something that reflects our values….
“We believe, as does the BRTA, that more youth need to be engaged in the sport, both in tournaments and in their communities, as a way of providing healthy activities for them, especially in times where youth have many negative distractions,” Mr. Ticknor explained.
He also noted that the upgrade to courts, in addition to creating spaces for healthy play, would beautify and bring colour to communities.
President of the BRTA, Frederick Blunt, shared details about the tournament, which is also sponsored by the Barbados Public Workers Co-operative Credit Union Ltd., the National Council on Substance Abuse, Barack Construction, and Second Chance Learning.
Mr. Blunt disclosed that the junior road tennis competition would take place from Saturday, January 14, to Saturday, January, 21. To date, there are 74 competitors in the four categories – primary, secondary (under 16), and ages 16 to 21 in males and females.
On Saturday, January 14, and Sunday, January 15, the competition will be held at the Road Tennis Elite Academy (FLOW car park), The Ivy, St. Michael, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The quarter-final matches will be played at Dover Courts, Christ Church, on Monday, January 16, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
On Friday, January 20, Golden Square Freedom Park in The City will be the venue for the semi-finals, which will run from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. On January 21, Errol Barrow Day, the finals will take place at Harris Paints, Wildey, St. Michael, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Prizes include scholarships for courses at Second Chance Learning, trophies, and Credit Union cash vouchers. The public is encouraged to come out and support the Harris Paints Electing a Champion Junior Road Tennis Competition.