Pupils from St Mary’s Primary School in Douglas have helped Zurich to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its sponsorship of a flagship Island tennis programme.

The international life company began supporting the Zurich Primary Schools Mini Tennis Programme in early 2007, in doing so giving seven year old children from across the Isle of Man to opportunity to enjoy tennis lessons in class.

The programme is led by Albany Tennis Club’s Head Coach, Ian Watson, who delivers a six-week structured coaching plan with the support of a number of other Lawn Tennis Association qualified teachers. The six-week coaching programme concludes with an Island-wide tournament and Championship Finals Day.

For the majority of the pupils, the programme gives them their first ever experience of tennis.

Children in Year Three at St Mary’s Primary School invited Zurich’s Communications Manager, Merita Taylor, to watch one of their coaching sessions. She commented: “The Zurich Primary Schools Mini Tennis Programme not only enables seven year old children across the Island to learn to play a new sport, but also helps them to develop a number of other vital skills including teamwork, concentration and agility. It is incredible to see the difference between watching them learning how to hold a racquet at the start of the coaching, to six weeks later when they are able to play a game within a tournament environment.

“The experience this gives them, and seeing the enjoyment that they get from tennis, is why Zurich continues to support this programme ten years after we began our association with this.”

Zurich Primary Schools Mini Tennis Programme Lead Coach, Ian Watson, added: “This programme makes a real impact on seven year olds across the Island who haven’t really ever experienced tennis before, and it is fantastic to be able to give them that opportunity thanks to our partnership with Zurich. The number of children who continue to learn how to play the game after coaching has ended is testament to the popularity of this programme, and the enjoyment they get from it.”

Photo - (L-R) Coaches Ian Watson and Tania Thomas (left) and Zurich’s Communications Manager, Merita Taylor (right), celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Zurich Primary Schools Mini Tennis Programme with pupils from St Mary’s Primary School in Douglas.