LTA Partners With GirlGuiding to Get GIrls Into Sport
March 13, 2020
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has partnered with the UK's female outdoor adventure group, Girlguiding, to launch a programme where 'Rangers' will be trained to deliver tennis sessions - with the ultimate aim of getting more girls involved in the sport.
As part of the governing body’s drive to inspire more women and girls, the pilot programme creates the first formal link between Girlguiding and a sport governing body, according to the LTA.
Judy Murray, tennis coach and mother of tennis great, Andy Murray, will lead an LTA She Rallies coaching workshop in Bristol on 2 May with Rangers (girls aged 14-18), equipping them with leadership and coaching skills to deliver tennis sessions to girls in the Rainbow and Brownie groups where they volunteer.
She Rallies is designed to empower more women to become tennis coaches and, in turn, inspire young girls to take up the sport.
“We are very excited to announce this pilot partnership and opportunities it creates in our work to open up tennis to more people,” said Jo-Anne Downing, Product & Programme Manager, LTA. “It’s great to be working together with Girlguiding to equip more young women with vital leadership skills through tennis and the LTA She Rallies programme, and ultimately see more young girls benefiting from taking part in the sport.
“Judy continues to be a fantastic ambassador for She Rallies and for women and girls in tennis, and I’m sure she will inspire the Rangers who are lucky enough to take part in these pilot sessions. Girlguiding is a national institution and we hope to continue to work together beyond this pilot to inspire the next generation of female leaders in sport.”
The pilot is supported by findings from Girlguiding’s Girls’ Attitudes survey which found almost half (46%) of girls aged 11-21 want to see more representation of women in sport. The charity’s Future Girl manifesto for girl-led change, developed with 76,000 girls and young women, found girls want women in sport to be as equally supported and celebrated as men in sport.
Angela Salt, CEO, Girlguiding, said: “LTA and Girlguiding share a common goal: to inspire girls and build their confidence in a space that feels fun and adventurous. Sport is a fantastic way to do this. Together, we want to build the confidence of girls today, to be the leaders of tomorrow.”
The LTA has also announced that additional Girlguiding and She Rallies activity will take place later in the year, including five leadership training days over the summer in Edinburgh, Ilkley, Birmingham, Hertford and Eastbourne.
Launched in 2017 in partnership with Judy Murray, the LTA She Rallies programme works to develop a female work force to create more opportunities for women and girls in tennis. Since launch, 60 Ambassadors have been trained to tutor and support 2,000 Community Activators to deliver tennis sessions to young girls in their local area.
Sessions are tailored to specific age groups, with the aim of sparking an interest in the sport among young girls through accessible and relatable activities. More than 20,000 girls have been inspired to take up tennis as a result.