ITF

Contained within that overall celebration was the ability of sport to circumvent and nullify social barriers as well as unite previously disparate groups and embolden isolated individuals. "We want as many people as possible from around the world to be active – we want to get the couch potatoes off the couch," said IOC sporting director Kit McConnell. "A key part of that is working through National Olympic Committees and International Sports Federations, either ones within the Olympic programme or those we recognise and work with on a daily basis. "We want young people to be active as it really helps them both physically and mentally. Social challenges exist and, in addition to health benefits, we feel that sport plays a very important role in bringing people together and teaching great values. "It is vital to work with International Sports Federations, including tennis, to get young people active, get them involved in sport and celebrate the values of sport. There are huge benefits in doing that." A consistent theme of the conference was gender equality. Katrina Adams, President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), spoke about the need to empower the six million girls currently playing tennis worldwide and provide a pathway for them to remain in the game. Adams, who is an ITF Vice President and also the chair of the ITF Women in Sport Committee, homed in on the importance of increased gender diversity within tennis coaching, administration and leadership. "We must do better. Not just in the ITF but every federation," said Adams. "We have done a great job in levelling the playing field but if we're truly going to achieve our full potential as a sport we have got to create more opportunities for young women. "The idea that women cannot perform as well as men in the boardroom or on the court as coaches is not only archaic but harmful to the health of our sport." The broader themes of the conference assumed a regional pertinence as the National Associations gave valuable insight into the lay of the land with regard to participation in their own countries and their respective development strategies. ITFWorld // SUMMER 2018 2 7 Attendees heard case studies from the National Associations of Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, France, Great Britain, Japan, Netherlands, South Africa, Tunisia and the United States. Delegates were made aware of the social, economic, political, geographic and sometimes climatic challenges they faced with regard to building participation, and also the initiatives which were proving successful. Salma Mouelhi Guizani, President of the Tunisia Tennis Federation, for instance, detailed how her organisation has worked to erase a financial hurdle, particularly for families in the south of the country, by making the game free for girls aged between four and 18. Tennis Cambodia, meanwhile, was last year commended by the International Tennis Hall of Fame for rebuilding the sport following its eradication during the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. One project that Head of Junior Development Mam touched upon was the Tennis for All programme, which sees two coaches on hand and available for anyone who wishes to play between 5-6pm every Friday and Saturday in the busy Riverside area of Phnom Penh. The outlooks and priorities of the National Associations were diverse. The establishment in South Africa of Growthpoint Top Guns, a club event aimed at widening participation among the 19-40 age group, or the "missing middle", was highlighted by Glover, a former employee of Arsenal Football Club. "Juggling a lot of balls" is how Glover referred to his governing body's current workload, and Tennis South Africa are also in the process of launching five national development centres, with both grassroots and high-performances units, across the country. A different tale was told by the USTA's Chief Executive of Community Tennis Craig Morris , who pinpointed his federation's Net Generation initiative. The USTA identified the need for simplicity, to be customer-focused and have a single umbrella brand to ensure engagement within youth tennis. The Net Generation project, which is geared towards the 5-18 age group, provides a single platform which houses all the relevant information for parents and guardians to locate and connect with a local programme. The case studies proved an integral part of a well-received ITF Worldwide Participation Conference, with potential further instalments of the inclusive dialogue likely to uncover other key learnings and progress previously identified best practices. ■ Adams, World Rugby's Katie Sadleir and Kate Dale of Sport England as part of a panel discussion on strategies for attracting more women to participate in sport A panel discussion on widening access to sport and combating social barriers

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