Report by Louise Hunt Skelley
Beyond the Baseline is a secondary school programme funded by the LTA and delivered in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust. The programme uses tennis as a tool to help young people develop valuable life skills, including leadership, teamwork, communication, confidence and resilience, while providing meaningful and memorable experiences through sport. Research and case studies from the programme have consistently highlighted positive outcomes in young people’s self-esteem, leadership capability and engagement in physical activity.
As an Athlete Mentor for approximately 14 years, I have had the privilege of working with many young people across a range of programmes. Beyond the Baseline continues to stand out as a fantastic opportunity for students to step outside their comfort zones, take on leadership responsibilities and discover strengths they may not have realised they possessed, all through my favourite sport. The programme empowers young people to lead, support others and build skills that will benefit them both in school and throughout their future lives.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Wiltshire Tennis for generously covering the court hire costs at the Delta Tennis Centre in Swindon, which enabled the successful delivery of the Youth Sport Trust’s, Beyond the Baseline programme with students from local school, Lydiard Park Academy.
The support provided by Wiltshire Tennis made it possible to give the students at Lydiard Park Academy access to a high-quality tennis environment and an experience that aligned perfectly with the programme’s aims.