The Tennis Association of T&T (TAT&T) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the world governing body for the sport, will on Monday meet via SKYPE to continue discussions on bringing an ITF-certified Training Centre to local shores.
Due to the coronavirus(COVID-19) which has been sweeping through the globe with negative effects, the ITF has had to cancel all its plans for the coming months. However, officials of both parties have agreed to follow up on discussions at 10:00 am to roll-out the centre which will make T&T a hub for the sport in the region. On Sunday, Hayden Mitchell, president of the tennis association of T&T said a decision was already made for the centre to be put at the National Racquet Centre (NRC) in Orange Grove, Tacarigua.
Following on the signature by Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe which was an approval of the ITC Centre, the Sports Company of T&T was expected to follow up with a development structure, which was a requirement of the international body for the sport. In this structure, the SporTT will generally show how the facility will be run and how it will be outfitted, such as a gym, permanent coaches and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Universities locally, regionally and internationally, among many other things etc.
According to Mitchell, ITF officials were scheduled to visit T&T in April with the intentions of receiving an update on its plans for the centre, but this was pushed back because of the coronavirus situation which has forced the T&T Government to implement strict stay-at-home measures to combat the coronavirus.
Guardian Media Sports understands that the structure for the ITF Centre will be delivered soon, thereby opening up a pathway for national athletes to train, the facility being used as a hub for outside players to come and train, and for use of international tournaments.
Meanwhile, Mitchell and his secretary in the tennis association Jermille Danclar will contest positions in the COTECC, the body for tennis in the North, Central American and the Caribbean when Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Election of Officers are held at a date and time to be announced. Mitchell will contest one out of the two positions of vice president, while Danclar will seek to become its Director.