Monrovia – Liberia internationally certified coach Alfred Kandakai has donated tennis rackets to several kids at the National Tennis Center.
The kids who have been training for months have presented the rockets on Saturday, April 24, 2021 at the SKD tennis court.
A racket or racquet is a sports implement consisting of a handled frame with an open hoop across which a network of strings or catgut is stretched tightly. It is used for striking a ball or shuttlecock in games such as squash, tennis, racquetball, rackets, badminton, and padel.
According to Coach Alfred, the kids who have been training for over six months were selected based on their impressive knowledge of the game and said he is hoping to donate more tennis material to the kids who are so happy playing the sports that are not well known.
Coach Alfred who is the founder of youth for tennis said the donation was made possible through the assistance of his panthers in and out of Liberia.
Alfred who is also technical director of the Liberia Tennis Federation said Youth for Tennis is mainly targeting girls who want to play tennis and take tennis as their official sport.
He said though the program focuses on girls there are boys who are part of the training every Saturday morning.
He said it is encouraging to see the kids learning their new sport because tennis is not as popular as football, kickball and Basketball.
The Liberian tennis coach said the kids have been trained for the last nine months and see a real prospect in the kids who will be ready for international competition in December of 2021.
Alfred thanked all those who are supporting his dream, especially his brother Momolu Kandakai, Niahson Kirk Porte, Coach Andy Stoll, Sarah Lowder and his son Alfred Kandakai jr. all from the USA who made it possible to get the tennis materials for the kids.
He asserted that getting tennis materials in Liberia are very expensive so for his sponsors to make it possible to get over ten rackets to be presented to the kids is welcoming. He called on others to help support the program to produce the next big tennis start from Africa.
“They are happy and lot of them are asking me when they will go for international competition but Covid has disrupted lot of things but by December they will be ready for international competition.”
“The Youth for Tennis is working in collaboration with the Liberia Tennis Federation so in July I will be turning the kids over to the Liberia Tennis Federation but we are waiting for the elected officials so I can turn them over to the Federation,” Coach Alfred said.
Mary Bobor, one of the beneficiaries, said she felt excited to receive a racket from her coach because getting a racket in Liberia is very expensive.
“It’s fun for me playing tennis because I come around my friend and learn a new sport and get to know a lot of people and I want to continue to play tennis and turn into a big star,” Mary said.