The Road to the Regions initiative, Tennis SA’s exciting new “on tour” campaign to bring tennis engagement, participation and development directly to regional South Australia has served up a successful first regional activation in the South East. The year-long program aims to connect local communities with tennis opportunities on and off court, spotlighting grassroots participation and inspiring the next generation of players across six vibrant regions.
Our on the road tour kicked off with a packed three-day visit to the South East from Friday 30 January through Sunday 1 February, delivering coaching, fun and community engagement across multiple towns.
The tour began in Mount Gambier, with a Personal Development session for 12 local coaches, focused on orange ball and led by regional development coach Dave Grainger. This session equipped coaches with fresh skills and confidence to support young players in local programs. Later in the day, an energetic Red Ball Rumble was delivered at Olympic Park, giving young players a fun, hands-on introduction to tennis. The day concluded with a club workshop that brought together representatives from local clubs and associations to network, share ideas and strengthen community pathways.
On Saturday, our Road to the Regions team joined the Naracoorte junior competition, where Dave had the opportunity to work directly with players and parents on court]. Following the competition, another high-energy Red Ball Rumble activation kept the fun going for aspiring young players, helping build skills and enjoyment of the sport.
The South East visit wrapped up at the State Foundation Cup trials tournament hosted by Lucindale Country Club. Families were welcomed to enjoy a hit of tennis on our tennis inflatable and freely play on Hot Shots courts. A final Red Ball Rumble offered introductory play for younger participants, capping off an incredible weekend of engagement and grassroots activation.
Across all stops, the focus remains on fostering community connections, providing quality participation opportunities and supporting local coaches, clubs and families to grow the sport. With this successful first regional visit concluded, the Road to the Regions tour now heads to the Upper Northern and Yorke region visiting Newcombe Award winning School of The Year, Maitland Lutheran and will continue to bring tennis to the heart of regional South Australia for all ages and levels.
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