Bouncing Their Way Into The Guinness Book Of Records
Local children take on challenge to smash world record for bouncing tennis balls
Over 500 children from local primary schools have attempted to break the world record for bouncing tennis balls on rackets.
The children, from more than fifty schools across the borough of Hounslow took up the challenge at Dukes Meadows sports centre in Chiswick today (June 26), a local centre which specialises in coaching children in tennis. The event was timed to coincide with Wimbledon.
The challenge was to break the record for the most people in one place, bouncing a tennis ball on a racket for ten seconds. The current record is held by the United States.
The event was part of the Schools Tennis Festival, a celebration of the continued investment in grass-roots tennis in Hounslow borough by the Schools Delivery Tennis Programme, part of the borough’s school sports partnership.
The Mayor of Hounslow, Cllr Sachin Gupta, said : “My year as Mayor has got off to a smashing start with this world record attempt. It epitomises what my Mayoral year will be about – how children and young people can make a positive difference. We will be waiting with baited breath to see if the children have smashed the world record.”
Cllr Lily Bath, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “It’s good to see Hounslow kids having a ball during Wimbledon fortnight. And you never know, if they break the world record, Hounslow could serve up Britain’s next tennis ace. What a great way to showcase Hounslow’s Olympic legacy.”
A video recording of the world record attempt will be sent off for verification by Guinness World Records.
Dukes Meadows’ tennis coach Joe Morris who leads the school coaching programme said: “There is no better time of year to recognise the achievements of the Schools Delivery initiative and the pupils involved. While there may be a Wimbledon star amongst our kids we are just happy to be giving them some key skills for their development and most of all a love for tennis.”
Since 2008 the partnership with local schools has delivered free in-curriculum tennis coaching to years three and four. Dukes Meadows provides over £100,000 worth of tennis development activity in the borough every year - around 4,000 children will avail of free tennis this year alone whilst also developing agility, balance and coordination skills.
June 26, 2013
