West Midlands News

Deaflympian inspires youngsters at Coventry Deaf Tennis Festival

Deaflympian Dan Tunstall was a special guest coach at the Tennis Foundation’s Deaf Tennis Festival in Coventry on Friday.

 

The festival, held at Warwickshire Health and Racquets Club, was for deaf and hearing impaired youngsters wanting to try out tennis and receive some expert coaching free of charge.

 

The festival was held in partnership with the National Deaf Children’s Society, who provided volunteers to help players, coaches and parents communicate throughout the day.

 

The TF’s recently appointed Deaf Tennis National Coach Chris Cash, who has been the Racquets Manager at Warwickshire Health and Racquets Club for the past three years, led the coaching for the players aged upwards from seven years old.

 

Cash and Tunstall, brother of singing sensation KT Tunstall, were on hand to run the children through drills and get them used to spending time on the tennis court.

 

Two-time Deaflympic Games mixed doubles bronze medallist Tunstall, who has competed at four Deaflympics and is looking to make it five at the Athens Deaflympics in three years time, is hoping events like the festival will encourage more hearing impaired people to take up tennis.

 

“I have played tennis since I was seven and I was able to play alongside my brother and sister at my local cl

 ub in Scotland,” he said.

 

“We need to get more deaf children playing tennis so they can compete in the future for Great Britain at the Deaflympics and also to give them a chance to enjoy the sport and have some fun.

 

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