The Northwest Tennis Tournament is currently underway at the Kenneth “Wriggler” King Multi-Purpose Sports Complex. The competition is sponsored by Northwest limited who are the local agents for Kia. Prior to the tournament getting underway there was a press conference on Tuesday at the facility located at what is commonly referred to as the Gardens. In attendance was the Founder and Director of Tigers InFLOW Tennis Academy, Sirsean Arlain and Director at Northwest Limited, Larry Bain.
Arlain couldn’t be happier having Northwest as title sponsor coming on board for the first time: “This a definitely a joyous occasion for us, hosting our first and the first Northwest Championship,” he said. “There was a lot in the making for this tournament and will be our biggest one ever held in the Gardens, because we are going to have so many junior players. We have a special development draw in this tournament with about 60 children from eight surrounding primary schools that will make up the red and orange ball divisions. We still have another 40 players from the seniors competing.” He thanked Bain and by extension Northwest, for putting their trust in the Tiger Tennis Academy by investing in the tournament and also in junior tennis.
Bain said: “We are very excited and proud to be part of this. We are looking forward to lots of excitement on the courts. Northwest has always been about youth development through sports and education. When Sirsean came to me and told me about his programs, tournaments and other things he invested in here at the Gardens with the kids, it was a no brainer and we saw eye to eye very quickly so here we are. I am really looking forward to a really exciting tournament.”
Bain appealed to the public to come out and show their support especially towards the young players. “The youth want to feel that their efforts are being supported and appreciated,” he said. “I want to encourage every single person in the environs and around St Lucia if you have the time come on out. Tennis is a great sport, a fabulous competitive sport ad a great builder of esteem and character so come on out and support the kids, that’s what it is really about.”
During a question and answer session Bain was asked if Northwest Limited would continue sponsoring this tournament at this grass roots level, or is it a one off thing. He replied: “No one can foretell the future, but we have the full intention of this being a stepping stone and a building block to the continuance of sponsoring this tournament.
This is our first time with Tigers and Sirsean down in the Gardens, but from what I can see we have a track record of sticking with people throughout and going the distance, so we are not just coming in and jumping out. From what I can see Tigers have a really great approach to developing the sport and encouraging young people to come in and develop their play. That’s what we are really about.”Players are competing in the following age groups from ten’s and under, 12’s, 14’s 16’s 18’s, open men’s, open women’s and veterans. There is also a special development draw for children who are playing in a tournament for the very first time.
Some of the high profile players expected to compete include Voyager Open girl’s singles champion Aviona Edmund, Netanya Faissal, and Maxx William. According to Arlain there are a good range of players in various age groups competing.
