Former PM Tony Blair supports North East tennis

Jul 11 2009 by Joanne Butcher, The Journal

FORMER Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday returned to the North East to champion grass roots tennis.

The ex-Labour Party leader, who was MP for Sedgefield in County Durham for 24 years, met hundreds of year three children from schools across the region.

And he even took on former British number one tennis player, Greg Rusedski, for a quick match at Sunderland Tennis Centre.

Joining them on the visit were Newcastle Eagles star Fabulous Flournoy, Great North Run founder Brendan Foster and marathon champions Dan Robinson and Tegla Loroupe.

Over 2,800 children from schools across the North East battled it out to be crowned winners of the Tony Blair Sports Foundation’s Tennis Challenge Cup. The winning school, beating off competition from the 350 who entered, was Darras Hall, with Annfield Plain a close second.

Mr Blair, who set up the foundation to invest in sport for young people in the region, said: “Anyone who watched last Sunday’s final at Wimbledon saw what a fantastic sport tennis can be.

“Sport changes lives. Young people have not just the chance to play sport but to develop their character, their personality, their ability to interact with others. Sport and probably only sport can do that in a unique setting.”

He added: “I started the foundation to put something back into the region which has given me so much.

“There are some excellent sports facilities in the North East but what we lacked was people that came forward as coaches for grassroots sport.

“Most kids would get the chance to play football but a lot would never get the chance to play tennis.”

Greg Rusedski said he saw potential in lots of the children competing.

“I have seen a lot of kids with a lot of ability and enthusiasm,” he said. “Who knows, we may have a future Wimbledon champion.”

He added that, while Murraymania may have tempted lots of youngsters on to the court, grassroots coaching was key to the region’s future sporting success.

“It’s a game for life,” he said. “We need to get kids playing, but also parents. It all comes down to people being involved in sport – the PE teachers, the sports coaches, and the community.”

The Tony Blair Sports Foundation focuses on recruiting and training young people as sports coaches, in turn helping children enjoy a wide range of sports.

“I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made at the foundation, but it won’t stop here,” Mr Blair added.

“With 2012 less that three years away we need to use the inspiration and the motivation of the Olympics to increase the range of opportunities available in the North East.”