With Isle of Man tennis professional Billy Harris making his debut at Wimbledon earlier this month, young players had extra inspiration for this year’s Zurich Schools Programme. 

Pupils from 15 primary schools took part in the scheme which aims to encourage the next generation of players whether they want to play for fun, fitness, or have ambitions to go on to compete at higher levels in the sport.  

The initiative is the result of a long-standing partnership between the sponsor and Isle of Man Lawn Tennis Association, the island’s branch of the LTA. 

Delivered by We Do Tennis, the programme began in March and culminated with a recent finals day at the National Sports Centre.  

A total of 1,129 pupils received free coaching, 49 teachers were given training as coaches and 36 secondary school students were trained as ‘tennis leaders’. 

Nigel Hunter, director of We Do Tennis, commented: ‘Thanks to the Isle of Man LTA, Zurich’s continued sponsorship and excellent support from participating schools, we have delivered a bigger and better initiative than ever before.  

‘A bumper attendance of 72 pupils enjoyed a fantastic day of matches in the finals at the NSC, with the A team from Rushen Primary School being crowned champions.  

‘Special mention must go to teams from Braddan and St Mary’s as their players managed to obtain results that meant two teams from their respective schools reached the knockout stages. 

‘The other four spots were made up of teams from Onchan, Manor Park, Rushen and Ballacottier. We really appreciate the other schools that attended the event.’ 

Isle of Man tennis star Harris – who is now ranked 116th in the world – took part in the schools programme 20 years ago.  

Margaret Drake, who has now been coaching and working on this scheme for 27 years, remembers Billy and his siblings taking part. 

Hunter has been with Harris for the summer grass court season as part of his coaching team and commented: ‘It is a great synergy for the island’s Zurich Schools Programme to have We Do Tennis supporting Isle of Man tennis from grass roots up to the pro game, and Billy’s success shows the role this partnership can play in nurturing stars of the future.’ 

Nigel Simpson, head of international markets for Zurich in the Isle of Man, commented: ‘As always, we were delighted with the success of this year’s programme which continues to provide an excellent introduction to the sport.  

‘Our backing for this initiative reflects our commitment to promoting sports and community engagement across the island, and at all levels.  

‘We must say a big thank you to everyone who worked so hard to organise and deliver the programme, and of course all the pupils who took part.’