THE NATIONAL Sports Commission will sponsor a one-day circle tennis tournament as part of Guyana’s 53rd Independence celebrations. The hope is to revive the game, which has lost its prominence.

According to organiser of the event, Allister Munroe, “This programme was long in the making.” He said that Director of Sport Christopher Jones agreed to hold it in Georgetown so it will bring back memories of the Guyana Games.

During the last two years, a number of circle tennis workshops were conducted in various regions in an effort to revive the sport.
The programme will loop off on Sunday May 19, with a venue to be identified shortly.
Teams from Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and Georgetown are set to compete.

Drawing of the fixture was done at the NSC office under the watchful eyes of Mr Jones.
Meanwhile, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the Minister of Social Cohesion, with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr George Norton held a friendly circle tennis competition last Sunday featuring youths from Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice.

The competition, which was initially scheduled to be played at Kortberaad Playfield on the East Bank of Berbice, was moved to the No.63 Beach, Corentyne, Berbice, due to heavy rains.

The idea for a friendly ‘Arrival Day’ competition was conceived by Minister Norton, who had previously donated uniforms and circle tennis gear to all three youth clubs: Flying Stars Unity Force (Berbice), Houston Youth Group and Visionary Youth Group (Parika, East Bank Essequibo).

In the competition, Houston Youth Group defeated Flying Stars Unity Force, but lost to Visionary Youth Group. According to the DPI, another friendly competition is scheduled for Parika later this month.

Minister Norton was quoted by the DPI: “It was a very exciting game, and I believe the mingling and the camaraderie that was ignited among the teams was really wonderful. Many of them became friends and that’s what it’s about – creating friendships and fostering good relationships among different peoples.”