THE job of helping to develop Lawn Tennis in Guyana to International standard is far from done, but the work of US-based 50-year-old former Guyana tennis player and Coach Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan is making a positive impact.
She started at ‘Multi’ school and then was transferred to the National Racket Centre in 1991, which was then named the Non Pareil Tennis Club under Coach Skeete.
She got involved in coaching through the club in 2003 while still an active player.
In 2005, Shelly officially got involved in coaching when she started the first P&P-sponsored tennis camp with Debbie Bunbury.
The pair started their club programme at the National Park and produced all the top junior players who represented Guyana at ITF team events.
After Bumbury migrated, Shelly continued the programme and later changed the name to Sheltez Tennis Club.
She attended several coaches’ conferences Worldwide, workshops and courses which included Sports Administration before migrating to the USA last year. She is still involved in coaching.
Sheltez Tennis Club is now coached by former National Junior Champion Kayce Fraser, but Shelly still plays an integral role in a club where she has been a coach for close to a decade and a half.
Shelly explained that the latest tournament held by the club in Guyana consists of four different ages, level of play and skillsets.
“The difference in the colour of the balls is based on the level and age of the players,” she said.
The introduction of tennis for kids begins with the red balls, and then as they progress and develop their skills, they graduate to the yellow and green balls.
The tournament has four categories, namely the U10, U12, U14, and U18s.
The U10 has three levels red, orange and green balls while the U18 has an Advanced and Novice category.
The tournament will be played over five weekends and is expected to conclude on Independence weekend.
The competitions help coaches to identify those talents in all three levels. Those players can then move on to a higher level of competition and training.
“Players in their respective clubs have been training and competing in all the available competitions. Some are also involved in the National Academy,” continued Coach Shelly, adding: “The lack of competitions continues to be a major concern for the development of players.”
This tournament is the second of its kind but first junior tournament for 2024 with the players focusing on participating in ITF tournaments.
“Guyana’s affiliation with the ITF allows the team to participate in team events and circuit tournaments throughout the year, once they can afford to attend,” said Shelly, who was the national champion for four successive years as she dominated locally from 1993 to 1997.
Michael Fordyce won the boys’ U10 Green Ball competition in the Sheltez/Homesafe Independence tournament.
The next categories are Boys and Girls U14 and Medley Novice U18 Medley Green Ball.
