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TENNIS IN ST LUCIA

Although indications are that tennis was played, there may not have been many tennis courts in St. Lucia during the first half of the 20th century. However, during the 1950's and 1960's, the game of tennis was played mainly at three venues; The Vigie club, The Palm Beach club and The Gardens club. Government House and a few other significant properties had private courts. At this time also, there were a few hotels but none with tennis courts available to the public.

The first Barnard Cup was held in St. Vincent in 1969 and it was after that event in 1970, persons in St. Lucia came together and formed the SLTA.

During the 1970's and 80's, The Cunard La Toc Hotel was extremely generous in opening its doors for locals to access the courts. This resulted in The La Toc Racquet Club becoming the center of tennis for the Eastern Caribbean where all national and international events were held. It is worthy of note that The La Toc Racquet Club was the venue of the first Coca Cola event which as an international event which placed St. Lucia on the tennis atlas. Other high profile tournaments to be hosted at this privately owned facility included, inter alia, The Barnard Cup, The Hughes Cup, The Brandon Trophy and The OECS Trophy.

Notwithstanding the structural and corporate changes that took place during the 1990's, Club St. Lucia made facilities at their St. Lucia Racquet Club available at a nominal price to members of the public. Such support would not have materialized without the vision of citizens as Theo Gobat, Bill Stewart and tennis icon John "Johnnie" Easter.

The St. Lucia Racquet Club as an outstanding corporate citizen took the mantle of homing tennis in St. Lucia for local, regional and international activities well into the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century.

Over the years, the cost to play tennis in St. Lucia was high as the expense to maintain private properties had to be paid by owners who, in effect, were subsidizing the local players.

There were also many patriotic and community persons as Roger Sutherland, Primrose Bledman, Parry Husbands, Brian Crick, Reginald Cherebin, Oliver Sampson, Ornan Monplaisir, John Easter and Stephen McNamara who served as Presidents.

Coco Cola and the DuBoulays, Cable and Wireless through Keats Compton, St Lucia Electricity Services through Bernard Theobalds, Ellery Didier, Heineken, and Trevor Cozier all facilitated significant sponsorships.

ABOUT OUR ASSOCIATION

The St. Lucia Tennis Association is a full member of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is the governing body for lawn tennis in the island of St. Lucia.

The Government of St. Lucia recognizes the SLTA and has elected to have the association take occupancy of the National Tennis Centre to manage the facility to meet its objectives.

As a result, the SLTA has its home at the National Tennis Complex in Beausejour, Gros Islet from where the game of tennis in St. Lucia is controlled and administered.

The SLTA, in order to achieve its objective of promoting and developing the game of tennis, oversees the following areas of the sport:

Administration and Regulation

The administering and regulation of the game directly with the observance of the ITF Rules of Tennis, including the technical specifications for courts and equipment and the use of certification of their tennis officials such as chair umpires.

Organizing national competitions

The SLTA organises and controls the various tennis competitions for all age groups, including the ITF events sponsored by local companies and other bodies among others.

The Board of Directors

President- MR. STEPHEN MCNAMARA

1st Vice President -Protocol- MR. DIGBY AMBRIS

2nd Vice President

Treasurer- MRS. KETURAH DONAI

Secretary- MRS. MAGDALENE WILLIAM-CHARLES

Assistant Secretary-

Director - Youth & Development- MR. GREGORY COOPER

Director - Tournaments & Scholarships-

Director - Coaches & Training- MR. RON BLANCHARD

Director - Events & Projects- MR. KEITH NOEL

Director - Premises & Equipment- MR. GIRARD GLACE

The St. Lucia Tennis Association Inc. has been incorporated under the laws of St. Lucia and bears registration No. 2011/C081.

The company is a "non-profit company" without a share capital and has its registered office at the National Tennis Centre situated at Beausejour in the Quarter of Gros Islet, St. Lucia, West Indies.