Tennis court upgraded at Kronendal Primary

Kronendal Primary School pupils now have access to upgraded tennis courts, thanks to a community effort involving the SchoolLIFT programme and the Hout Bay Tennis Club (HBTC).

The resurfaced courts replace a cracked, unusable surface, which prevented pupils from having access to proper playing facilities.

Nathan Levendal, Kronendal Primary School principal, said the upgrade was another "encouraging step forward" for their school.

“We are delighted to share in the wonderful news of the recent upgrade to the tennis courts, made possible through a valuable partnership," he said.

The court is unusually large, with nine metres of space behind the baseline, making it eligible for approval by the International Tennis Federation.

Mr Levendal said the resurfacing not only enhanced the facility but also created "exciting opportunities for our learners" to work on the tennis swing.

"This partnership will benefit both our school and the wider community, providing a space where sport, teamwork, and growth can thrive," Mr Levendal said, sending out a "thank you" to the Hout Bay Tennis Club (HBTC) for funding the project.

Toni Picard from HBTC said she got involved with the club about nine years ago, when her husband, Rob Picard, took over as chairman.

"I got involved with the design of our HBTC logo and then took on the responsibility of administering membership," she said.

Four years ago, Ms Picard picked up a bat and started playing, but needed to take a backstep after a heart operation. "That did not deter my determination to keep on playing once recovered. Determination, drive, and dedication are the choices that helped me to the point where I have participated in national tournaments, albeit not that successfully," she said.

Ms Picard added that they were proud to be able to partner with the school and resurface the courts.

"This is something that they can be proud of; it is a milestone in building lasting community relationships.

"Contributions made by HBTC members, past and present, have made the resurfacing of the upper court possible; something the school and HBTC members can be proud of,” Ms Picard said.

David Elliot, founder of the SchoolLIFT Programme, school governing body (SGB) member and parent, said being part of the project was "a real pleasure".

"As a parent and SGB member, I am pleased to see the improvements made possible at KPS by engaging with the community. We reached out to the Hout Bay Tennis Club (HBTC), who had been making use of our courts, to see how we could leverage the partnership to benefit both parties, and we agreed on a way forward," he said.

Mr Elliot said HBTC then took it upon themselves to fund the upgrading of their main court, to ensure that both their members and the school children could benefit.

"This is a model that the SchoolLIFT Foundation would like to see repeated across the schools in our country, as 'education is the incubator of our future economy'," Mr Elliot said.

Mr Levendal said he hopes the latest upgrades will go on to create the next Roger Federer or Serena Williams from the Hout Bay community.

"The upgraded courts will not only serve the Hout Bay Tennis Club but will also provide tremendous benefit to the learners of Kronendal Primary School. It brings us great joy when community projects have a direct and positive impact on our learners,” Mr Levendal said.