There is no shortage of inspiration for the young players gathered on the Bear Mountain clay courts for the sa国际传媒 U-12 and U-14 championships. Canadian tennis is glowing with a golden generation that began with Eugenie Bouchard and Milos Raonic and is now led by Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov and Bianca Andreescu.
鈥淵oung Canadians used to point outside the country, to players like Serena Williams, when asked about their favourite players. But now they point to people like Felix and Bianca,鈥� said Joe Wood, Bear Mountain director of tennis, and organizer of the provincial championships.
鈥淭he youth here now see a pathway through Canadian tennis. Kids camps are booming. The coaching is getting better and better and that鈥檚 helping.鈥�
Wood pointed to the fulsome turnout for the provincial championships. There are 64 boys鈥� and girls鈥� players competing, 32 in each of the U-12 and U-14 categories.
鈥淚f not for the pandemic, we could have doubled that easily,鈥� said Wood. 鈥淓ven with the situation as it is, we have 64 top players from those age groups willing to travel to provincials.鈥�
Not that organizing a youth provincial championship has been easy this year in any sport.
鈥淚t was a challenge getting players and parents here from all parts of sa国际传媒 but we got it done,鈥� said Wood.
The provincial U-12 tournament began Wednesday and runs through to the finals today on the Bear. The U-14 sa国际传媒 championship begins today and runs through the finals Sunday.
A big plus is that Bear Mountain provides one of the few opportunities in sa国际传媒 for the kids to play on clay.
鈥淚t provides a huge learning experience for them,鈥� said Wood, a native of Sheffield, England, who played NCAA Div. 1 for the University of New Mexico Lobos.
鈥淭hey love to slide around on it like they are in the French Open. Clay allows for slower rallies which last longer. It鈥檚 a more common surface in Eastern sa国际传媒 so this gives our sa国际传媒 players experience on clay for when they get to nationals.鈥�
