Great Collaboration to Grow Racket Sports in Canada

In July, legendary Canadian tennis personality Pierre Lamarche sent me information about this new tennis and Pickleball center in the middle of Vaughan, a smaller city just north of Toronto. (See article ACE CANADA in our August Odds & Ends section)

New information landed in my Inbox

Titled “Greenwin Cares and ACE Grow the Game with low-cost programming” (subtitle “Growing the Game and Greenwin Cares Foundation Launch Tennis and Pickleball for Families Initiative”) the press release talked about this really innovative program designed to introduce families to the lifelong benefits of tennis and pickleball.

What is the ‘Tennis and Pickleball for Families’ Initiative?

The initiative offers a low-cost, 4-week introductory program designed by Walker Lamarche and JP Morgan using the Learn To Play leading-edge Frappe system. The program is specifically tailored to ensure enjoyment and active participation for all family members. It is open to families with children born between 2018-2021. A family member must participate on-court alongside their child. Registration is available exclusively on the ACE SmartVMC website. Limited spots are available: 16 families per session for both tennis and pickleball. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

What do families get out of it?

Each participating family will receive:

• 4 one-hour lessons designed by the innovative Frappe System.

• A Growing the Game – Greenwin Cares t-shirt.

• A racquet and ball for each participant.

• A take-home exercise program developed by the ACE System.

• Scholarship opportunities for winter/summer progressive programs.

• A four-week membership to the SmartVMC Racquetsports Centre including free play on Saturdays from 6:30-7:30 PM during their session.

Cost: $40 per child - includes all program benefits! Registration

The FRAPPE System

The French word frappe means to hit, to strike. The system is also called “The Tennis Learning Process” or TLP, a program supported by lesson plans and training courses dedicated to helping recreational tennis teachers.

The author of the TLP, Simon Légaré, is recognized by many as one of Canada’s leading authorities on recreational tennis for children and adults.

Légaré, a Level 3 certified coach by Tennis Québec, thought without a proper recipe book (lesson plans) it was unrealistic to ask a new and inexperienced instructor to plan his own tennis lessons. He states on his website, “His lack of experience means that he does not have the necessary tools to properly plan his lessons. For this reason, I have created a simple program that focuses on the key elements that will make this new instructor effective with his students. It is a process that focuses on the different levels of play of the students and the 4 programs of learning which are the cooperative, adaptive, oppositional, and tactical programs.” Read more about FRAPPE here.

Who is running the initiative?

Jim Boyce, former President of the OTA (Ontario Tennis Association), is currently spearheading the initiative as Chair of the not-for-profit division of ACE - Growing the Game. Jim was the Canadian Men’s singles and doubles Champion in 1976, a member of the Canadian Davis Cup Team, and a 32-time national champion.

I asked Jim about the reason for starting the project and what his plans were. Here’s his reply:

Jim was nice enough to elaborate on the grant situation in Ontario:

We’ll continue to watch this great initiative and update our readers when more information becomes available. In case you want to see it for yourself, the NEW SmartVMC Racquetsports by ACE Centre in Vaughan, is conveniently located at Applewood Crescent and Apple Mill Road, near Highway 400 and Highway 7.

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