Kwara State Tennis Association has reiterated its resolve to focus on the discovery of more players from the grassroots and also encourage the already discovered players to guide against poaching.

While unveiling their 2016 calendar during a stakeholders meeting yesterday (Sunday) at the Conference Room of the Kwara State Sports Council, the body expressed its readiness to partner schools sports officers and the Nigeria School Sports Federation to drive the game from the base.

Their resolve, which was contained in a communique drawn at the end of the deliberation said that the association will continue to design youth programmes to catch them young, especially from junior schools and to encourage them to take their education serious.

The meeting also resolved to popularise tennis as a veritable ground for old and young to exercise themselves and to introduce inter-club tennis competition in the state.

Part of the resolutions agreed upon was the revival of late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki tennis competition.

To encourage total development of the sport, they called on government to absorb coaches and also send them to the National Institute for Sports (NIS) for training, and equally employ and place tennis players on stipends.

While commending the stakeholders and the government for their support, they reminded the government to re-introduce medical services at the stadium by provided well equipped clinic, and also stressed the need to upgrade all the facilities at the stadium complex, particularly the hostels, and make them available for use.

Among the programmes, which the Chairman, Mr Tope Daramola said the association will undertake this year is All-Kwara State Secondary School Tennis Championship, the Optiweb Tennis Tournament, Emirs' Cup Tennis Competition, Club Tennis League and Summer Tennis Clinic.