Press Release 
16 December 2011
DTEF Holds Biggest Tennis Clinics to Date Reaching 250 Kids in Kumasi and Accra
December 2011 – Donkor Tennis and Education Foundation (DTEF) have stepped up their efforts even more over the past few months by holding their largest tennis clinics to date. Held in Kumasi and Accra, the clinics each spanned two days with around 250 kids participating in total for both weekends. The clinics were another step in the right direction for DTEF, an organization founded by former national Davis Cup player Isaac Donkor and dedicated to providing underprivileged children the opportunity to learn to play tennis and receive better educations. Isaac Donkor, who currently resides in the U.S, travelled to Ghana bringing with him a load of donated tennis equipment which included 2000 tennis balls, 100 rackets, and tons of donated sportswear and shoes to give out as prizes to the participating children.
Baba Yara stadium tennis court in Kumasi, in the eastern region of Ghana, was the site of the first of the two DTEF tennis clinics for kids. The clinic ran from November 4th to 5th with parents and guardians invited to come along to watch. Isaac Donkor travelled to Kumasi with six other tennis coaches. Before the clinic started, Isaac ran a coaches conference for them using video analysis and demonstrations to help them broaden their knowledge. This was the first time that DTEF had traveled to Kumasi to host an event and everyone was exhilarated by the opportunity to be meeting the kids and introducing them to the game of tennis.
Even though this was the very first DTEF event held in Kumasi, over 70 kids between the ages of 10 and 18 attended making it an incredible successful clinic. Isaac and the other six coaches worked closely with the participating children, introducing them to the basic techniques and rules of tennis. The kids had a fantastic time learning to play with the donated rackets and tennis balls. DTEF provided all the kids with food and drink and prizes were given out too. Isaac, the coaches, and the kids had a great time together at the Kumasi clinic and DTEF is considering the possibility of building a tennis facility there some day.
Accra, the site of the second DTEF youth tennis clinic, had an even better turn out than the Kumasi clinic with over 170 kids attending. DTEF was thrilled to have the support of the GTA (Ghana Tennis Association) this year in Accra. Emmanual Sagoe, GTA secretary, came out to the clinic to show support. DTEF hired ten tennis coaches to help Isaac out and gave out free food and drink for every child who participated.
The children eagerly lined up to listen to Isaac and the ten other coaches teach important foundational skills such as how to properly hold a tennis racket, how to hit a forehand and a backhand, how to hit a volley, and even how to hit a serve. With so many coaches on hand to help out, DTEF was able to organize to have the children split up onto separate courts and get specific instruction from the coaches on different skills with Issac free to move around visiting each area and giving tips.
On the Horizon: Progress on the Tennis Accra Facility
In other exciting news, Dottie Jones, head of fundraising, helped to raise over $65,000 to build three tennis courts and a restroom facility on the property set aside for the DTEF tennis and education complex. Issac met with contractors during his most recent trip to Ghana and construction of the courts has begun.
How to Get Involved
DTEF is currently looking for corporate sponsors interested in helping to bring opportunities in both tennis and education to underprivileged youth in Ghana. DTEF is currently most in need of donations of sports equipment and educational supplies and financial help to build the last tennis court at the tennis complex. DTEF relies on support from individual and corporate sponsors to carry out their work in Ghana and in other parts of Africa.
About Donkor Tennis and Education Foundation
Donkor Tennis and Education Foundation is a 501c3 registered non-profit charity founded by former national Davis Cup player and tennis enthusiast Isaac Donkor. Issac grew up in Ghana, where he learned firsthand what it was like to live in hardship and poverty. He founded DTEF to provide guidance, education, mentoring and sports training to underprivileged children in an attempt to reduce poverty and increase opportunities.
Written by VQSuccess