The year 1998 has seen full implementation of the Ontario Tennis Association's "PLAY TENNIS" initiative - a nation-wide marketing campaign aimed at providing the people in our communities with an opportunity to enjoy the sport of tennis and pursue organized participation. The success of this initiative is predicated on creative programming that emphasizes both ‘enjoyment' and ‘accessibility'. With this in mind, the OTA has recently launched a WALL TENNIS program across the province in an effort to introduce our young people to the game of tennis.

For years it has been common knowledge throughout tennis communities that hitting a tennis ball against a wall is the easiest way to achieve improved hand-eye coordination and consistency, two essential skills in the sport of tennis. Despite previous recognition of this activity, the OTA believes that WALL TENNIS should receive greater promotion throughout Ontario as it represents a logical step towards tennis participation.

With the assistance of Bakko, an international manufacturer of tennis court backboards, the OTA has constructed a free-standing, fiberglass wall specifically designed for this program. The wall stands 10 feet (3.05 meters) high and 28 feet (8.53 meters) wide with scaffolding used to secure the structure to ensure maximum stability. Mobility has been an important consideration in the design of this structure allowing for transportation to all of the intended promotional locations (e.g., television/radio stations, shopping malls, community centres, schools, etc.) including any tennis facility where the wall can be easily positioned on a tennis court providing participants with exposure to the regular playing area.

Initially, WALL TENNIS will be delivered in a way that provides participants with an opportunity to build the skills necessary for future full-court tennis participation. A number of challenging activities will be offered testing participants' accuracy and overall consistency. To encourage full participation, the OTA along with its associated sponsors are prepared to provide the necessary equipment as well as various prizes for the participating public. Ultimately, the OTA believes that WALL TENNIS has the potential to become not only an integral part of the Association's tournament schedule but also an activity suitable for any physical education program in Ontario.

For an event that is viewed as original, newsworthy and extremely marketable, it is the belief of the OTA that a tremendous promotional opportunity exists for all sponsors associated with the OTA's WALL TENNIS program. Over the past year, the OTA has entertained over 10,000 WALL tennis participants at locations such as City TV's Breakfast Television, The Canadian National Exhibition, Parks & Recreation Trade Show, The Canadian Living Spring Family Show, Daniel Nestor Tennis Fest and the annual OPHEA (Ontario Physical and Health Education Association) Conference.