The girls only beginner tennis course is packed with games and activities that will help build skills on court, as well as new friendships and confidence in everyday life.
The project was piloted in partnership with Prime Video to inspire girls across Great Britain and Carol sits among the list of female coaches who helped drive the project at clubs like Helsby and have been central to its success.
“As soon as I saw the opportunity to be part of the Prime girls’ group, I just knew it was meant for me,” said Carol.
“I felt strongly about creating a safe environment for the girls to engage, have fun, and to feel comfortable without any negativity or discrimination.
“From experience, girls thrive in an all-girls setting as it lends to their growth in confidence on and off court, and any emotions or fears they may have they can openly speak about with female coaches.”
The sessions, reserved for girls’ exclusive use, charmed locals thanks to its combined success in ensuring a real sense of belonging whilst also developing skills on court.
They attracted a wide range of girls both in background and age, including eight-year-old Solomia who fled to the UK with her mother after the outbreak of war in the Ukraine.
Forced to start a life on foreign soil over 1,500 miles away from her family who remain in the war zone, Solomia would eventually find refuge at Helsby Tennis Club after taking part in a taster session delivered by Carol at her local primary school.
Despite living three miles away from the tennis club and without a car, since joining the Prime Video LTA Youth Girls course last year Solomia and her mother have without fail made the round trip every week.
“Iryna (Solomia’s mother) brings her every single week,” said Carol. “She even approached us after a few weeks and said: ‘Carol, I don’t know what you do, but all she wants to do is play tennis. It’s the only thing she talks about and the only thing she wants to do.’
“I think her mum originally thought she’d get fed up with the lengthy journey, but she said she finishes school every Thursday, they both run a mile and a half to the train station before arriving in Helsby and running for another 15 to 20 minutes to get to the club in time for 4pm. They do that every week.
“She was quiet at first, but I think joining an all-girls group did a world of good for her confidence as she now gets stuck in with all the other players, making friends and mixing well with them all.
“On the last day of the school term last year, she had to go in dressed in what she aspires to be, so she chose to dress as Elina Svitolina as she wants to be a professional tennis player when she’s older.”
With a role model in Carol at the helm, the all-girls sessions have flourished, gaining popularity year-on-year as Solomia and others grew to love the game in a friendly space without fear or judgment.
Solomia is among the 40 girls who signed up to the sessions following the inception of the Prime Video LTA Youth Girls programme last year, in addition to the 20 plus others who attend the additional all-female groups readily available at the club.
“I can honestly say these sessions with the girls mean everything to me,” said Carol, her enthusiasm clear to see. “I look forward to them every week”.
“My aim is to continue nurturing, supporting, and engaging the girls in tennis while having fun and meeting new friends for life. At the end of the day, it’s all about getting them involved in a fantastic sport and teaching them transferable skills that they can apply on and off the court.
Carol’s amazing coaching and Solomia’s story were recently a featured in the Davis cup programme in Manchester 2024. She has also recently won a national award for running the most innovative tennis holiday camp with a Hawaiian themed tennis party.
Anyone interested in tennis at Helsby can get in touch through the website www.helsbytennis.co.uk and contacting the coaching team or sending a message.