For some, tennis is nothing more than an mundane athletic endeavor, one among myriad others. But for a group of volunteers from São Paulo working Campos do Jordão, located in the interior of São Paulo state, tennis represents a tool for change and social inclusion. And the 166 children and teen-agers of the public school system who take part in the Campos Social Tennis Clinic projects organized by AMECampos (the Campos de Jordão Friends’ Association) would agree. Considered a complete sport, tennis classes have been offered to young residents aged 8 to 17 since October 2009 at the Campos Tennis Club, which makes its facilities available to the project. “This is not simply another tennis academy. It’s much more than that. It’s a social effort aimed at teaching the importance of team work and life values to these young people,” declares former tennis player Patrícia Medrado, one of the top women’s players in Brazilian history and today engaged in a wide range of similar initiatives, who jumped at the opportunity to manage the project. To
fund and maintain the activities developed at the training center, where classes are offered free of charge, the initiative receives the support of Trousseau and other companies which have joined the cause, including the sports apparel maker Track&Field and Dermatex (Durafloor, Deca, and Hydra). As a dynamic sport that stimulates the development of friendships among participating children, the academy’s objective is to debunk the idea that tennis is part of an elitist cultured accessible and affordable only to a select minority. The project, a recent addition to the State Secretariat of Sport’s list of formal initiatives, is organized by age group and level. Training students, the term used to designate those who stand out in the sport and indicate a desire to follow a professional tennis career, take part in tennis lessons and physical conditioning programs. Students attend four two-hour classes per week. The activities contribute to generating a noticeable improvement in self-esteem, discipline, and quality of life, imbuing values that endure for a lifetime.
REVISTATROUSSEAU PROJETO SOCIAL
CAMPOS DO JORDÃO CAMPOS DO JORDÃO
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ESCOLA DE TÊNIS
Anchored in an important social principle, the project offers tennis clinics free of charge to young people in Campos do Jordão. The initiative is spearheaded by sponsoring brands such as Trousseau and volunteers of AME Campos.
TENNIS SCHOOL
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apoio da Trousseau e de outras empresas que levan-
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les que se destacam na modalidade e que exibem
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