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Barbados’ road tennis coming to Peel Region schools

November 14, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

An exciting sport from Barbados is gaining popularity in Canada. 

Road Tennis, a low-cost and accessible variant of tennis, is being played by more and more people of all ages. 

Road Tennis, a two-player game, is played on a 21 by 10-foot court using wooden rackets. An eight-inch-high plank of wood is usually used as the net. 

Gauntlet Road Tennis is a company started by Ron Kellman, a passionate advocate for the sport. He’s been working to bring the sport to Ontario school boards, and recently partnered with the Peel District School Board (PDSB) to bring the sport to Peel schools.

“It’s a cool sport to play, it’s a lot of fun and you don’t need big infrastructure to play, just a 21 by 10-foot hard surface,” said Kellman. “It’s inclusive and barrier-free so any and everybody can play.”

Kellman said road tennis has been an amazing way to get kids active again after the pandemic. He said it’s a sport that brings people off the sidelines because it’s not intimidating. 

“Kids everywhere need to get out and play, so why not have a game that is going to make you laugh, have fun, and associate with your friends,” said Kellman.

As wood is expensive right now, Kellman is working on designing a cheaper net made out of other materials to make the sport even more accessible than it already is. He noted a bench turned on its side can also be used as a makeshift net.

Kellman said he has two sons who play hockey and baseball, expensive sports, in addition to road tennis. He says it is amazing how they have just as much fun playing road tennis, which is far more affordable.

Due to the small size of a road tennis court, Kellman said it’s ideal for gym classes because so many courts can be set up. In that way, no students have to wait their turn on the sidelines.

“It’s becoming a movement, it’s amazing to watch it grow in front of our eyes,” said Kellman.

         

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