RBC praised for tennis support

RBC Royal Bank of Trinidad and Tobago was praised for its longstanding support of the development of youth tennis for over four decades when the 2017 RBC Royal Bank Junior Tennis Tournament served off at the Trinidad Country Club, Maraval, on Saturday.

Congratulating RBC Royal Bank on its youth development policy was Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Darryl Smith, who served the first ball to start the six-day tournament, which has attracted a total of 160 of the country’s most promising young players.

“RBC Royal Bank has demonstrated that as a corporate citizen and a bank, its focus is not only about banking. Their longstanding support of this tournament demonstrates that they are giving back to Trinidad and Tobago in the important area of youth and sport development,” Smith told players, organisers and parents.

The Minister, who has a son and a daughter playing in the tournament which has enjoyed sponsorship from RBC for 43 years, urged the youngsters to play hard but fair, and listen to their umpires and their coaches and leave the tournament with new friends.

RBC Managing Director, Darryl White, told the players that they will all be called upon to display good sportsmanship over the next few days. “You will experience losses and wins, joy and sadness, moments of learning and teaching. But win, lose or draw, come next Thursday, you will not only be an improved tennis player, but also a stronger person. While competition is important, sport teaches you how to win and lose with grace. RBC Royal Bank is very pleased to be associated with this developmental tournament for more than four decades,” White said.

Endorsing the importance of RBC’s continuing support of youth tennis was President of the Trinidad and Tobago Tennis Association, Hayden Mitchell, who announced that the International Tennis Federation, in collaboration with his association, was working on a master plan to develop tennis in Trinidad and Tobago.