By Ross Grahame
Strathclyde students training to be Scotland’s next PE teachers recently took part in a workshop ran by the Judy Murray Foundation.
The 19 students that took part in the two-hour long tutorial on February 9th were given remote coaching from Mel Benson, one of the foundations ambassadors, along with an opportunity to speak with professional tennis coach Judy Murray and ask her questions.
Judy Murray told the Strathclyde Telegraph “The content was based on what the students felt they needed for when they go out on placements”
We created a number of different online workshops showing teachers, students, parents and volunteers how to deliver starter tennis in whatever space they had available. We are trying to build a much bigger tennis workforce across Scotland to help us achieve our aim of making tennis accessible and affordable for everyone, everywhere”
Cara Lamb, a Strathclyde teaching fellow in the PE department, said about the workshop “It was very informative.
Just being able to apply some of the things and take some of the ideas for themselves to take on placements is really good for the students”
This is the second workshop conducted by the Judy Murray foundation with Strathclyde students this academic year, with the first happening in October last year. While the first lesson was in person in a COVID safe outdoor environment, the challenge of the pandemic forced the lesson to jump onto an online format. Despite these challenges the organisers were able to adjust the structure of the lessons effectively, so no teaching time was lost.
Murray said “The Judy Murray Foundation was able to adapt quickly to Covid restrictions because we had most of our workshop content on video”
It was a big opportunity for tennis to grow during lockdown as it was one of the few sports people were allowed to play because it is a naturally socially distanced sport”.
Lamb also stressed the silver linings of the pandemic forcing the lessons online saying
“If it wasn’t online, we probably wouldn’t have had Judy join us.
We even got to ask her questions in her own kitchen”.
Outside of the classroom, Murray opened up on her tips for staying healthy both mentally and physically.
She said “it’s is tough for everyone and we are affected in different ways depending on our circumstance and our personalities so one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to advice.
I’ve mastered hula hooping, baking empire biscuits and watched several historical documentaries this week. It’s important to keep your mind and body as active as possible”.
A third lesson in partnership with the Judy Murray Foundation is planned for after Easter that organisers hope it will be in person and outdoors but it is not been confirmed yet.
