In the fast-paced sport of tennis, achieving a certain level of success early bodes well for one’s career. That’s why in the local scene, Milo, through the Milo Junior Tennis program, continues to lead the way in discovering and developing the country’s future tennis stars, who someday hope to make their mark as world-class champions.
Only recently, Milo sent five young tennis champs to compete in Malaysia for the prestigious Penang Open International Juniors’ Age Group Tennis Championship, which will bring together the best junior tennis players from all over the world.
Scheduled in Universiti Sains Malaysia Penang Sports Club, the Philippines will be represented by Jurence Mendoza, Dheo Talatayod, Sally Mae Siso, Kim Ivor Saraza and Lynda Marie Caillan in the unisex 10-under, boys’ 12-under, girls’ 12-under, boys’ 14-under and girls’ 14-under divisions, respectively.
All five players are products of the Milo Junior Tennis program, a comprehensive program that develops young, talented tennis players by equipping them with the necessary skills and presenting them with opportunities to compete in top-level competition.
"Training in Milo Junior Tennis does not end once the clinic is finished. Instead, the participants then move on to compete in various events, eventually progressing to more difficult tournaments so their skills could be developed even more and their confidence further boosted," says Milo sports events executive Pat Goc-ong.
The kids had an early exposure to the game. Kim for instance, has been playing tennis since he was seven and this will be his second time to compete overseas. "I’m excited to go deeper into the tournament and hopefully win the title for our country," says Kim, a student at the Quezon City High School.
For these kids, playing tennis isn’t just about being skillful. It’s also about developing one’s character, something that Milo strongly supports. Dheo, who was a Most Outstanding Athlete in the NCR Milo Little Olympics, says tennis taught him to be "humble, disciplined and sportsmanlike." He says the sport made him learn how to "accept defeat graciously."
Of course, the kids are thankful to Milo for so many reasons. "Milo always gives young athletes like us lots of opportunities to develop our game," says Jurence. "Milo taught us to be confident and Milo has been very supportive of young athletes like us," says Lynda Marie. "We hope that it will continue for many more years," says Sally Mae.
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