Businessman Hayden Mitchell has earned a third consecutive term at the helm of the Tennis Association of T&T.
At Sunday's lengthy Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Election of Officers at the National Cycling Centre (NCC) in Balmain Couva, the sport's membership showed their approval for the work done under Mitchell and his executive for the past two terms, by returning him for a third, unopposed.
He has been joined by hardworking Secretary Carlista Mohammed, who has moved from the position of Public Relations Officer, to replace a burnt-out Jermille Danclar, who has opted for rest this time around.
Mohammed's position was taken by Mignon King, the mother of tennis ace Anya King; while Dr Dwight Angus and Dunstan Denoon have taken over from Dr Warren Steele and Dexter Mahase as Assistant Secretary and Treasurer respectively. All were elected unopposed.
Mohammed said she is excited and ready for any challenge to come in her new position, as she just loves serving in the sport.
Mitchell expressed his gratitude for the confidence shown in him and said his administration for 2021, will focus on the communities. "We have to find the talent in those communities," Mitchell told Guardian Media Sports on Monday.
To achieve this, Mitchell, a graduate of Queen's Royal College (QRC) said they intend to use all the coaches who trained under their programme for the past years and place them in the different communities across the country.
Tennis, it is understood, leads by a large shot, the list of NGBs in terms of on and off-the-field progress made locally, regionally and internationally. Its crowning jewel has been its certification by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
Apart from that, however, the sport can boast of the many coaches trained and certified under it; the positioning of the National Racquet Centre (NRC) as a hub for the sport in the region; and the selection of two of its members on international committees and boards, among many others.
Mitchell said his executive will also focus on Constitutional Reform, particularly now that international events have been halted by the closure of the borders, due to the caronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to Mitchell, constitutional reform and community focus have been among the targets his association has missed in its list of things to achieve, however, they are among the main focus for 2021.
Over the past few years, the sport in the southland had been destroyed by the closure of Petrotrin, which owns more than 20 tennis courts that are used by clubs in that area. Mitchell said to treat with this, he made contact with the chairman of Heritage Petroleum Company Limited, the country's newest state-owned, emerging oil and gas company, who told him he will be on board.
Also on the agenda for the new executive will the re-igniting of the zones.