Burke to sever ties with Tennis Jamaica

Leroy Brown, Gleaner Writer

Tennis Jamaica (TJ), the organisation in charge of local tennis, will be losing Douglas Burke, its long-time national tennis director and head coach, shortly.

Burke is severing his ties with the organisation to pursue personal interests. These, it is understood, will include overseas coaching assignments. He has agreed to stay with TJ on a short-term contractual basis until his successor has been recruited.

Burke, who has been with TJ since 1994, has been a major force in local tennis as a player, coach and administrator.

He played in the Davis Cup competition for Jamaica, starting in 1988, and was team captain several times. He led Jamaica from American Zone Three to Zone Two on three separate occasions.

Burke also played on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour from 1984-1991, attaining a top 200 ranking, and has had memorable victories over the top 50 players.

Locally, he has tutored many young players who have gone on to do well at universities and on the circuit over the years.

debt of gratitude

His son, Brandon, is one of his success stories. He was Jamaica's junior champion at various age groups for many years, and has also represented Jamaica in Davis Cup competition. He is now a student at Brown University in the United States.

In paying tribute to Burke for his service to tennis in Jamaica, Aubyn Hill, the president of TJ, said that Jamaica owes him a debt of gratitude for his years of loyal service and pointed to the fact that he has left a rich legacy for the future.

Hill also pointed out that TJ will take this opportunity in recruiting a successor to Burke to break new ground. There will be a name change of the position to technical tennis director.

The technical tennis director will focus on working with tennis organisers, schools, coaches, players and event planners throughout Jamaica, so as to make the public and sponsors more aware of the numerous benefits that can be derived from participating in this sport.

Tennis, Hill said, should also be seen as a lucrative professional destination for young players with the necessary talent and every effort will be made to take this message to students and their parents across Jamaica.