A 12-year-old girl's simple request has helped breathe new life into the Island's tennis future.

And less than a year later, Zarah DeSilva is among the brightest stars in Bermuda, spawning a girls development programme that is offering a new approach to coaching.

"What we've done is put them all under one umbrella,'' says Walter Burgess of a group that has grown to include DeSilva and 14 other promising youngsters.

Burgess, the Stonington Beach tennis pro, had been coaching DeSilva for six months before joining forces with two other coaches, Sheila Gomez and Steve Bean, and bringing Amy Roach, Sasha Fisher, Rachel Sawden and Stephanie Springer into the fold.

The coaching triumvirate have since tripled the number of students -- all with an eye towards the junior Federation Cup tournament in April.

The idea, says Burgess, is to alternate coaches in thrice-weekly sessions, dealing mostly with fundamentals.

Burgess handles basic forehand and backhand strokes, Gomez specialises in footwork and training, while Bean works on serving and volleys.

"We've already made major progress with the girls,'' said Burgess.

DeSilva, especially, has made such remarkable development that in less than a year since first picking up racquet she is being sponsored by Prince and is attempting to enrol in the prestigious Saddlebrook tennis academy in Florida.

"It's really unbelievable,'' DeSilva's mother, Joann, says.

The family, she said, had never had much interest in tennis and it was only after Zarah began playing with a school-mate that she called Burgess, a family friend.

"She just asked to play one day and that was it,'' said Joann. "Now she's got this idea that she wants to be Monica Seles.'' No wonder.

In July, she entered her first tournament -- the Pomander Gate Junior Open -- and won the 12 and under division. Two weeks later she won the Port Royal Junior Open and a month after that made it three-for-three at the Minute Maid Open.

All are hard-court surfaces -- tailor made for DeSilva's long limbs and powerful strokes.

"She's just a natural talent,'' said Burgess, noting DeSilva regularly holds her own against Stonington members and guests more than three times her age.

"I've been teaching tennis for 25 years and if she keeps at it, she definitely has the ability to be number one on the Island. We've got a real star on our hands.'' Photos by Tony Cordeiro ONE TO WATCH -- Zarah DeSilva is one of coach Walter Burgess' top pupils and has her sights set on representing the Island at the Junior Federation Cup.

RISING STARS -- Walter Burgess makes a point during a coaching session with his prize pupils. From left are Zarah DeSilva, Sasha Fisher, Rachel Sawden, Amy Roach and Stephanie Springer.