A professional tennis coach from Galway has developed a new toy to help improve children’s hand-eye co-ordination – and get them off screen devices!

Alec Sandys, from Knocknacarra in the city, used his thirteen-plus years as a professional sports coach to develop WakkaBall, which will be launched for sale at the end of June.

During Covid-19, restrictions meant Alec was unable to play or coach tennis at Galway Lawn Tennis Club in Salthill.

And so, during Lockdown the 38-year-old turned his attention to developing a new fun, interactive and educational toy aimed at children aged three and over.

With the help of Galway Local Enterprise Office, Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone – and his daughter Freya, who was two during Covid – Alec developed WakkaBall.

He developed it after identifying a need in the toy market for something that would help children’s hand-eye coordination.

For more, see www.wakkaball.ie.

Caption: Alec Sandys with his WakkaBall invention.

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