Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

We're having a short break here at t-g, so we'll see you in January 2004. Thanks to everyone who contributed news this year, thanks to everyone who let us steal their news this year, but most of all a very big thank-you to everyone who reads the site. It’ll be bigger and better in 2004.

Posted at 11:09 PM [link]

Well done Richard

Richard Owen won the 12U Winter Junior Indoor Challenge just recently. It was played in Manchester. Great effort. He beat several players ranked above him, which means he beat players in the top 5 in the country. Great news to end the year on.

Posted at 10:28 PM [link]

The 2004 Road to Wimbledon National 14 and Under Challenge

The event is sponsored by The All England Lawn Tennis Club together with the LTA to encourage juniors to participate at club level with the incentive of every club who enters gaining a place for their players in the County Finals. From the County Finals, an increase to 64 boys and 64 girls will then qualify for the National Finals played on the Championship grass courts at Wimbledon during a week in August 2004.
2004 will be the third year of this now very successful and popular event. In 2003 696 clubs entered the event by staging a closed singles tournament for their juniors. This gave them a chance to play in the event and all clubs to be represented in the County Finals and the winners of that event then went on to play in the Finals held at Wimbledon.

The closing date is 20th January 2004. You can find all the details, application forms and lots more information on the Wimbledon web-site.

Posted at 10:12 PM [link]

The ball’s back in our court!

Rugby’s not the only sport enjoying a revival, now that Coleford’s tennis courts opened once more last Thursday. In the grounds of the Royal Forest of Dean College, the four hard courts had deteriorated since the 1980s but there were no funds with which to renovate them. Steve Price, Lecturer in Sports and Leisure at the college, explained how the renovation was a real team effort.

“The college owns the courts, the district council uses them as part of the Five Acres leisure Centre, and the Lawn Tennis Association uses them through their ‘Community Tennis partnership’ scheme. In 1999 we got together to see how to bring the courts back to their former glory, collaborating to raise the money along with the Foundation for Sport and the Arts plus a donation from Lakers School. It’s been a true community project.”

The new courts have been resurfaced, re-fenced and are now flood-lit for night-time playing, as well as offering a kids’ zone with coloured areas and a rebound wall against which youngsters can develop their skills. Members of the public will benefit from a better court to play in, and local sports students can develop their playing and coaching skills.

Christine Rivers, CDO for Gloucestershire commented.

“One of the key partners in getting this off the ground was the Forest Tennis Partnership, particularly coaches Bas Godden and Chris Davis. They are committed to the development of juniors in the game and it was on the strength of this programme and the vital support from the college and council that the LTA committed £48,000 to the building of the new courts.”

The opening night saw enthusiasts of all ages and abilities trying out the new facilities, and it was great to see everyone taking advantage of what was a true team effort. The results are fantastic and should encourage and support tennis players right across the Forest. Come and see for yourselves!

Posted at 9:44 PM [link]

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

HSBC Gloucestershire Coach of the Year Awards 2003

Gloucestershire Tennis Coaches have been honoured at the Gloucestershire Coach of the Year Awards 2003. The 7th Annual HSBC Gloucesterhire Coach of the Year Awards were held at the univeristy on Friday 5th December 2003. The Awards were organised by the Gloucestershire Sports Partnership. The evening honoured coaches from all sports working in the county. Guest speaker was Syd Lawrence, who formerly played Cricket for Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire LTA is delighted to acknowledge that the following coaches were nominated by their clubs in the following categories:

Young Performers Coach of the Year - Simon Filiatrault, nominated by Beckford TC.
Rookie Coach of the Year - John Robson, nominated by Hill & Valley TC.
Lifetime Services to Coaching - Dudley Georgeson, nominated by Cirencester TC.

Although the above coaches did not win an award it is wonderful to know that their work and dedication is recognised by their own clubs.

Chris Rivers.

Posted at 9:47 PM [link]