Special Schools competition takes place at AEGON Classic

The final of the annual Warwickshire Special Schools competition was once again held at the Edgbaston Priory Club alongside the AEGON Classic last week.

There were eight teams involved in the competition with schools from across Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire providing the 32 pupils.

Kineton High School also provided some tennis leaders on the day to help run the competition, all of whom had been on a recent LTA Competition Organiser Workshop.

One of the helpers on the day was top player Mel Brookes, who won two titles at last year's National Learning Disability Event and is currently taking her coaching qualifications.

There was a larger qualifying event earlier in the year at Stratford Tennis Club before the top eight teams were given the chance to play in the final.

Once the competition was over, the pupils were able to go and watch some of the world's top players compete at the AEGON Classic.

Since 2006, the Tennis Foundation and Warwickshire LTA have organised a Special Schools competition throughout the county every year.

The Tennis Foundation's Head of Education Tom Gibbins said, "The Warwickshire team are doing a great job at providing opportunities for young disabled people in Special Schools to play tennis and the pupils all seemed to enjoy themselves at the event."

The creation of the competition was to raise the profile and aid the development of tennis in Special Schools across the county. The Tennis Foundation, in partnership with the LTA, has produced an AEGON Schools Tennis Equipment Pack, which offers Special Schools nationwide a range of specially modified and adapted equipment. More than 500 schools have already taken advantage of the packs and can now offer top quality coaching and training to their pupils.

"The resources we've received from the Tennis Foundation are fantastic and we have no excuse not to get our kids playing tennis on a regular basis," said Pete Brinkley, the Sport Coordinator for Brooke School, which had pupils taking part in the competition.