British Tennis - Lawn Tennis Association

Week 2: Beechwood TC - Team Tennis Warwickshire 9&U Mixed Division 1

Richard Allen, Head Coach at Beechwood, describes week 2 action from Beechwood Tennis Club...

The 2011 AEGON Team Tennis season couldn’t arrive sooner for Beechwood 9 & unders. The squad have been looking forward to the season for several weeks. Preparation has included: Squad trials, match practice and a captain’s debrief – where all Team Tennis captains for Beechwood got together with the coaching team and club committee to select the teams, book the necessary courts and equipment for the set match times.

There is a deserved optimism in the Beechwood camp for the coming season. Players have been selected from the thriving club programme, which is fed from successful local school links. Four players of the six are from St Thomas More School. All four were selected for the first game – however, Harry Butler could not compete as he was busy playing for the Beechwood Blades who had qualified for the Mini Tennis Red Coventry & South Warwickshire Finals. He eventually helped them to second place out of 35 teams – well done to him and the rest of the Blades!! In his place came Dairmuid Gaffney for his first match.

Dairmuid Gaffney from Beechwood Tennis Club

Our first match was against Solihull Arden – renowned for the quality of their players – although all teams in our league are teams from big clubs with feared reputations. There was no such fear in our players who were looking forward to representing their club with the support of close friends, parents and coaches.

The match time was later than usual as there was an Open Day at the club – ran by the inspire2coach Coaching team and club volunteers. We arrived at 2.45pm to set up the lines for a 3pm start. It was a first for some of the parents and children who were swiftly assisted by Head Coach Richard Allen. We were armed with the appropriate documents and an early start was assisted by the organisation and prompt arrival of our opponents.

Most players were tired from either their extra activities in the morning or the heat of the day in general but that didn’t stop them from warming up enthusiastically and responding to our request to enforce the ‘two points clear ruling’ with glee, although their response suggested somewhat capricious overtones!!

Duffy in action in the match of the day for Beechwood

The match itself was dominated by the success of the Gaffney’s. Daniel – for Solihull Arden, and Dairmuid in his first match for Beechwood. Not related, both players won their three matches leaving the rest to battle in out for their respective teams.

The match of the day was won by Solihull Arden’s Kiah-Louise Holness who came back from missing match points in the second set, to beat Beechwood’s Adam Duffy in a third set 5-7 10-8 3-7. There was another close singles as the home side’s Evan Mitchell beat the visitor’s George Sunderland in the reserve singles. The doubles matches were also close as players struggled to understand positions and tactics so early in the season!!

Mitchel (serving) & McCabe playing doubles for Beechwood

View the results from the match

The match was played in a good spirit. Players were encouraged to call their own lines, and the score - as parents took it in turns to ‘monitor’ each match closely from the side of the court. The match lasted an hour and a half. We were delighted with our start to the season, although congratulations must be passed to our opponents for fielding two boys and two girls – all of whom competed so well.

Result: Beechwood beat Solihull Arden 12-8

Beechwood TC team: Evan Mitchell, Thomas McCabe, Adam Duffy, Diarmuid Gaffney