Team Challenge Spotlight: Bishop Sutton Tennis Club
• 2 MINUTE READ
Since its launch nearly two years ago, Team Challenge has gone on to be a smashing success! So far, over 10,000 mini, junior and adult players have got stuck in, taking part in over 1,000 events across Great Britain.
Team Challenge provides the perfect opportunity for players of all ages who are new to competitions to team up with friends and take part in local competitions, with lots of fun, prizes and giveaways up for grabs!
To celebrate the teams and organisers involved in the friendly, team-based competition, we’re introducing ‘Team Challenge Spotlight’ so we can showcase some of the best Team Challenge stories across the nation.
We’re kicking off with the team at Bishop Sutton Tennis Club, brilliantly led by Team Challenge ‘cluster organiser’ Mark Taber.
The Bristol-based club started delivering Team Challenge events soon after it was launched in September 2016. Mark, the club’s Junior Competition Coordinator, thought it would be the perfect addition to the existing junior coaching programme which already focussed on providing fun, sociable activities for juniors.
One of the club’s key challenges has been keeping girls playing post mini tennis, so after running several successful Team Challenge competitions for girls and boys, Mark decided to introduce a girls-only event nearly a year ago.
It proved to be a massive hit and since then, the club has organised six Team Challenge girls-only competitions – all of which have been over-subscribed. The club’s own team rotates its players each time, so all 20 girls on the junior programme can have a shot at playing. Typically two four-player teams from Bishop Sutton would compete, and then teams from other clubs arcross the county are invited to join in with the fun!
Earlier this month, Bishop Sutton Tennis Club was invited to a She Rallies Day with Judy Murray after South West She Rallies Ambassador Mandy Stonier got wind of their success! She Rallies was founded by Murray with British Tennis two years ago, with the aim to retain and increase the number of female players and coaches across the UK. A team of six players – all randomly picked to represent the club – went along to the event where they joined Murray and 60 She Rallies Activators on court for a jam-packed schedule of tennis activities.
Next up for the team is a Wimbledon-themed competition – think strawberries and cream upon arrival, a homemade Mary Berry Wimbledon cake, and a converted 'Centre Court' complete with an umpire's chair, players' chairs, towels and fruit squash on the go!
Find an event near you!
Get involved and enter a Team Challenge competition near you! To find out more about Team Challenge, check out our online guide.
