The Aegon British Tennis Awards Ceremony: The complete rundown…
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On Tuesday 4 July at The Championships, Wimbledon, our incredible volunteers, coaches and players gathered for the 2016 Aegon British Tennis Awards Ceremony.
Hosted by former British No.1 Andrew Castle, the awards were formally announced to recognise the people that went above and beyond from January to December 2016, to create opportunities for the nation to play tennis.
Launched in 2015 with the help of former LTA president Cathie Sabin OBE, the Tennis Foundation and Aegon, the Aegon British Tennis Awards are in place to say ‘thank you’ to the 25,000 people who dedicate their life to supporting the grassroots of the game, whether it’s through recreational competitions or disability programmes.
The 2016 Awards collected over an impressive 1,100 nominations and winners were announced at county and regional level, before a national panel selected the final award-winners.
Seven out of the fourteen awards were announced in National Volunteer’s Week last month, while the four Aegon British Tennis Players of the Year were revealed yesterday. However, a remaining three awards were kept under wraps until Tuesday’s ceremony, which saw the crowning of the Aegon Coach of the Year, Cathie Sabin Volunteer of the Year and Young Volunteer of the Year…
Jonny Willcox, Aegon Coach of the Year
Jonny epitomises passion at its very core, giving 100% and more to the coaching programme at Rutherglen Tennis Club in Glasgow.
The junior programme he runs is enjoyed by over 110 children, two of which are in the National Programme.
His enthusiasm is simply contagious, helping club membership soar to an all-time high of 290 members but he’s pretty savvy off the court as well! Significantly, he secured a major sponsorship deal with McDonalds to provide free tennis to hundreds of local children AND formed an exciting new partnership with Fuse Youth Café to help give children, particularly from under-priveleged backgrounds, the chance to have fun on court.
And it doesn’t stop there! Jonny has helped raise thousands of pounds through innovative fundraising projects, including a 24-hour challenge to play tennis at the three highest peaks in Great Britian – what an absolute trooper!
Wendy Glasper, Cathie Sabin Volunteer of the Year
Wendy is a true ambassador for British Tennis, enabling people with visually impairments to achieve things they never thought possible.
For me, it’s so rewarding giving back to a sport I love and seeing our players grow in confidence, gain new friendships and improve their mental wellbeing.
She set up the North East Visually Impaired Tennis Club five years ago and has since worked tirelessly across the region, to promote the sport to people who are either blind or with sight impairment.
Whether she’s encouraging players to develop their skills or attending coaching courses so she can bring new and innovate ideas to the court, Wendy is constantly on the move to ensure she can help others get the most out of the sport she adores.
To top it all off, she's a pretty nifty player herself and is a former finalist in her sight category at the National VI Championship - what an inspiration!
Roxanne Marshall, Young Volunteer of the Year
Roxanne approaches everything she does with a wide smile, giving up countless hours to help the Hill Lane Junior Tennis Club be the best it can be.
Throughout 2016 she has demonstrated her versatility through volunteering with both the coaching and competition teams. She even gets stuck in with all the behind-the-scenes activities, leading on the club’s marketing and playing an influential part of the committee.
Since qualifying as an LTA Level 2 Coach, she’s been at the heart of the coaching team and has delivered sessions to Juniors every weekend. Her vision of helping more youngsters play is inspirational and she now helps coach on a number of community initiatives throughout Plymouth.
All awards were presented by a host of familiar faces including former British No.1 Annabel Croft, Davis Cup captain Leon Smith OBE, 2012 Wimbledon Men’s Doubles champion Jonny Marray, former Davis Cup player Jamie Baker and the her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester.
2016 Aegon British Tennis Award-winners
- Jonny Willcox - Aegon Coach of the Year
- Wendy Glasper - Cathie Sabin Volunteer of the Year
- Roxanne Marshall - Young Volunteer of the Year
- Hingham Tennis - Highland Spring Club of the Year
- Newport LIVE Tennis Centre - Community Venue of the Year
- Grantham Tennis Club - Disability Programme of the Year
- Cardinal Newman Roman Catholic School PE Department - Education Programme of the Year
- Tony Pillinger for Leamington LTSC Junior Open - Competition of the Year
- Graeme Luckin - Official of the Year
- Sue Rich - Outsanding Achievement of the Year
- Andy Murray - Aegon Men's Player of the Year
- Johanna Konta - Aegon Women's Player of the Year
- Jay Clarke - Aegon Junior Men's Player of the Year
- Emily Appleton - Aegon Junior Women's Player of the Year
