At the end of another successful year, Wychwoods Tennis Club in Shipton under Wychwood was presented with the “2011 Oxfordshire Club of the Year” award by Oxfordshire LTA.
Wychwoods were recognised for the success of the Club's junior coaching programme despite restricted coaching court time on 3 courts and lacking all year round facilities, particularly court lighting, that many other clubs enjoy.
The Club's Chairman, Martin Gibbs, explained that “with 160 juniors in the summer programme from the age of 5 up to 18 we achieved fantastic results due to the efforts of our experienced coaching team led by Head Coach Sam Burke and her coaching team of Lisa Wilkinson, Paul Snare and Giles Henderson and the closer association we have forged this year with the OLTA. Winter coaching is limited due to our lack of floodlights although a small number of juniors are coached indoors at Abingdon, Chipping Norton and Burford School. Our Schools Outreach programme last year saw 300 children receive coaching at local schools.”
The Club was also recognised for the focus and direction developed this year, again working closely with Oxfordshire LTA.
Wychwoods currently has 3 high quality sand filled artificial grass courts. It actively encourages tennis players of all ages and abilities offering tennis from first time beginners to the most competitive by social tennis through to several teams in Summer and Winter inter-club leagues. More information is on the Club's website, www.wychwoodstennis.co.uk .
Proposed new floodlit courts.
To build on the Club’s success in recent years and to offer improved tennis facilities to the local community, Wychwoods have reached an agreement to develop four additional courts, with flood-lighting and a small pavilion at The Wychwood Golf Club near Lyneham together with the use of their extensive Clubhouse facilities. This will increase the Club to 7 courts in total over two sites.
Roger Hollingdale, the developments Project Leader, explained that “this development will enable us to extend our tennis activities throughout the winter and will provide us with a focal/social point to the Club. With the provision of court lighting, our successful summer junior coaching programme will be able to continue throughout the winter months as will general evening play. The increased number of courts and court lighting will enable us to add a significant benefit to the local community which has been recognised by the LTA in agreeing to fund a significant proportion of the costs”.
Roger also explained that, “we have been acutely aware that this development is within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. An Impact Assessment, conducted by an independent Landscape Architect has concluded that there is a very limited effect on the landscape and local residents.”
Following a lengthy pre-application process, a full planning application (11/1970/P/FP) was submitted late December to the West Oxfordshire District Council. Once approved a summer opening is anticipated.