On the 15th December, the first Cluster Clubs Mini Tennis Festival was hosted by Cardiff Met Tennis Academy. There was an excellent turnout for the event, with teams coming from Cwmbran LTC, Allt-yr-yn LTC, Usk LTC, Abergavenny LTC, Stow Park LTC, Diamond Tennis Academy, Mackintosh LTC and Cardiff Met Tennis Academy.
The first event of the day was the Mini Red competition. Teams were made up of 6 players, with each team playing a total of 3 matches. There were some extremely close matches with outstanding rallies on show, in what was many of the players first ever competition. The players were also treated to some fun games and activities in between matches with Cardiff Met Tennis Academy and Tennis Wales Young Coaches Programme coach Stephanie Davies. After adding up each team’s points, the final was contested between Allt-yr-yn LTC and Stow Park LTC. With some fantastic matches played, the final came right down to the wire with Stow Park LTC coached by Chris Lovett coming out on top by a single point to defeat Allt-yr-yn by 26 points to 25.
With the fantastic help from all of the coaches and volunteers present on the day, the courts were quickly set up for the Mini Orange event. Teams for the Mini Orange event were made up of 4 players, with each team playing 3 matches. There were lots more excellent matches, with some really exciting finishes to matches brought about by the timed tennis format. The final was eventually contested between Abergavenny LTC and Diamond Tennis Academy after both teams had won their respective round robin groups. In the final, Abergavenny LTC coached by Rob Wedlake played some of the best tennis of the day to win by 49 points to 26.
Each player who took part in the festival was awarded with a certificate and a key ring, with the players from the winning teams of Stow Park LTC and Abergavenny LTC receiving a flashing snowman to put on their Christmas trees at home.
Organiser’s Rhys Morgan and Stephanie Davies were delighted to see so many children having fun at the event, and are planning to run an Easter themed event at the end of the spring term with the date and venue TBC.