The annual Tennis Wales awards have recognised the ‘aces’ of tennis – the people and organisations that have contributed most to the sport during the past year.
The winners include players, volunteers, coaches, clubs and centres.
The ceremony at the Marriott Hotel in Swansea was hosted by TV presenter and tennis enthusiast, Arfon Haines Davies (Saturday January 28th).
“These annual awards recognise our most dedicated and talented – on and off the court, especially those who make it possible for thousands to enjoy tennis in Wales every week,” said Tennis Wales chief executive Peter Drew.
“We were again able to reflect on a very successful year for Welsh tennis – winning the Tri Nations title, hosting the historic Davis Cup Trophy tour, and many individual successes at home and abroad.
“Schools tennis has continued to grow in popularity, and tennis is now one of the most popular and most played sports at schools across Wales. In 2016 we also introduced the new ‘School of Tennis’ programme, which is providing a great new opportunity to develop tennis in schools who would not normally be able to offer the sport.
“At the same time, membership at our tennis clubs in Wales has grown as has the number of teams playing league tennis.
“Meanwhile, disabilities tennis in Wales continues to grow – with individual and team success and with Wales hosting important competitions.”
Winners were:
Young Volunteer (sponsored by Inspire2Coach) – Jamie Hogg (Mold TC)
Jamie has been the junior representative on the committee at Mold Tennis Club for two years. He has assisted on the coaching programme and at tournaments, and has run his own Mini starter events. He is currently enrolled on his Level 2 coaching award.
Volunteer – Nigel Davies (Aberaeron Tennis Club)
Nigel has been the driving force behind one of Wales’ oldest tennis clubs for the past 30 years, holding every conceivable post – chairman, secretary, tournament organiser, treasurer, first team captain, coach and barbecue cook. He established the annual Aberaeron Tennis Tournament and has secured improvements to the club’s facilities, including floodlighting and a third court.
Education – Cardinal Newman PE Department (Rhydyfelin, nr Pontypridd)
Thanks to courts being available for all pupils to play on during break and lunch time, many pupils competed in school and inter- school competitions. There is also an after-school tennis club and 12 pupils have completed their Tennis Leaders award. The department also introduced cardio tennis and early tennis delivery.
Disability Programme Award – Wrexham Tennis Centre
As a result of its extensive disability programme, the centre has been recognised as one of the most inclusive venues across the country and was selected to host the Tennis Foundation’s National Learning Disabilities and ITF Wheelchair events. The centre has developed school links which has led to at least 50 participants playing tennis at the centre in a formal programme every week. The centre also runs Tennis Leaders courses with St Christopher’s Special School in Wrexham.
Community Venue – Newport Live
Newport Tennis Centre has undergone a dramatic transformation since its relaunch in 2013, with 334 weekly participants on the coaching programme, delivered by eight dedicated members of staff. There is greater community engagement with regular outreach activity in schools, parks and organised events, and partnership with local retailers.
Coach of the Year – David Williams (Swansea TC)
David has grown the junior programme at Swansea Tennis Club to 200 participants, and has developed the adult coaching programme to 70 participants per week. He has also driven innovations such as an awards night, and has increased female participation through national initiatives, and expanded the number of students attending to 100 per week with most of them relatively new to the sport.
Player of the Year – James Story (Cardiff)
James won back-to-back ITF Junior doubles titles in Edinburgh and Bournemouth with his brother (and last year’s player of the year) Matthew last summer, which resulted in James gaining his first ITF junior ranking. He made a further breakthrough in October when he reached the semi-final of the U18 Grade 2 event in Bolton, despite being U16 and having to come through qualifying.
Club Team – Lisvane Boys U14 Aegon team
The team won the division one U14 Aegon League by not losing a match or even a rubber. The team, comprising Samuel Lynn, James Symons-Hicks, Luke Gillard and William Jowett, also designed their own red and black shirts, and have all gained their Tennis Leaders award.
Team of the Year – Wales 2015 Tri-Nations team
Wales held off the challenge of Scotland and Ireland to take the honours in the 2015 Home Nations Tennis Championship in Glasgow. The competition, played across 18U, 14U, and 12U age groups, between Scotland, Ireland and Wales, went to the final round of matches to determine the winner.
Club or Centre – Rhiwbina Tennis Club
A memorable year for Rhiwbina saw the visit of both the Davis Cup Trophy, and the then Prime Minister, David Cameron. Rhiwbina also became the first Welsh club to stage a Seniors ITF world-ranking event, involving over 60 players from Wales, England, Scotland, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Membership rose by 25% to a club record 430 due to initiatives such as Tennis for Kids.
Special Recognition Award – Geraint Richards
As the Tennis Foundation’s head of high performance programme for British wheelchair tennis, Geraint (from Cardiff and a member of Lisvane TC) played a vital role in a phenomenal year. In 2016 Gordon Reid won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles, and became the world no.1 wheelchair tennis player. At the Rio Paralympics, the Team GB Wheelchair tennis team, led by Geraint, won six medals, confirming that under Geraint’s direction, Britain has become the leading nation in wheelchair tennis.
Eight of the category winners from the Tennis Wales Awards go through to the British Tennis Awards, to be presented at Wimbledon in July.
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Mae gwobrau blynyddol Tennis Cymru wedi cydnabod rhai o ‘hoelion wyth’ y gamp, sef y bobl a’r sefydliadau a wnaeth y cyfraniad mwyaf i’r gêm dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf.
Mae’r enillwyr yn cynnwys chwaraewyr, gwirfoddolwyr, hyfforddwyr, clybiau a chanolfannau.
Arweinydd y seremoni, a gynhaliwyd yng Ngwesty’r Marriot yn Abertawe (nos Sadwrn Ionawr 28ain) oedd y cyflwynydd teledu ac un o selogion y gêm yng Nghymru, Arfon Haines Davies.
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“Mae’r gwobrau blynyddol hyn yn cydnabod ein pobl mwyaf ymroddgar a thalentog - ar, ac oddi ar y cwrt, yn enwedig y rhai sy’n gwneud hi’n bosib i filoedd o bobl fwynhau’r gêm yng Nghymru bob wythnos,” meddai prif weithredwr Tennis Cymru, Peter Drew.
“Unwaith eto cawsom gyfle i edrych yn ôl ar flwyddyn lwyddiannus iawn i’r byd tennis yng Nghymru – cipio teitl y Tair Gwlad, croesawu taith hanesyddol Tlws Cwpan Davis, yn ogystal â nifer o lwyddiannau unigol, gartref a thramor.
“Mae tennis ysgolion wedi parhau i gynyddu yn ei boblogrwydd, ac erbyn hyn tennis yw un o’r campau mwyaf poblogaidd mewn ysgolion ar draws Cymru. Yn 2016 hefyd, cyflwynwyd y rhaglen ‘School of Tennis’ newydd, sy’n darparu cyfleoedd newydd gwych i ddatblygu tennis mewn ysgolion na fyddai fel arfer yn gallu cynnig y gamp.
“Ar yr un pryd, mae aelodaeth ein clybiau tennis yng Nghymru wedi cynyddu, ac felly hefyd y nifer o dimau sy’n chwarae tennis cynghrair.
“Yn y cyfamser, mae tennis anabledd yn parhau i dyfu yng Nghymru – gyda thimau ac unigolion yn cael llwyddiant, a Chymru’n llwyfannu cystadlaethau pwysig.”
Dyma’r enillwyr:
Gwirfoddolwr Ifanc (noddwyd gan Inspire2Coach) – Jamie Hogg (CT Yr Wyddgrug)
Jamie yw’r cynrychiolydd iau ar bwyllgor Clwb Tennis Yr Wyddgrug ers dwy flynedd bellach. Mae wedi cynorthwyo gyda’r rhaglen hyfforddiant ac yn ystod twrnameintiau, ac wedi rhedeg ei ddigwyddiadau Mini ei hun i ddechreuwyr. Ar hyn o bryd mae’n gweithio tuag at ei wobr hyfforddwr Lefel 2.
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Gwirfoddolwr - Nigel Davies (Clwb Tennis Aberaeron)
Nigel fu’r grym tu ôl i un o glybiau tennis hynaf Cymru ers 30 mlynedd bellach, gan wneud pob un swydd posib – cadeirydd, ysgrifennydd, trefnydd twrnameintiau, trysorydd, capten y tîm cyntaf, hyfforddwr, a chogydd barbeciw. Nigel sefydlodd Dwrnamaint Tennis blynyddol Aberaeron, ac mae wedi sicrhau gwelliannau i gyfleusterau’r clwb, gan gynnwys llifoleuadau a thrydydd cwrt.
Addysg – Adran AG Cardinal Newman (Rhydyfelin, ger Pontypridd)
Diolch i’r ffaith bod y cyrtiau ar gael i’r holl ddisgyblion allu chwarae arnynt yn ystod egwyl neu awr ginio, bu nifer o’r disgyblion yn cymryd rhan mewn cystadlaethau ysgol a chystadlaethau rhwng ysgolion. Mae yna glwb tennis ar ôl ysgol hefyd, ac mae 12 disgybl wedi cwblhau eu gwobr Arweinydd Tennis. Aeth yr adran ati i gyflwyno tennis cardio hefyd, yn ogystal â thennis cynnar.
Gwobr Rhaglen Anabledd – Canolfan Tennis Wrecsam
O ganlyniad i’w rhaglen anabledd eang, mae’r ganolfan wedi’i chydnabod fel un o’r lleoliadau mwyaf cynhwysol ledled y wlad, ac fe’i dewiswyd fel lleoliad ar gyfer digwyddiadau Anabledd Dysgu Cenedlaethol y Sefydliad Tennis a digwyddiadau Cadair Olwyn yr ITF. Mae’r ganolfan wedi datblygu cysylltiadau ag ysgolion, ac yn sgil hynny mae o leiaf 50 o chwaraewyr y ganolfan yn dilyn rhaglen ffurfiol bob wythnos. Mae’r ganolfan hefyd yn rhedeg cyrsiau Arweinwyr Tennis gydag Ysgol Arbennig Sant Christopher yn Wrecsam.
Lleoliad Cymunedol – Casnewydd Fyw
Mae Canolfan Tennis Casnewydd wedi’i gweddnewid yn ddramatig ers iddi gael ei hail-lansio yn 2013, ac mae 334 o bobl yn dilyn ei rhaglen hyfforddi bob wythnos, sy’n cael ei chyflenwi gan wyth aelod staff ymroddgar. Mae yna fwy o ymgysylltu cymunedol, gyda gweithgarwch allgymorth mewn ysgolion, parciau a digwyddiadau trefnedig, a phartneriaethau â manwerthwyr lleol.
Hyfforddwr y Flwyddyn - David Williams (CT Abertawe)
Mae David wedi cynyddu’r nifer sy’n dilyn rhaglen iau Clwb Tennis Abertawe i 200, a’r nifer sy’n dilyn y rhaglen hyfforddiant oedolion i 70 bob wythnos. Mae hefyd wedi sbarduno mentrau newydd fel y noson wobrwyo, ac wedi cynyddu’r nifer o ferched sy’n cymryd rhan trwy fentrau cenedlaethol, gan ehangu’r nifer o fyfyrwyr sy’n mynychu i 100 yr wythnos, y rhan fwyaf ohonynt yn gymharol newydd i’r gêm.
Chwaraewr y Flwyddyn – James Story (Caerdydd)
Cipiodd James deitlau dyblau Iau yr ITF gefn wrth gefn yng Nghaeredin a Bournemouth yr haf diwethaf, gyda’i frawd Matthew (enillydd chwaraewr y flwyddyn y llynedd), gan sicrhau lle i James yn rhengoedd iau'r ITF am y tro cyntaf. Cafodd lwyddiant pellach ym mis Hydref, gan ennill ei le yn rownd gynderfynol y gystadleuaeth Gradd 2 D18 yn Bolton, er ei fod dan 16 oed.
Tîm Clwb – Tîm Bechgyn D14 Aegon Llysfaen
Enillodd y tîm hwn Gynghrair D14 Aegon heb golli gornest. Hefyd, mi gynlluniodd aelodau’r tîm, sef Samuel Lynn, James Symons-Hicks, Luke Gillard a William Jowett eu crysau coch a du eu hunain, ac mae pob un ohonynt wedi llwyddo i gael eu gwobr Arweinydd Tennis.
Tîm y flwyddyn – Tîm Tair Gwlad Cymru 2015
Llwyddodd Cymru i wrthsefyll her yr Alban a’r Iwerddon i gipio’r teitl ym Mhencampwriaeth Tennis y Gwledydd Cartref 2015 yng Nglasgow. Aeth y gystadleuaeth rhwng timau grwpiau oedran D18, D14 a D12 Cymru, Iwerddon a Chymru i’r rownd derfynol o ornestau i bennu’r enillydd.
Clwb neu Ganolfan – Clwb Tennis Rhiwbeina
Bu’n flwyddyn gofiadwy i Riwbeina, gyda Thlws Cwpan Davis, ac yna’r Prif Weinidog ar y pryd, David Cameron, yn ymweld â’r clwb. Daeth Rhiwbeina hefyd yn glwb cyntaf yng Nghymru i lwyfannu digwyddiad Adran Iau ITF o safon fyd-eang, oedd yn cynnwys 60 o chwaraewyr o Gymru, Lloegr, Yr Alban, Seland Newydd a Hong Kong. Cynyddodd yr aelodaeth gymaint â 25% gan gyrraedd 430, sef y nifer uchaf erioed, o ganlyniad i fentrau fel ‘Tennis for Kids’.
Gwobr Cydnabyddiaeth Arbennig – Geraint Richards
Fel pennaeth rhaglen perfformiad uchel y Sefydliad Tennis ar gyfer tennis cadair olwyn Prydain, chwaraeodd Geraint (o Gaerdydd, sy’n aelod o CT Llysfaen) rôl hanfodol yn ystod blwyddyn ryfeddol. Yn 2016 cipiodd Gordon Reid deitlau twrnamaint Agored Awstralia a Wimbledon fel ei gilydd, i ddod yn rhif 1 ymhlith chwaraewyr tennis cadair olwyn y byd. Yng ngemau Paralympaidd Rio, enillodd tîm tennis Cadair Olwyn Prydain, dan arweiniad Geraint, chwe medal, gan gadarnhau bod Prydain, dan gyfarwyddyd Geraint, ar y brig erbyn hyn ym myd tennis cadair olwyn.
Bydd wyth o enillwyr categorïau gwahanol yn mynd ymlaen i’r Gwobrau ‘British Tennis’ a gynhelir yn Llundain ym mis Gorffennaf.