There was a record entry of 45 teams at last Tuesday’s Annual General Meeting of the South Warwickshire & District Summer Tennis League. Held at the Royal British Legion Club, now called The Crown, Bidford-on-Avon the meeting was attended by 27 members from 22 of the clubs involved. With two new entries from Ardencote Manor B and Wildmoor Spa B Teams into Division 5. The league remains at six divisions, with the Premier Division and Divisions Four and Five consisting of 8 teams and Divisions One, Two and Three consisting of 7 teams.
This Men’s Doubles Summer Tennis League covers the South Warwickshire and district areas of the midlands including parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. It includes a Junior Competition which this year stays at its own record 24 teams split into six Pools. Although the Junior League lost Stratford, Snitterfield B and Studley A, B and C teams, they gained two new clubs as Ilmington and Tanworth-in-Arden join along with three extra teams from HDA C of Redditch and Alcester E and F teams.
There will be a Play-Off Junior Pools Night at Bidford Tennis Club on Monday 16th July. The meeting also heard that the league will again be running an inter-league Charity Cup Final celebrating it’s 11th anniversary at Alcester Tennis Club on Sunday, 2nd September, 2012. This event will be shared with the 9th Junior Cup Final. Immediately following the finals medals will be presented along with the Annual Presentations for all League Divisional and other trophy winners.
The Secretary Corin Bishop announced that the League was searching for a new sponsor and would welcome any potential suitor to contact him at swastennis@aol.com or visit their web site at www.swastennis.net. League President and local Alcester man Tony King is sponsoring the Charity Cup Final and the Junior League while local area tennis coaching company Inspire2Coach continues its ball sponsorship.
Stratford-on-Avon was congratulated for retaining their League title for the ninth year in succession. They added to that the “Pairs Tournament” Shield Trophy along with representing the Summer League in the Inter-League Charity Cup. The “Club of the Year” award the “King Cup” had been presented to Henley-in-Arden who enjoyed an immaculate record and entered two junior teams into the Junior Competition.
Shipston took the Division One title, Inkberrow topped Division Two, while Alcester B took the Division Three honours. Chipping Campden B took the Division Four title and Alcester C finished in top spot in Division Five. In the Men’s Annual Pairs tournament apart from Stratford, Bidford-on-Avon took the “Plate” trophy while Alcester lifted the Pairs Cup” competition. Graham Lawrence of Littletons was chosen as the winner of the “Millennium Scroll” as the best administrator of 2011. Junior Champions were again Shipston-on-Stour who defeated HDA of Redditch in the Final. The 2012 Junior competition begins on 1st March. The Men’s league season begins week commencing Sunday, 15th April, 2012.