The Wildmoor Spa Tennis League previously the South Warwickshire Summer Tennis League presented a Long Service Award to one of their committee members. A set of engraved Cuff Links was presented by the League Secretary to his Chairman Tony Eskew from Wilmcote for 10 years service to the league in his position.
Tony has been involved in tennis in the Warwickshire Area for many years. He has held the position as Warwickshire Lawn Tennis Association Secretary for 27 years only retiring from this post last September. Before that, and at the same time, he was a national LTA Councillor for 15 years, when his responsibilities included club matters and subscription reviews. He has always been of assistance to the clubs local to the Warwickshire and surrounding areas and became Secretary and later Chairman of the Stratford and District Winter League over a period of approximately 40 years, and still holds the Chairmanship today.
He was a good tennis player in his younger days, joining StratfordUpon-Avon Tennis Club in 1969 where his claim to fame was that he never lost a doubles match in the Winter League. He was also the County Restricted doubles Champion with Mark Walter in the late 1970's.
He was recognised for all his work when he received an award in 2006, which was a surprise to Tony, from the Torch Trophy Trust, which was presented to him by Princess Anne at the Queens Club, London. This was for fifty years service to tennis. At this event he was amazed to be mingling with recipients like Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Trevor Brooking and Jimmy Hill. He also received two Lifetime achievement awards, one from the WLTA and one from the national LTA for his services to tennis. He has continuously been involved in tennis administration since he was thirteen years old and is still doing so at 72 years of age.
Corin Bishop as founder Secretary of the South Warwickshire and District Summer League, currently titled the Wildmoor Spa Tennis League, in 1990, found himself without a Chairman in January 2005 and so managed to gain his best recruit to date when he persuaded Tony Eskew to also become Chairman of the Summer League in addition to the Winter League. During his 10 year spell Tony has seen the Summer League grow from 31 teams from 18 clubs to the current record 47 teams from 22 clubs.
The Secretary congratulated Tony stating he thoroughly deserves this award and is an invaluable member of the team, supporting him and the committee without hesitation in everything they achieve. He hopes that Tony will continue for a few years more yet. Last year the league celebrated its’ silver jubilee having been founded in 1990 with only 7 teams and now consists of 40 Men's teams in six divisions and 16 Junior teams in five pools. The league enjoys a new main sponsor in Anthony Bird of the Wildmoor Spa and Health Club and with people like Tony Eskew at the helm the horizon looks bright!