The Wildmoor Spa Tennis League Record Entry Confirmed at League AGM

The Wildmoor Spa Summer Tennis League enjoyed. as expected, a record entry of 48 Men's teams at last Tuesday’s Annual General Meeting of this South Warwickshire & District Summer Tennis League, held at the  Bowling Club, Bidford-on-Avon.  The meeting was well attended by members from the 23 clubs involved. There were two new sides that had applied to join for the 2016 summer season.  They are a new team HDA D from Redditch and a new club Warwickshire County Council Tennis Club from Myton Road, Warwick.  The league will consist of six divisions, with a Premier Division and Divisions One to Five of eight teams each.

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 with 16 teams split into four Pools. There will be a Play-Off Junior Pools Night at Littletons Tennis Club on Wednesday 6th July, 2016. The meeting also heard that the league will again be running a Presentation and Finals day when the Men’s inter-league Charity Cup Final celebrating its’ 15th anniversary will be played alongside the 13th Junior Cup Final. This will be held this year at the Wildmoor Spa & Health Club courts, Alcester Road, Stratford-on-Avon, on Sunday, 4th September, 2016. This event will be immediately followed by presentations of the finals medals along with Annual Presentations for all League Divisional and other trophy winners.

The Secretary Corin Bishop read out his annual report which showed the league was in its healthiest position ever for both funds and the number of teams participating. Anthony Bird continues his third year of sponsorship of the league through his ownership of the Wildmoor Spa & Health Club, Alcester Road, Stratford-on-Avon.  The meeting thanked Mr. Bird for his continued backing. The league President and local Alcester man Tony King agreed to continue to sponsor the Charity Cup Final and the Junior Competition, while local area tennis coaching company Inspire2Coach, based at Warwick University, continues its ball sponsorship.  The League also receives sponsorship contributions via the Warwickshire Lawn Tennis Association from national ball suppliers Babolat Balls.

Stratford-on-Avon was congratulated for retaining their League title for the thirteenth year in succession. They added to that the “Charity Cup” trophy when they represented the Summer League in the Inter-League Charity Cup, drawing with and jointly holding the cup with their Winter League opponents Leamington Spa.  The “Club of the Year” award the “King Cup” had been presented to Bidford-on-Avon Tennis Club.  Tim Page from Stratford was awarded the top administration trophy “The Millennium Scroll”.  There was a “Fair Play” Plate, voted on by all the teams in the league, which went to joint winners.  Bidford-on-Avon and Inkberrow D by popular vote.  Bidford had held the cup since the annual presentation event in September and so the trophy was represented at the meeting to the other joint winners Inkberrow D to hold for the second part of the year.

Moreton-in-Marsh A took the Division One title, HDA Redditch A topped Division Two, while Snitterfield B took the Division Three honours. HDA Redditch B took the Division Four title and HDA Redditch C finished in top spot in Division Five. This was the first time in the league’s history that a club has held three division titles in a single year.  On top of this Junior Champions were also HDA Redditch who defeated Henley juniors in the Final. The 2016 Junior competition begins on 1st March. The Men’s league season begins later in April, 2016.

Photo shows Members Mike Baker and Ian James (Captain) from Inkberrow D Team picking up their trophy as joint winners of the League’s Fair Play Plate.