Tennis

With thanks to the LTA for the use of this video.

The summer was full of tennis events and we hope you managed to access some of the free events that were taking place? Wimbledon was a highlight for us and we love this video of the funniest moments of this year’s competition.

With thanks to Wimbledon and the AELTC for the use of this video.

We are talking about tennis this month because a new National Tennis Academy has just opened in Loughborough at the University. It will train the best junior tennis players in the country between the ages of 14-18 (some aged 11 in exceptional circumstances) who want to become the next big tennis stars. Here’s a look at what the future could hold for them....

With thanks to the LTA for the use of this video.

Why Loughborough University?

Loughborough is ‘The Best University in the World for Sports Related Subjects’ according to the QS World Ranking 2019 and was University of the Year in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019. It also has the most incredible facilities for the academy players to access. For tennis alone there are:

8 indoor Plexipave hard courts
3 outdoor American clay courts
3 outdoor Plexipave hard courts

They also have access to:

Powerbase- one of the largest strength and conditioning centres in the UK and also where the English Institute of Sport is based.

An Olympic sized swimming pool where British Swimming are based.

HiPac Athletics Centre which is indoor and outdoor and is where a British Athletics National Performance Institute is based.

Specific physiotherapy clinics and ice baths as well.

Loughborough University has a number of Sports Governing Bodies based there including British Athletics, British Swimming, British Triathlon, British Weightlifting, ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board with a state of the art purpose built Cricket Centre of Excellence) and England Netball.

With thanks to the LTA for the use of this video.

School

However, the players still have to go to school as part of the requirements of the academy. Sports Governing Bodies are now more and more aware that they owe a duty of care to young players to allow them to maintain their education. There are so many things that can go wrong in professional sport that an education is crucial. So, the tennis academy will run for 40 weeks aligned with the school term.

If the players live locally then they can attend the Loughborough Amherst School (part of the Loughborough Schools Foundation) as day pupils and if they live too far away, a new boarding facility has been created for them at the school. If under 16 they need to agree to study a minimum of 6 GCSE’s including Maths, English language, English literature, 2 Sciences and either History or Geography so they can apply to a UK or American university. After 16 it is up to the player, parents and school to decide the correct A levels but they have to do at least 2.

On average they spend approximately 4 hours training each weekday- two from within the normal school day and two outside of school time.

There’s additional training on a Saturday morning.

Tournaments are throughout the year and work is set by teachers via an online portal and the players are supported in their learning whilst away by their ‘Performance Lifestyle and Education Manager’.

With thanks to the LTA for the use of this video.

All the major tennis stars started somewhere. Have a listen to Johanna Konta and Alfie Hewitt on how they first got into tennis.

With thanks to the LTA for the use of this video.

Tennis players but also Teenagers

This academy is not just about becoming great tennis players at the expense of everything else in their lives. They are aiming to help create great people as well. They are going to guide the players and their parents through the academy process so that they can confidently deal with success and failure and the pressures they could face in professional sport in a safe environment with experts to advise them. They will not be cut off from non tennis playing kids their own age as they will still go to school and will still be studying for mainstream exams so they will share the same experiences as anyone else their age .

Helen Reesby, Director of Tennis at Loughborough University

“....we will deliver a transformational development environment for junior British Tennis players which nurtures the person, performer and player in all aspects on and off the court. Our approach is both individualised and integrated with the health, happiness and wellbeing of everybody within our academy our first priority. We will actively strive to develop resilient, determined and respectful young people who know their own strengths, understand how to embrace the demands of competitive tennis and take to the court believing they can handle any situation they may encounter.”

Tennis and You

How can you get started with tennis or carry on if it’s something you haven’t played for a while?

The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) have set up Tennis for Kids aimed at 4-11 year olds.

With thanks to the LTA for the use of this video.

If you go to clubspark on www.lta.org.uk and put in your postcode or even pop in to the tennis club or leisure centre in your town, village, city, they will tell you how and where to start.

But in a few words:

It costs £25 and for that money each child gets:

*6 coaching sessions,

* tennis racket ,

* set of balls,

* personalised t-shirt

* and all of this gets delivered directly to your home.

Wow.