Yorkshire Tennis 2023 LTA Awards

Trophies

The 23rd March 2023 saw the Yorkshire Tennis Awards evening held at Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa Leeds. The night was a celebration of Tennis within the County and showcased what a successful year it has been. 

The LTA Awards that are presented on the evening saw a wide range of nominations from Volunteer of the Year to Competition of the year. We would like to thank those whose took their time to nominate and well done to all the nominees, it’s thanks to all of you who make Yorkshire Tennis so successful and inclusive to all who wish to play tennis in our County. 

LTA Awards Results:

Club of the Year Winners –

Our Club of the Year’s achievements were described as “transformational” by one of its nominees.

On the back of completion of a second Padel court, the club has seen membership income rise by 275% over a two-year period as well as achieving additional Pay & Play income of £40k in 2022.

It has taken advantage of LTA initiatives with both Clubspark and Gate Access systems.

And …A clubhouse refurbishment has created a more inclusive social environment for both tennis members and its associated golf members.

Our Club of the Year for 2023 is Rawdon Golf & Lawn Tennis Club

  

Club of the Year Highly Commended – Great Ayton Tennis Club

Coach of they Year (Development) Winner –

Our Development Coach of the Year received a significant number of nominations, and each contained phrases that showed the impact that she brings to her work.

“She has brought life, fun, inclusion and organisation to our club”

“She can communicate in an understanding way to everyone from the oldest to the youngest in her groups without compromise”

“She is selfless in her attitude to helping participants at all levels, and goes above and beyond what is required of her on a daily basis”

“She is engaging and inspires others to achieve”

“She is now involved heavily in the development of youngsters at a county level and her experience filters through to the other players and helpers at the club”

Yorkshire’s Development Coach of the Year for 2023 is Ellie Makin from Boroughbridge Tennis Club

Coach of the Year (Development) Highly Commended – Patrick Di Maio from Beckfoot & Bingley Tennis Club

Coach of the Year (Performance) Winner –

Our Performance Coach of the Year winner took over the coaching at Abbeydale Tennis Club in late 2021 and formed the Steel City Tennis Academy.

He has 60 performance players training every week, including several juniors ranked in the top 10 in the UK in their age group.

His growth ambitions for the academy lead to an expansion into Graves Tennis Centre in September 2022, alongside his hub at Abbeydale.

Our Performance Coach of the Year for 2023 is.

Joshua Gledden from Abbeydale Tennis Club

Coach of the Year (Performance) Highly Commended – Calvin Betton 

Connecting Communities Award – Winners

Our Connecting Communities Award winner introduced tennis sessions into an area of the city that had never seen tennis before – an area with an Indices of multiple deprivation score of one – which is the lowest rating.

The programme is led by an individual described by one of the nominators as an amazing individual, with an unquenchable passion and energy to help under-represented groups access opportunities to take part in tennis.

As a direct result of this programme, the local council has agreed to work with the LTA to refurbish the courts in two city parks in 2023.

Our Connecting Communities Award winner for 2023 is the Doncaster Community Tennis Programme.

Competition of the Year – Winners

Our Competition of the Year Winner celebrated its century year in 2022.

It attracted 119 entries which is notable for a seven-day event played mostly at the end of a working day.

A new referee and a Ladies Day for the first time added new life to the competition which is always extremely well organised across multiple venues.

The female entry was more than double the previous year.

Our 2023 Competition of the Year winner is the Sheffield & District Senior Tournament.

Tennis For All (Inclusion) Awards – Winners

Our Tennis for All Award winner is a club that was founded in 2022 to increase opportunities for blind and partially sighted adults and older teenagers to participate in physical activity. It now has over 20 members.

The club has formed partnerships to provide the resources necessary to overcome the barriers that the visually impaired have to access the sport.

The club has been established with strong foundations and its links with other services for the visually impaired should ensure that it remains sustainable.

Our Tennis for All (Inclusion) Award winner for 2023 is the South Yorkshire Visually Impaired Tennis Club.

School of the Year – Winners

The School of the Year is presented to an independent school that is an exemplar for how tennis can be developed within a PE and Games curriculum.

There are extensive intra & inter competitive opportunities for pupils, and a well-established link with a local LTA accredited coaching organisation providing routes into local clubs, and coaching qualifications for senior pupils.

The school has players on the county training programme, and one has recently joined the national pathway.

Our School of the Year winner for 2023 is Ashville College in Harrogate.

 

School of the Year – Highly Commended – Bradford Grammar School

School of the Year – Highly Commended – St Peters School, York

University of the Year – Winners –

Our University of the Year had a fantastic 2022 despite the absence of its Head Coach due to illness for almost the entire year.

It grew its pool of student coaches by 16 to 39 and provided coaches to 17 clubs in the county.

The 12 league teams are one of the highest number for Universities in the UK, and the University gained four promotions, a cup win and won 100% of its varsity matches.

It also found the time to run charity events raising a total of nearly £2,700

Our University of the Year for 2023 is Leeds Beckett University.

 

Official of the Year – Winner –

Our Official of the year has chaired over 40 professional matches in 2022, and achieved his ITF White Badge as a Chair umpire.

He was selected as a Team Leader for the first time at both Wimbledon Qualifying and at the Championships, and was a line umpire on Centre Court for the first time.

He has been a role model as a Team Leader, and his positivity, enthusiasm and hard work are well noted.

Our 2023 Official of the Year is Tom Plowman.

Volunteer of the Year – Winner –

Our Volunteer of the year is severely sight impaired, but after becoming hooked on the game, she set up a member’s club for the visually impaired in Sheffield to increase their opportunities for physical activity and to grow a social network.

There are now over 20 members from a wide demographic aged between 16 and 74.

She has developed links with partners and charities to ensure that the club has access to the people and equipment that it needs to be sustainable and has plans to reach out to bring tennis to other disabled and under-represented groups.

Our Volunteer of the year is Janiece Wallace from the South Yorkshire Visually Impaired Tennis Club.

 

 

A huge congratulations to all of our nominees, highly commended and winners, enjoy and be proud of the recognition you all deserve it!