Striving to serve junior tennis

DUNNSTOWN Tennis Club is seeking to enter junior players into the Buninyong & District Tennis Association competition this spring and summer.

The club has not had representatives competing for a few years, but Colleen Henderson said the committee plans to put together at least one team of young people for the 2022 to 2023 season.

“Our last team were A-graders, and they did win the grand final, but they turned 21, were no longer juniors, and we’ve since found it hard to find other players,” she said.

“This year, we’re hoping to field a team, or teams, of three players, all of similar age and skill level.

“There’ll be coaching during the week where they can practice their skills, and competition matches on Saturday mornings.”

Henderson said being involved with junior tennis, and the broader club, is not just fun for kids and young adults, but for their parents and guardians.

“When the parents bring their young kids along to tennis practice, or matches on a Saturday, they have the opportunity to catch up with other parents.

“The sport has a great community feel, and bringing the teams back builds up community spirit,” she said.

Before 2019, Dunnstown had many tennis teams, however interest dropped off as athletes aged, and some moved to other recreation areas.

“Lots of kids have been interested in the variety of sports on offer during the summer, including cricket and basketball, and moved away from tennis,” Henderson said.

“The impact of COVID hasn’t helped numbers either.”

As part of the BDTA comp, players compete across the district. Young people from Dunnstown, or broader Ballarat, are invited to express interest in joining the club.