Competition is important for every level of player, whether a relative beginner or an experienced competitor. Competition should be fun and gives players a greater level of understanding about their tennis, which in turn allows players to benefit more from their coaching. At Roundhay TC Coaching we provide competition for every player on our programme, and competition support for all players and parents. It is a core pillar in our values: LEARN. ENOY. COMPETE.
Sunday Matchplays
Each month we run pay & play matchplays for Junior players. These are not tournaments, but rather a chance for the children to compete against lots of different levels and learn how to implement what they learnt in their lessons into their tennis. Prizes are awarded for players who show positive qualities, and not necessarily for those who win. The emphasis is on learning and fun.
Competition Weeks
At the end of every half-term on the Coaching Programme we run a Competition Week for all groups within their normal sessions. A Competition Week involves match play in a variety of formats, sometimes in teams (Davis/Billie Jean Cup), timed tennis, or round robin events. Sometimes for beginners this will simply be a session learning all about how to play a match, learning skills such as how to score, or where to stand to start each point.
End of Term Competitions
At the end of every full term all players on the programme are invited to an End of Term Competition for their age group. This is to give them a chance to play other people outside of their regular groups, and a chance to see where they stand against the other players in their age group in the club. Where possible we will do a number of draws depending on standards, to keep all matches competitive and fun.
Local Friendly Matches
We organise friendly matches with other clubs in the local area, for all levels of players within our programme. Our aim is to organise a match each month either home or away. The goal of all of these matches is purely experience. This experience comes in many forms such as new players, unfamiliar environments, and practice in full format scoring systems. Local venues that we link with so far include, Leeds Beckett University, Horsforth, Thorner, Wetherby, Alwoodley, and Skipton.
LTA National League & Local Tennis Leagues
Roundhay TC enters the LTA National League for all Junior age groups and Local Tennis Leagues for ages 11 & above. The Local Tennis Leagues are played home and away against other clubs in Leeds. The LTA National League is played at central venues against the best clubs in Yorkshire for 8&U and 9&U, and home and away ties for ages 10 & above. All players in these competitions have a greater level of competition experience, therefore we prioritise players in our Advantage Programme at this level.
Competing Player Support
We support competing players in a number of different ways. This can sometimes come in the form of help in choosing and planning competitions, help with off court Strength & Conditioning, on-court coaching, or one of our coaches travelling to competitions to watch them in action. Players at this level will be playing in our Advantage Programme and receiving individual/shared individual lessons or small groups. The packages are bespoke and designed solely around what the player needs depending on their level of commitment and stage of learning.
Parental Support
At Roundhay we offer support to all parents of players on the programme. Parents Presentations are regularly organised to inform and also encourage discussion around areas of development. We also strongly encourage parents to speak to us direct about concerns or anything that we can help with. This can sometimes take the form of discussions around their child's tennis, or help in setting up an LTA Membership Number or entering their first tournament. However, the most common way we aim to support is through natural discussion around the club or at the end of sessions.
Phone: 07747 503338
Email: info.rtccoaching@gmail.com