Dannevirke Tennis Club open day attracts all ages

Check out the concentration from Cooper Charmley, 9. Photo / Leanne Warr

It wasn’t just for the young, or the young at heart at Dannevirke Tennis Club’s open day.

Love Tennis was an open day held at clubs nationwide as a way to promote the game to anyone.

Sienna Charmley, 7, came along to the open day with her family. Photo / Leanne Warr

Club spokeswoman Kay Steed says the idea was to increase exposure and generate interest in tennis.

It’s also hoped they could boost membership of the Dannevirke club.

Kay Steed shows Riley McKenzie, 3, a little trick with the racquet and ball. Photo / Leanne Warr

There were people of all ages at the club on the day, with children as young as 3 and adults of all ages.

The open day not only provided facilities and equipment for people to have a go, there were challenges for the children and giveaways.

People of all ages came along to the open day and played on the beautiful new turf. Photo / Leanne Warr

A number of sponsors helped make the day a success, Kay says.

They included Tararua Alliance, which provided the barbecue trailer; John Shannon from the Meat Company who provided the sausages free to all who came along; and Tennis Manawatū, which helped run the junior sessions and provided the ball machine borrowed from College Street Normal School.

“Without the support from the wider community, the day wouldn’t have been such a success,” she says.

Quinn Roe takes on the challenge. Photo / Leanne Warr

It took a little bit of working out, but the club members managed to get the balls to spell out the word. Photo / Leanne Warr

Peyton Munt, 4, is coached by Kurt McNamara from Tennis Manawatū. Photo / Leanne Warr

The Dannevirke club is looking for new members because Kay says the numbers have dropped in the past few years.

She says it had up to about 16 teams at its peak.

The club recently replaced the old turf with a new one, which Kay says was made possible with the help of organisations that included the Lottery Community Facilities Fund, Eastern and Central Community Trust, Mainland Foundation, Tararua Alliance, Turtons Farm Supplies, and Dannevirke Carriers.

“We’ve been very lucky with sponsorship,” Kay says.

A lot of volunteer hours went in to putting down the new turf, both by committee members and club members.

Dannevirke Tennis Club has club days as well as Ladies Day Out and business house tennis, plus social teams with mixed abilities.

The club also has holiday programmes for children 5-14 and junior coaching.

Anyone interested in playing tennis, whether socially or competitively, can find details on the website: https://clubspark.kiwi/DannevirkeTennisClub.