Tennis boom wins Levin club ace award

Levin tennis champion and coach Nizar Veerankutty.

Astonishing growth in player numbers and a surge in the popularity of their sport saw the Levin Tennis Club scoop the Tennis Central 2023 Club of the Year title last week.

Judges noted the club’s success in raising participation numbers by an eye-watering 740 per cent in the last year was driven by a series of innovative programmes aimed at maximising the sports appeal across all social spheres, a commitment to diversity and having an active involvement in the community.

Levin Tennis Club was presented with the award at a ceremony at the Renouf Centre in Wellington attended by tennis clubs from Taranaki to Wellington. It was a proud moment for the club’s committee, volunteers, coaches and players.

Levin Tennis Club president Richie Cornell and his granddaughter Maia Cornell with the trophy.

The club’s coaching programmes played a vital role in this achievement, being accredited by New Zealand’s standards. These programs included Hot Shots Junior Coaching, Cardio Tennis and Tennis Xpress, catering to adult beginners seeking to learn the sport. Another good example of social inclusion was the clubs “Whānau Friday” initiative.

The club also fielded representative and inter-club teams for the first time in decades.

Club champion Nizar Veerankutty won the premier singles title, while the B-grade team of Alan Young, Scott Christensen, Glenys Wylie, Glenn Wyman, Karen Broughton and Richie Cornell won the Manawatū senior B competition, gaining promotion to A-grade for this season.

The deserved Tennis Central award came as Levin Tennis Club gears up for the summer season by holding another open “Love Tennis” day on September 10 at the club courts on Queen Street, an initiative that set the tone for a bumper summer last season.

The inaugural Love Tennis day last year saw a large number of new entrants join the club and continue to play and take advantage of the coaching opportunities provided by the club through the year.

It provided an opportunity for the community to engage with the club and experience a day of free tennis and activities that included a free sausage sizzle, baking, spot prizes, a lolly scramble, a ball machine, games and various prizes. The festivities will also include junior exhibition matches.

Levin tennis champion Nizar Veerankutty.

Love Tennis Day on September 10 will start at 10am and finish at 4pm. All equipment will be provided.

Seniors who join the club will receive a six-week free coaching course in the Tennis Xpress program, tailored for adults new to the game.

The club also invites interested individuals to sign up for their Hot Shots Junior Coaching program, ensuring that young tennis enthusiasts receive top-notch training. The club had engaged Veerankutty to help run the weekly coaching clinics.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.