Wairarapa junior tennis secures future

A determined drive to build the profile of junior tennis in Wairarapa is bearing fruit.

Moves by the Masterton and Opaki clubs to open their membership to those in younger age groups means all clubs within the region are now operating along the same lines and for Wairarapa Tennis Association executive officer Cilla Paulik that is welcome news.

"Junior players are the lifeblood of the sport and we have been really keen for all our clubs to take that message on board, " she said.

"It's going to have huge benefits for the game."

Paulik believes it is vital younger players are given regular coaching to develop their skills and she said clubs were well placed to take a leading role in that process.

"They have the ability to organise weekly training sessions and to ensure the coaching provided is up to an acceptable standard," Paulik said, adding the WTA was planning a coaching course for coaches during the second week of the school holidays next month. "It's important we work towards upskilling our coaches as well."

Also in junior ranks, the annual McDonald's Grasshoppers tournament will be staged at the Masterton Tennis Centre this Saturday with 32 players -16 boys and 16 girls - aged 6-9 taking part in an event where the courts are much smaller than the norm and the equipment is modified to suit their needs.

In good news for this season's senior interclub tennis competition, the league format introduced last season because of a shortage of teams has been scrapped due to Martinborough returning to the fold.

They will join Masterton, Opaki and Gladstone with each team to consist of four male and two female players. Matches will get under way after Labour Weekend.