Amherst Tennis Club Blog

Coach Holidays!

2011-08-22T18:42:00.006+01:00

No - we're not organising a coach trip to Bognor - we're having a little break ourselves!

And by the look of us, I think it's about time..

Pete and Helen will be back coaching from September 5th.

Richard is back from Austria and should be contactable from the week beginning Monday August 29th. Junior Group Coaching restarts on Monday 5th September.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Tom and Carlo have a Grasscourt Trip!

2011-08-22T17:40:00.006+01:00

Junior members Tom Benford and Carlo Friedlander travelled to Tunbridge Wells LTC to watch the semi-finals of the Grade 3 County Level LTA Junior Tournament on 19th August.

Coach Peter Farthing met them there and was able to share some tournament playing advice with Tom's mum, Maria and the boys.

Everyone was inspired by the standard of play. The icing on the cake was when Peter pulled a few strings to give the boys a chance to play on a grass court.

So they relived one of the classic Wimbledon moments from this year's championships and ended a point with both of them diving for the ball (not tripping)!

Junior Summer Camps 2011

2011-08-22T16:56:00.003+01:00

This summer, Amherst Coaching Team and their assistants ran our most successful Junior Summer Camps yet, with three solid weeks of full attendance, averaging over 30 children every day.

Thanks to everyone for making the camps so enjoyable. And a big thankyou to our assistants, Stuart May, Harry Crane, Tom Mitchell and Mia Apps.

Pictured are players on the last day of the camps, with coaches Alex, Helen and Pete.

Provisional Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 15 March 2011

2011-05-01T11:20:00.004+01:00

Hi there,

The provisionally agreed minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 15th March 2011 can be found by clicking the following link. This is a new experiment to keep Members better informed of the committee's activities.

Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 15 March 2011

Please contact any members of the committee if you have any comments or questions.

Courts repainted at Amherst

2011-04-20T09:10:00.007+01:00

Amherst have recently repainted Courts 6 & 7 - a fantastic blue and green colour scheme in the style of Flushing Meadow, home of the US Open Tennis Tournament. We now have 7 superb surfaces. 3 artificial grass courts - all floodlit, 4 hard courts - 2 of which are floodlit.

Amherst Christmas Social Evening

2010-11-25T18:16:00.004Z

Friday 3rd December - come and join us for a festive social evening after mixed social play.

Please bring a plate of festive food.

Sarah

Schools Tennis

2010-07-31T14:12:00.004+01:00

Pete, Helen and Alex with Years 1 & 2 at Sacred Heart Primary

having a photo-break after Tennis-Olympics!

Richard, Helen and Pete with the help of Alex have been busy this Spring and Summer term going into local schools. We've set up new after-school tennis clubs at Castledown, Sacred Heart, Catsfield and Helenswood. Richard has also been working with children from New Horizons School, both on-site and at Amherst.

St Paul's School Open Day

2010-07-31T12:21:00.005+01:00

The Coaching Team set up a mini-tennis court at St Paul's Primary school Open Day at the end of the summer term and held a highest rally competition with money raised going to the school.

It was a great day and some talented juniors and their parents were able to learn more about Amherst LTC and book onto the junior Summer Camps, now running until August 13th.

We are starting to get fully booked at the Summer Camps - if you'd like to secure a place for your child, call Helen on 01424 421451 / 07981 170322. Prices are £10 per day (£45 for 5 days) for members and £12 per day (£50 for 5 days) for non-members.

2010-07-18T20:43:00.001+01:00

Amherst ladies doubles open day was played in glorious sunshine, with a total of 12 pairs battling away under bright blue skies. In the round robin section of the tournament, results were dependent on the court surface and the amount of lunch/wine that had been consumed. After the top two pairs from each of two round robin groups were known, the semi finals and finals were played on the artificial grass.
Amanda Ruck (The Green) and Sarah Chapman (Amherst) failed to make any impression on the more controlled pair of Joyce Bush (The Green) and Sue Landy ( Cooden) going down 6 –0 in the semi final. In the second semi final, Julia Masters ( Amherst) and Gaby Weidlich (Tonbridge) took on the previous year’s runners up, Brenda Tonkin and Jo Teasdale (both Brighton). It was level pegging at the beginning of the set until Julia and Gaby edged ahead to take the set 6-3. In the final Sue Landy despite not liking the grass courts at the beginning of the day soon showed her true form and Sue and Joyce beat Julia and Gaby 6 – 2.

Open Day and Senior Finals

2010-07-16T21:40:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone

Amherst Open Morning and Senior Championship Finals are taking place tomorrw – Sat 17th July.

The morning is to encourage and welcome new members to the club. Richard and his team will be there to welcome people on court. If you know of anyone who wants to try the club out or has a ‘rusty racquet’ please encourage them to come up.

Starting at 1pm – the senior finals will take place.

Sumptuous afternoon teas will be served – provided for by our President Bob Mears.

Please come and support your club.

Hope to see you tomorrow.

Sarah Chapman

Amherst LTC Christmas Camps

2009-12-11T12:28:00.003Z

We are running Christmas Camps for juniors aged 5yrs-16yrs.

21st December - 24th December

£16 per day / £55 for week

Non members welcome (£2 per day extra)

Call Richard on 07525172762 to book now!

Amherst Quiz Night - Sat 14 November

2009-10-23T12:06:00.000+01:00

Saturday 14th November - Sarah will host one of her famous Wine & Wisdom Evenings at the Club. Quiz Teams of 4/5 people - £5 per head - to include Cheese & Wine and Prizes. 7.30pm start. Always good fun and raises money for the Club. Please let Sarah know if you would like to enter a team. T. 852712

Amherst Christmas Party

2009-09-17T13:52:00.005+01:00

Saturday 12th December 2009

@ Cooden Beach Tennis Club

Only £10 a head

£5 children under 16

Live Dance Band - 1066 Rockit Men

7.00pm – midnight

Only £10.00 a head
£5 a head – children 16 and under

Licenced Bar

Back by popular demand we have booked this fantastic live cover band again at this great venue for minimal cost.

Excellent dance band – tried and tested!

Come and dance the night away!!

All senior & junior members, friends and family welcome. We would like to see some of our younger members at the party. Limited numbers so please book early!

Party goers are requested to bring a plate of buffet food (Please see Sarah or Sue for what to bring)

Raffle prize donations also gratefully received

Amherst welcomes new head coach

2009-09-17T13:40:00.002+01:00

Amherst Tennis Club is delighted to welcome new Club Coach, Richard Harrison. Richard’s duties as Head Coach commenced on 1 September and we look forward to his involvement in both the junior and senior coaching programmes.

Richard is 25 years old and lives in Bexhill. At 15, he was playing and training at national level under coach Nigel Sears who is now famous for coaching at world class level on the women's tour.

Since that time he has built up a wealth of senior and junior coaching expertise and has coached at Egerton Park and Laughton. He is an LTA licenced DCA qualified coach and is soon to take his CCA qualification. He currently runs coaching courses at over 20 Hastings primary schools and intends to encourage local school children to join Amherst and enjoy an enhanced junior programme as members.

Richard takes over the Head Coach mantle from our much admired coach Mark Barham who has coached and played at Amherst for more than 35 years. Mark took over as club coach from John Mayo. Whilst Mark will continue to take some individual coaching lessons and a couple of mid-week group coaching sessions, he is looking forward to taking a back seat coaching role and handing over to Richard. Mark has been the mainstay of Amherst Tennis Coaching and the Men’s Teams for over 3 decades. He will now be devoting more time to his second career as a local driving instructor.

Mark's enthusiasm and energy will be missed at many of the club's regular coaching sessions and events both on the court and in the Club House, but contrary to some member's beliefs he is not leaving the Club and will remain a valued and much respected honorary life member of Amherst. We all wish him well and welcome Richard to Amherst. The combination of Richard’s youth, energy, and new ideas together with Mark’s legacy and experience of the past 35 years are a guaranteed recipe for the future success of Amherst.

The coaching team at Amherst now consists of:

Richard Harrison – Head Coach, supported by qualified coaches:
Mark Barham, Pete Farthing. Barbara Fentiman, Helen Almond, Felix Gregory, Adam Goodsell. There is also an excellent team of young tennis leaders who assist on junior club evenings.

Please contact Richard on 07525 172762 or email richh92@hotmail.com if you have coaching requirements.

A Windy Day for Amherst Finals - Sat 18 July

2009-07-19T15:21:00.004+01:00

A sunny but very blustery day was the setting for Amherst Tennis Club’s Senior Finals Day last Saturday. 7 events were contested with some excellent tennis in all events. The results are as follows:

Men’s Singles Winner Alex Cook R/U Jack Graham 7-6, 6-2
Ladies Singles Winner Barbara Fentiman R/U Nikki Crowhurst 6-2, 6-1
Vets Mixed Winners Andy & Sarah Chapman R/U Guy Lawford & Pearl Hare 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
Super Vets Winners Roger Williams & Jenny Naylor R/U John Lance & Barbara Fentiman 6-3, 6-2
Men’s Dbles Winners Andy Chapman & Felix Gregory R/U Mark Bright & Mark Cunnington 6-0, 5-7, 6-3
Ladies Dbles Winners Pearl Hare & Karen Cunnington R/U Barbara Fentiman & Yvonne Baldwin 7-6, 6-1 Mixed Dbles Winners Guy Lawford & Pearl Hare R/U Mark Cunnington & Barbara Fentiman 3-6, 6-1, 6-1

The event started with a lunchtime BBQ with afternoon tea served for spectators and players, thanks go to Sue and Trevor Le Breuilly. Thanks also go to Mary Potterton for running a homemade cake stall and Anita Medhurst for running the ever popular tombola. A good amount of funds were raised for the club.

This coming week is the turn of the Juniors who will be taking part in the Junior tournament all week with their finals being held next Saturday.

Amherst Artficial Grass Courts Maintenance

2009-07-01T20:35:00.003+01:00

All artificial grass courts will be closed on Friday 14th August 2009 from 8am to 5pm.

This is to carry out cleaning and de-compacting of the playing surface and to re-dress with sand.

This work is essential for extending the life of the surface.

All the tarmac courts will be open as normal and are not affected by the work.
The artificial grass courts will reopen after SSP Ltd have finished working on all three courts.

Friday club evening should not be affected.

The maintenance is weather dependant and therefore the closure date may change please check before travelling.

Wimbledon B.B.Q.

2009-07-01T12:09:00.003+01:00

Friday night play was well supported as usual on 26th June & was enhanced with the added bonus of the Wimbledon BBQ.

A warm evening, hungry players attacked 'Korkers' & Drumsticks (cooked all too slowly by the Chairman) supplemented with Quiche salads & French bread. This was followed by Sue's renowned Banoffee pies & Strawberry Pavlova.

Socialising carried on 'til late with many members claiming responsibility for Andy Murry's good form.

Bar did quite well.

Chappers celebrates half century

2009-06-16T14:07:00.002+01:00

Andy Chapman, Amherst Men's Captain and member at Amherst since 1994, has celebrated his 50th Birthday at local seafront venue Azur in Hastings. A great crowd of friends and family joined to celebrate this momentous occasion

We welcome yet more new members....

2009-06-09T06:26:00.002+01:00

Tom Knight - Senior
Ben Knight - Senior
Rod Ladley - Senior Citizen
Cameron Rae - Junior U10
Ian Boyle - Senior
Ken Edwards - Senior

AMHERST NET GREAT WIN IN LOCAL DERBY

2009-06-08T17:37:00.000+01:00

Amherst’s 1st mixed team started their Summer season with a storming 6-0 victory over local club – The Green. Amherst’s team of Andy and Sarah Chapman, Felix Gregory and Karen Cunnington won all their rubbers in 2 straight sets with the exception of the ladies doubles at the end of a hot day. Sarah and Karen teamed up against Moira Myall and Sue McCleavy from The Green club. At 1 set all a 10 point tie break was played to decide the match. The Amherst ladies were 3-8 down in the tie-break but dug in hard and played some great shots and made some quite tricky retrievals to turn the game round and finally won 10-8.

Amherst Men’s 1st team in Division 1 of the Sussex League also had a momentous away victory against Horsham based Comptons. Harry Crane made his debut for the Men’s first team. Jack Graham secured the only singles match win for Amherst. The men then upped their game with Andy Chapman/Alex Cook winning 4-6,7-6, 10-8 and Jack Graham and Harry Crane winning 6-4, 4-6, 10-8. At 3-3 all, a penalty shoot- out was played to decide the winners. Alex and Jack won 10-8 tie break in the doubles shoot out, Harry just lost his tie break 8-10 and Andy cruised to a comfortable walkover victory as his opponent went home early!

June Tennis

2009-06-06T09:56:00.002+01:00

As always a very good month for tennis fans. French Open at the beginning, Eastbourne & Queens in the middle & finishing up at Wimbleon at the end.
Somehow we've got to find time to play as well!

If you are lucky enough to get to any of the 'big events', tell Sarah Chapman, Sue or Trevor Le Breuilly of your experience & we can share it on the blog with the rest of the members.

Wimbledon BBQ, 26th June

2009-06-06T09:34:00.004+01:00

Please note your diaries to celebrate British interest in Wimbledon's 2nd week with a BBQ Supper on Friday26th June.
Starts about 8pm.

Usual high standard Club BBQ with Salads, Quiches, desserts etc. Vegetarian options also. £7.00.
Probably the cheapest Bar in Hastings

Look out for the poster in the Clubhouse & get your name down.
Only the first 200 will be lucky

Organised play as usual from 6.30pm.

2009-06-06T08:43:00.002+01:00

Graham Girling took charge of organised play on Friday 5th June & was keeping balls in the air on 6 courts at one point.
The free nibbles (and the Bar!) revived everyone afterwards.
Still room for more. Do come & join in.

New courts attract new members

2009-05-25T12:35:00.003+01:00

The new artificial grass courts have attracted lots of new members to Amherst. We are pleased to welcome the following new members:

Duncan Moulton - Senior
Mark Shelley - Senior
Simon Crispin - Senior
Sam Denyer - Senior
Lucy Baker - Senior
Isaac Denyer - Junior U10
Jo Doolan - Senior
Jeremy Tanner - Senior
Ivan Doolan-Tanner - Junior U10
David Munro - Senior
Denise Munro - Senior
Harry Osborne - Junior U14
Joe Alden - Junior U10

We hope you enjoy your tennis at Amherst.

Dennis Knights

2009-05-25T11:24:00.002+01:00

Sad to report the recent 'passing' of our President of many years.
Dennis was a good player & Mens Champion in his younger days & a strong supporter of the Club
A good number of members attended the funeral & the gathering afterwards at the Clubhouse, on 15th May.

Mixed Organised Play, Friday 22nd May.

2009-05-25T11:08:00.003+01:00

A good turnout on a pleasant evening with 5 courts occupied.
Hugh Sullivan organised & provided excellent nibbles of bread, cheese & cooked meats followed by strawberries & cream (a sign that Wimbledon's not far away).
Mark Bright stepped in for the injured Gillian & ran the bar for the thirsty players.

Injuries

2009-05-25T10:50:00.003+01:00

Gillian Crossett & Mary Griffiths have both suffered injuries recently & as a result will not be playing for a while.
Mary hurt her back gardening, is a bit sore but should be playing again soon.
Gillian has muscle damage in her lower leg & unfortunately will be out for some time.
Get well soon.

Amherst Tennis Club Website

2009-04-15T08:48:00.003+01:00

Coming soon - new Amherst Tennis Club Website. www.amherstltc.co.uk

A new look, easy to navigate website will be launched by the end of April 09.

Welcome to the Amherst Tennis Club Blog

2009-04-13T18:57:00.000+01:00

Welcome all to the new-look Amherst Web & this the New Blog, our attempt to climb into the 21st Century!
It is hoped that through this medium we will have better contact with our members & people wanting to find out more about tennis in Hastings. Any comments & contributions would be appreciated.

Happy blogging,

Trevor
Club Chairman

Amherst Senior Closed Tournament 2009

2009-04-13T18:54:00.003+01:00

The entry sheets are now on the noticeboard in the Club House to enter the 2009 Amherst Senior Closed Tournament. We would love to see a good number of entries in each event.

There is no limit on number of events you can enter this year so feel free to enter any event you are eligible for.

Finals Day is Saturday 18^th July. You must be available to play on finals Day to enter the tournament.

Entry close date is Friday 15^th May so there will be plenty of time to play your matches.

Regards

Sarah Chapman