Annual Report 2020/21 Tennis Club Reports Bristol Real Tennis Club By Phil Moss
Cambridge By Ben Geytenbeek
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e seem to have played very little Tennis in the past year. Once the shackles were off last summer we did manage to start a tournament within the Club, the aptly named Covid Cup, but we barely got beyond the initial stages when the next wave of restrictions hit us. This was such a shame as it meant that the ingeniously named Face Shield never got off the ground for the runners-up. We are starting to feel optimistic now, with players gradually coming back on court and we are looking forward to the new season, with fixtures and events starting to populate our calendar. We shall look forward to renewing old acquaintances from near and far. We have also been working hard behind the scenes planning for the future of Real Tennis at Bristol. Dr Clive Archer has stepped up to become our new Chairman and we are especially delighted that a number of younger players have joined the Committee. These are people who were brought up on Real Tennis in Bristol in their youth, have gone off to do other things and have now come back to the game in Bristol. We see great potential in Bristol for a concerted drive to sell the game into schools, other sports clubs and the wider community. We especially want to focus on those at the lower end of the demographic scale, because reinvigorating our age strata is essential for the Club to reset itself for the future. We are all excited and we shall look forward to the new season in 202122 with optimism and enthusiasm.
ockdowns in Cambridge have brought an opportunity to refresh the court and club to continue to be a welcoming, open environment for all. The upstairs club room and viewing gallery above the blue court is undergoing a major renovation, led through many volunteer hours from James Squier. Progress is well underway on a new kitchen with better facilities for dining and watching matches. Alongside the renovations the club has undergone a major tech upgrade thanks to Christie Marrian and Ben Geytenbeek. The new easy-to-use live streaming set-up complete with live scoreboard has made it possible to watch evening league matches when the viewing galleries have been closed. Meanwhile on court, Alan Sharpe has done an excellent job repainting the chase numbers and crown, giving both courts a fresh look. The club is also indebted to Alasdair Bovaird who secured much appreciated grants and financial aid through the closure.
There is an apt phrase with which to close – we aim to be shipshape and Bristol fashion. Please do come and see us and enjoy the voyage. Left to right: Kate Kirk, Rosie Taylor, Sophia Lewis, Jacqueline Siu. The first team for Varsity.
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