THE Laurieton Tennis Centre (LTC) hosted the latest junior tournament in the Evoke Tour series last Sunday, drawing 34 eager competitors aged between four and twelve.
Most of the players came from LTC and Kempsey Tennis Club (KTC), showcasing the strong grassroots tennis scene in the region.
The Evoke Tour follows Tennis Australia’s Hot Shots modified pathway, which introduces children to competition in a fun and progressive way.
The pathway includes three stages, Red Ball, Orange Ball and Green Ball, with each stage using different court sizes, net heights and ball pressures to suit player development.
Head coach and tournament organiser Quinn Sylow said the aim was to make competitive play more welcoming.
“The Evoke Tour is an introduction to tournaments, breaking down the usual fear barrier to competition,” he explained.
In the Red Ball division for players aged four to seven, Saxon Picker from Kempsey claimed the win, with Laurieton’s Bo Corrigan finishing runner-up.
The Orange Ball division for players aged seven to nine saw Jonathan Hopkins from Kempsey take top spot, ahead of fellow clubmate Zane McMurray.
In the Green Ball division for players aged nine to eleven, the girls’ competition was won by Mali Osborne from Kempsey, with Sierra-Leone finishing runner-up.
The boys’ title was won by Laurieton’s Will Ritchie, with Ted Oates, also from Laurieton, as runner-up.
Newly elected LTC president Blair Maxwell highlighted the broader benefits of such events.
“LTC aims to increase tennis participation for families,” he said.
“The future of tennis in Laurieton is creating a strong base so we can again participate in social, inter-club and school tennis. This competition between kids from Laurieton and Kempsey builds a great future for the sport,” he said.
For at least half the players, this was their very first tournament experience.
Many of them came through the Australian Tennis Federation’s Free Tennis initiative, which Quinn has been running in both Laurieton and Kempsey for the past two years.
The program will continue in Term 4 with free sessions at Laurieton every Wednesday for 10 weeks.
Families can contact Quinn on 0481 369 250 to book a place.
The final event in the Evoke Tour series will be held on 7 December in Kempsey, bringing the junior competition season to a close.
By Luke HADFIELD
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