We are thrilled to announce that our Prep School tennis squad has been awarded “Junior Team of the Year” at the Suffolk Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Awards. Sadly the awards ceremony has been postponed due to the current Coronavirus crisis.
The highly contested award open to schools, clubs and county teams was given in recognition of the school’s extremely successful season in 2019 culminating in the school winning 4 out of the 8 titles at the Prep Schools’ National Tennis Championships in July hosted by Hazlegrove school. Beth Gardens won the U13 Girls Singles and Doubles (with partner Anna Cogdell), Nat Salsby and James Tennant won the U13 Boys’ Doubles and Mia Spaull and Evie Tassell won the U11 Girls’ Doubles title.
Earlier in the season, a strong squad of 16 players travelled to the IAPS Tennis Championships at Rugby School with the U13B Mixed Team crowned as National Champions, the U13B Girls (Bella Blunden, India Prince) reaching the final, and the U11A Boys (Alfie Paffett and Toby Blunden) reaching the semi-finals.
Back at County level, 20 teams from the school took part in the Suffolk Schools’ Leagues ranging from U8s to U13s. 18 of these teams went on to make the County Finals with 5 teams becoming County Champions (Under 8 girls, Under 10 girls, Under 11 boys and girls and Under 13 girls). The U13 Girls team went on to become Regional Champions in October (Beth Gardens, Anna Cogdell, India Prince, Evie Newton).
Richard Daynes, Head of Tennis, said: “ I am very proud of the team that went to the Prep Schools’ National Tennis Championships. Their combined success and brilliant performances were instrumental in us winning this award. It was a very prestigious event that has been running for a number of years. To win the “Suffolk Junior Team of the Year” award is a great achievement when I think of the schools, clubs and county teams we were up against.”
Sadly the awards ceremony, which was due to take place at the end of March has been postponed due to the current Coronavirus crisis.
