| 1991 Honda Civic - wheeled and dealed this week! |
What a week it has been! Coaches coming and going (about to), car wheeling and dealing for Pete, junior tournaments, Visa issues for Vicky and I plus some fantastic training and hitting going on across our squads.
Pommy Pete arrives!
Last Thursday Pete Hoyland, our new coach from the UK, arrived and has settled in really well so far. I picked him up at the airport and he was surprisingly chirpy after the longest flight of his life! Until about 8.30pm anyway!! Everyone has been impressed with his enthusiasm, encouragement and rapport he has created very quickly with the juniors he has worked with. We are all really enjoying his input and he has already been instrumental in helping prep our top juniors for the ITF that is happening this week in Hamilton. Long may it continue!
Daniel Rogers, Marizka Oberholzer, Jay Kite and Paddy Cameron are all entered into the Junior ITF, and most are just one win away from getting their first world ranking point! Not too bad considering only in Sep 2008, not one local club player at Cambridge was even playing Regional Tournaments. I love it that these guys are setting the bar for the next crop of players in the area to try and beat, I am really proud and impressed at how hard they have worked to get there. Training 3 x per week before school is not everyone's cup of tea, but these guys slog it out and the results are coming!
Look out for Pete's 1991 Honda Civic!!! A brief meeting with a self-confessed 'Wheeler & Dealer' in Te Rapa McDonalds led us to this beauty with almost a quarter million kms on the clock! It felt pretty dodgy at the time (as buying cars of Trade Me can be!) but the car is running like a dream and at least the guy was upfront about his career! I am sure the car will serve Pete well as he settles into the Kiwi lifestyle.
Phew...Visa sorted!
So many of you will know that Vicky has been in the process of renewing her Visa, and had applied under the Essential Skills section. Amazing how picky they can be given how few female tennis coaches there are in the whole of New Zealand, let alone in the Waikato. Plus how many have such an awesome skill set as our very own Vicks? None!! She has been a huge asset to Progressive Tennis and her coaching in the schools and local clubs has been awesome! I even hear there could be a foray into the Premier League tennis this season for her ;) watch this space!
Anyhow with a few tweaks and plenty of evidence to show the need for a coach like Vicky in the area, her Visa has been approved, and we are looking forward to seeing more of her fantastic mini tennis and tiny tots players move through the ranks. No one can underestimate how important it is to coach the 'little-people' well. Not only can it put them off tennis if done badly, but if they reach their teen years with no solid foundation of technique/athleticism, it makes the job doubly difficult to enjoy or achieve in tennis.
And for myself, Jen and I had applied for Residency but are putting it on hold until after the wedding as there is too much to do, too many forms to fill out! I am very lucky as of the 270 or so points we get, she provides about 250 of them with her PhD!!
Pop Down To Hamilton This Week...
Want to see some of the upcoming tennis talent in the world? They will be playing at the Junior ITF at Waikato Tennis Centre in Hamilton East this week 22nd to 26th August. It will be running all day every day this week, boys and girls. Come and support our local players but also witness upcoming talent from Aussie, Japan, China and I think as far away as Russia!
We Do Miss the UK...even with the riots!
Due to a severe case of missing Maltesers, 'real' Cadbury Dairy Milk/Galaxy, Sunday Roasts and the proximity to Spain, Vicks is taking a well deserved break back to her homeland. Obviously she will be sorely missed for the weeks she is away but with Robbie Wilkinson and Pete Hoyland ready to step in and help where they can, we are sure there will be a smooth transition while she is away.
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| Nadal fell victim to Mardy Fish 6-3 6-4 and hasn't won a tourney since the French Open now! |
until he played Andy Murray anyway. The resurgence of the serve & volley game of the Henman era proved you can still take time away from players even of Nadal's stature! You would pick him to make the last 8 of the US Open on that form.
Babolat Gear Comes In!
Many of you will know I am proudly sponsored by Babolat and less of a shameless plug than to really say I am loving the new racket I have taken off their hands for this season. The new Pure Storm GT is fantastic and I am really looking forward to getting out and hitting with it on court read about their range here http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Babolatracquets.html -
I am very lucky but having used their racquets since I was 12, I hope it continues for another 15 years!
10 days til I head back to the UK for my wedding! Suit and rings sorted I can't wait!
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