Although the weather still needs to cooperate a little more, the outdoor tournament season is nearly upon us in Manitoba. The schedule kicks off with a Junior Tour event at Kildonan Tennis Club. The World of Water Junior Championship will be held May 8-11 and will be a qualifying tournament for Junior Nationals.

The Wheat City Tennis Club in Brandon will play host to the Wheat City Tennis Championships May 24-25. The tournament will offer 4.5 and 3.5 events in singles, doubles and mixed.

The month of May will close out with a pair of tournaments on the final weekend, May 27-June 1. Winnipeg Lawn Tennis Club is hosting the Manitoba Senior Open and the Tuxedo Junior Open will be held at the Tuxedo Tennis Club.

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Tennis Futures to Exceed 1,000 – More Volunteers Needed

More than 1,000 children in grades 4-6 will be taking part in the Tennis Futures clinics being organized at Winnipeg Lawn Tennis Club (WLTC), Kildonan Tennis Club (KTC), Tuxedo Tennis Club (TTC) and Sargent Park Tennis Club (SPTC), May 12-16. Bill Serbin, a physical education teacher at John de Graff School and coordinator of the Tennis Futures, has seen the program grow over the past decade, to the point where four clubs are now needed to host the 21 schools that will participate. The growth has been fantastic for the sport of tennis, but it has created some challenges, not the least of which is the need for volunteer instructors.

A minimum of 10 instructors are needed each day and with the large number of participants 20 instructors would be ideal. The schedule for the week is as follows:

• Monday, May 12 at WLTC

• Tuesday, May 13 at WLTC, KTC

• Wednesday, May 14 at WLTC

• Thursday, May 15 at WLTC, KTC, TTC

• Friday, May 16 at WLTC, TTC, SPTC.

The clinics run from 10:00am - 2:00pm each day. It is important to note that previous teaching experience is not necessary. The most important quality is a passion to see children be active and learn the basics of tennis in a fun environment.

If you are able to volunteer your time to assist the children at the Tennis Futures clinics please contact Kris Robins at kris.robins@tennismanitoba.com. All volunteer instructors will also receive lunch each day courtesy of Arby’s.

Semi-Annual General Meeting Highlights

The Board of Tennis Manitoba met with delegates from the member clubs on April 19th to discuss plans for the upcoming year. A draft of the 2008-2012 Strategic Plan was presented and updates were provided on the goals and objectives of each of the committees.

In addition, the clubs were informed of Tennis Canada’s partnership with Dairy Farmers of Canada which will include a significant investment to promote the benefits of tennis and a healthy lifestyle, through a national “Club Day” on May 24th. Funding will also be provided by Tennis Manitoba to assist all member clubs with expenses incurred in hosting an Open House or similar event at their club this spring.

The 2008 Tournament Schedule posters were also distributed, along with a banner for each member club to display at their courts.

For further information about the SAGM or other upcoming events please call the Tennis Manitoba office at 925-5660.

Carter Receives Tennis Canada Excellence Award for a Second Time

Lee Carter of Winnipeg received the 2007 Excellence Award for Most Improved Wheelchair Tennis Athlete. Carter’s ITF doubles ranking increased by an impressive 42 spots in 2007 to end the year at No. 19.
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Mann Wins Two Events at LAZBOY Senior Open

Lori Mann captured the Women’s 35+ Singles event and the 40+ Mixed Doubles event at the LAZBOY Senior Open hosted by the Winnipeg Winter Club.
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Waschuks Sweep Girls Events at Big Sand Junior Classic

It was a great weekend for the Waschuk family as Kylie and Evann swept all four girls singles events at the Big Sand Junior Classic recently held at Taylor Tennis.
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2008 World of Water Junior Championships

The 2008 Tennis Manitoba tournament schedule heads outdoors with the World of Water Junior Championships hosted by Kildonan Tennis Club May 8 - 11, 2008. This Junior Tour tournament is a qualifying event used for selection to the Canadian Junior Nationals for junior players residing in Manitoba. The entry deadline is Thursday, May 1st at 6pm.
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Tennis on a Budget (British Tennis Parents)

Estimates vary as to how much it costs for a junior tennis player to train and compete, at a good level, for a year.

There is no getting away from the fact that tennis is an expensive sport if you are looking to train at a high level. It is, however, possible to give your child every opportunity to progress and succeed without spending as much as other parents that you see out and about at tournaments.

The BritishTennisParents.com website has published an article that gives some ideas about how you can save money without compromising on the quality of your child's training and competitive program. Some of the suggestions include not relying on individual sessions alone, play more practice matches, don't always travel to events with your child, play early morning tennis, find sponsorship, buy a reel of string, and buy equipment on the Internet.
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After a year absence the Auto Haus Volkswagen Fall Junior Classic returns to the Tennis Manitoba Junior Tour in 2008. Glendale Golf & Country Club will also host a series of four Master Series Challengers.

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