All were welcome at the Howe Park Tennis Club annual general meeting on February 29, 2020.
Following a successful year of tennis in 2019, the Howe Park Tennis Club (HPTC) is back for another year of strong competition and fun.
The annual general meeting saw athletes, coaches and community members come together to discuss the new initiatives and goals that will help them strive through the next 12 months.
Established in 1910, HPTC offers a range of competition and social tennis, with competitions catering from beginner level and A Grade to C Grade.
The club, along with the Hunter Tennis Academy, have driven a number of programs and initiatives over the past year and aim to continue this growth throughout 2020.
With events like ‘Get Your Racquet On’, which aims to bring the community together for a night of ‘unserious tennis’, no skills or gear required, HPTC has sparked new interest with players of all ages and skill levels coming together for a night of fun.
The local club features 8 natural grass and 6 synthetic grass courts and aims to host additional competitions including the Junior Development Series. “Last season wasn’t too bad,” said Club President Craig Miles.
“We hosted two successful JDS (Junior Development Series) formats, as well as a seniors’ tournament. More than 90 players entered that event – the largest figure we’ve had.”
Craig, a passionate tennis enthusiast, was re-elected as Club President for 2020 and has held the position 5 times over the past 25 years.
“Our member numbers are up, especially the juniors. A lot of the credit for that goes to Heidi Stanford, she’s doing a great job,” said Craig.
“We’re offering many more programs for the youngsters, such as Get Your Racquet On and school holiday clinics. We have also got a fortnightly junior comp on a Friday night. In fact, there’s tennis here every day of the week, so the interest in the sport is still high.”
Next on the event agenda will be the free Family Fun Day on March 14, in conjunction with the Back to Singleton 2020 weekend. “The members will play with old wooden racquets, use the white Wilson tennis balls and dress up – it should be terrific!” said Craig.
The seniors’ tournament will then follow on April 3, 4 a 5 and JDS competitions will return on May 17 and August 28. It’s a jam packed next few months with lots of tennis to look forward to in Singleton.
To conclude, Craig said “”Newcomers are welcome to come down anytime.” If you’re looking for a new hobby or love a hit of tennis, head down to Howe Park Tennis Club and join a sporting community that spans over 100 years.
Feature image: Howe Park Tennis Club committee members Lachlan Evans, Cassie Botes, Laura Sneddon, Craig Miles, Terry Horne, Kate Perrin and Heidi Stanford. Absent: Mark Rix, Gary Brenton, Mitch Ryan
