Youngsters Compete In Tennis Tournament

Youngsters from across north Powys have gathered in Newtown to take part in a mini tennis schools competition. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Montgomeryshire Mini Tennis Finals took place in Newtown last month (Wednesday 25 May) and featured 160 youngsters who had won their qualifying tournaments against hundreds of other players across the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This year’s competition saw four cluster qualifying events take place that saw 648 players and 162 teams take part from 22 primary schools before 17 schools made it to last week’s finals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mini Tennis provides an opportunity for players aged 11 and under to enjoy the fun of competitive tennis. Competitions are played at three levels according to age and ability – red for beginners, progressing to orange and then green for the most advances players. They play in team of four – boys and girls – at these three levels. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

These are modified versions of the full game, played on smaller courts with slower balls and small rackets. As children get older, the court and racket sizes increase and the balls get bouncier. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The winners were: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Year 3 (Red) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Girls: Winners – Buttington/Trewern CP School; runners-up – Llanfair Caereinion CP School
Boys: Winners – Llanfyllin CP School; runners-up – Montgomery Church in Wales School ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Year 4 (Red) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Girls: Winners – Guilsfield CP School; runners-up – Ysgol Pennant
Boys: Winners – St. Michael’s C. in W. School: runners-up – Llanfair Caereinion CP School ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Year 5 (Orange) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Girls: Winners – Buttington/Trewern CP School; runners-up – St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School
Boys: Winners – Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant CP School; runners-up – St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Year 6 (Green) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Girls: Winners – Llanfair Caereinion CP School; runners-up – Abermule CP School
Boys: Winners – Guilsfield CP School; runners-up – Llanfair Caereinion CP School ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Graham Brown, Cabinet Member for Sports Development, said: “This was another great event that attracted interest from right across schools in Montgomeryshire. I want to wish the winning teams the best of luck when they represent Montgomeryshire in the North Wales Finals on Wednesday 22 June at Wrexham Tennis Centre.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​