Club News

Centenary Celebrations

Middleton Guardian · 2018

Middleton Tennis Club are set to celebrate their 100 year anniversary in May 2019.

“The club is hoping to attract new members across all groups - ladies, young adults, beginners, over 50s, over 60s, children and so on. We can offer run the junior Summer Tennis camps for the last 10 years.”

The club has three outdoor all weather courts and is hoping to have them cleaned and repainted before the new league season starts in April.

Although the club mainly operates throughout the summer, from March to September, the courts can be used all year round, weather and light permitting.

The club is hoping to trace the current whereabouts of The Towncroft Cup, which is mentioned in club records and which was donated by Mr H A Clapp in 1934 after he opened the then new wooden clubhouse.

The club will also be grateful if anyone has any old photos of the Tennis club over the last 98 years that it can copy to create an exhibition, when celebrating the centenary next year.

So if you have never played tennis before or want to pick up a racquet again after many years - now is the perfect time to get involved for FREE!!

You can contact the club via e-mail - middleton.tennis.club@hotmail.co.uk.

Everyone's for tennis at Middleton

Manchester Evening News · 2011

Middleton Tennis Club have been providing affordable tennis coaching for the local youngsters in partnership Link4Life's Neighbourhood and Communities team. This year the tennis club delivered a programme of skills and competitions, funded through the Middleton Township.

The events took place over two weeks during the school holidays for 4-14 year olds. Funding enabled the club to keep the cost of the week-long camps to just £10, with sessions were delivered by club coaches and young leaders working alongside the Rochdale Borough Tennis Community Coach Sylvia Decker.

To ensure quality of delivery, the tennis coaching session was split into two specific age groups - 4-9 years and 10-14 years.

The sessions were aimed at developing technical skills and confidence and the aim was to have all young people competing in a fun competition on the final day of the five-day programme.

Three young people from the tennis club acted as young leaders on the programme and provided positive examples of role models to the other young people on the programme.

A total of 86 youngsters took part and the event proved a big hit.

Two of the club's Young Leaders - Paul Neary and Rebecca Aspinall - are looking to complete a LTA Level 1 Coaching course which will be part funded by the club and Link4Life's Get Coaching Programme.

Tony Pitts, secretary of Middleton Tennis Club, said: “Sylvia Decker has done a fantastic job for the club with the summer camps over the last two years, attracting so many children to tennis in the area. It's the best thing to happen to the club in years.”

This is its 91st year of competitive tennis, the club having been formed in 1919.

This year the men's first team won the Manchester League Premier division for the first time in their history, having previously finished runners-up in the past.

The men's second team finished joint second in the Third Division while the club itself was nominated for Club of the Year in the recent Rochdale Borough Sports Award and Tony Pitts was nominated for the Unsung Hero award.

Throughout the winter there will be indoor sessions at the Middleton Arena on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings. For further details please contact the Rochdale Community Tennis coach Sylvia Decker on 07800 672367.

In addition to the coaching for children, Middleton Tennis Club is hoping Sylvia can provide coaching/social tennis for both male and female adults of all levels of ability, who wish to keep healthy and active. Link4Life have also secured funding to subsidise sessions for 17-25 year olds. Contact Sylvia for details.