Disclaimer

The following blog post contains scenes of excessive youth sport, parental sideline analysis, and at least one adult abandoning tennis training for board games. No Somerset players were harmed in the making of this article. Any tactical assessments of rival counties are based on highly scientific methods, including standing next to courts with a coffee and “having a feeling.” As always, views are personal, mildly biased, and fully compliant with the NMC Social Media Guidance — and domestic harmony requirements.

After the modest sporting programme of last week (Monday to Thursday only involved what felt like a small Olympic cycle), Somerset decided that clearly the children had not yet sweated enough.

An additional tennis session was scheduled for the players selected to represent Somerset at this Sunday’s County Cup (1st March).

Six boys and five girls were invited for a final session at Blackbrook — some last-minute polishing, tactical reminders, and the traditional “run more lines than you thought possible” coaching philosophy.

Pizza Logistics: The Real Team Effort

With the venue café closing at 4pm — a decision that clearly does not take into account the nutritional needs of anxious tennis parents — Henry’s parents suggested the only sensible solution:

Pizza delivery.

Both my wife and I arrived to support the session. I then did what any committed parent would do.

I excused myself to play board games.

While the children were busy doing intense movement drills and learning important tennis things, my wife and the other parents reportedly enjoyed a well-organised pizza feast. From what I understand, James personally collected the order from a reliable local pizza establishment, thereby securing his reputation as the evening’s true team player.

Meanwhile, my strategic board gaming contribution ensured optimal parental mental recovery.

Everyone played their part.

The Key Briefing: Enter Fast4

The most important information of the evening wasn’t footwork, technique or tactics.

It was the match format.

The U9 County Cup will be played using Fast4, which — for those not immersed in the evolving world of junior tennis — is essentially tennis for the modern attention span.

Fast4 explained:

• First to 4 games wins the set
• No advantage scoring (deuce = next point wins the game)
• Tiebreak at 3–3 (usually first to 7 points)
• Matches are typically shorter and more intense

In practical terms:

• Every point matters
• Momentum swings quickly
• There is very little time to “play yourself into the match”
• Parents age faster

This will be new territory for our son, although I’ve noticed that many U10 events now use this format. The upside is that it rewards focus and aggression. The downside is that one loose service game can feel like a full-scale sporting crisis.

Selection Reality: Rotation Required

With six boys selected but only four singles and two doubles rubbers per match, not everyone will play every round.

Each player will have to sit out once.

Actually, this is probably a sensible approach. County Cup days are long, emotional and intense. A short break might help players reset rather than attempting to carry the emotional weight of multiple matches.

(Parents, unfortunately, do not get rotated.)

The Opposition: A Highly Scientific Analysis

The competing counties are:

• Avon
• Devon
• Cornwall
• Somerset

Based on two years of careful observation (and occasional sideline conversations):

• Cornwall — likely the weakest of the four
• Devon — roughly comparable to Somerset
• Avon — the team to beat

At U8 level, Avon were dominant across the South West. At U9, our son has already faced several Avon players in tournaments — and I strongly suspect some of those familiar names will appear again on Sunday.

If Somerset perform well against Devon and Cornwall, the decisive encounter will almost certainly be against Avon.

No pressure then.

A Rare Quiet Weekend (Almost)

After the half-term sporting marathon, the weekend was refreshingly uneventful.

Saturday:

• Usual swimming session
• Followed by board games (a healthy balance between physical and intellectual development)

My wife was working, so it was Daddy Day Care.

Sunday’s junior parkrun was cancelled for the third week in a row, as the local park now resembles a small inland sea rather than a running venue.

The quieter weekend actually proved helpful. After the intensity of the previous week, it gave our son a chance to reset and ease back toward school routine — something that turned out to be harder than expected after a life temporarily organised around sport, snacks and transport logistics.

Outlook for This Week

It’s already Tuesday and the schedule currently includes:

• Martial Arts
• Two tennis sessions
• Swimming
• Ninja Warrior (Bristol)
• County Cup on Sunday

At this point, I am less concerned about our son’s physical development and more about the structural integrity of our family calendar.

When will it stop?

Probably never.

But if Somerset beat Avon, we may consider it all worthwhile.

And if not — there’s always pizza.