sports
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Disclaimer This blog reflects personal views and family life only. It does not represent the views of my employer, any professional body, any tennis organisation, or indeed anyone with a functioning checkout page. As always, any references to children other than my own are kept appropriate and respectful. This is a parent’s account of junior… Read more
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A small household dilemma with surprisingly large developmental implications Disclaimer This article reflects personal observations as a parent navigating junior tennis alongside academic research on youth athlete development. It is not formal coaching advice. Any references to individual junior players are intentionally generalised to preserve anonymity. Reflections regarding my own child are used only as… Read more
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Disclaimer All observations are subjective, occasionally informed by anonymous but reliable courtside sources, and heavily influenced by coffee. No children were psychologically analysed beyond what is standard for junior tennis parents. This morning, Taunton Blackbrook Sports Centre hosted a Grade 4 U9 tennis tournament. Somewhat ominously timed, an email from the Somerset LTA had landed… Read more
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a Love Musgrove fundraiser story Disclaimer This blog post is written in a personal capacity and reflects my own mildly unreliable recollection of events. Any tennis ability described may be exaggerated by charity, hindsight, or good doubles partners. Darts scores are regrettably accurate. No Radiology departments were harmed in the making of this fundraiser, and… Read more
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Disclaimer This blog reflects personal views from an Upper GI clinician and parent, written while mildly hypoxic, heavily congested, and fuelled by Lemsip. No patients were harmed, no discharge summaries were intentionally delayed, and any opinions expressed are my own — not those of the Trust, the NHS, the LTA, or whoever currently has my… Read more
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Disclaimer This blog reflects the personal observations of a parent watching junior tennis from the sidelines. It is not a coaching report, an official match record, or an LTA-sanctioned technical analysis. Scores may be misremembered, emotions occasionally mismanaged, and opinions are offered strictly in hindsight, with coffee Another Sunday, another competition, another early start involving… Read more
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Disclaimer This blog contains junior tennis, parenting opinions, emotional regulation strategies that may not be NICE-approved, and competitive behaviour from children who are still missing several adult teeth. All views are personal, observational, and written with hindsight. No umpires were harmed in the making of this post. As explained in my previous entry, food was… Read more
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Disclaimer No children were emotionally harmed beyond the usual tournament-related character building. Opinions expressed are mine. The LTA does not endorse tears, McFlurries as coping mechanisms, or parents whispering “just swing through the ball for the love of god” into sports hall air. After the “glorious” success at the last U9 Grade 3 in Taunton… Read more
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Disclaimer The following contains mild traces of self-pity, regret, caffeine withdrawal, and the occasional burst of chess-related melodrama. No boards were flipped in the making of this post. All views are entirely my own, occasionally supported by logic, coffee, and deep sighs. Please read responsibly. So: the title norm climb for my correspondence chess SIM… Read more
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Disclaimer This post contains scenes of mild self-deprecation, time scrambles, and questionable endgame technique. Viewer discretion advised. All views expressed in this post are entirely my own and written in a personal capacity. This blog is for entertainment purposes only and does not represent the views of my employer, colleagues, or any chess federation I… Read more
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