sports
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Five matches, one bag of chestnuts, and a masterclass in keeping your cool. Disclaimer: As always, this is a family blog about our adventures on and off the tennis court. Views expressed are entirely our own (sometimes in the heat of the moment, occasionally after coffee). No tennis racquets were harmed in the making of Read more
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Disclaimer: This blog reflects personal experiences and opinions. It is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, Somerset LTA, Taunton Tennis Centre, or any official organisation. All names mentioned (except family) are either public figures or anonymised. Whilst still officially on holiday, our son was invited to attend the Somerset U9 tennis trials last Sunday. Now, Read more
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Disclaimer: As with all my posts, these are the ramblings of a slightly frazzled Upper GI nurse practitioner moonlighting as a junior tennis parent. Any resemblance to professional advice on hydration, nutrition, or parenting strategy is purely coincidental. For actual medical advice, ask your doctor. For actual tennis coaching, ask literally anyone at Blackbrook Pavilion Read more
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Disclaimer Parenting advice in this blog should not be taken as clinical guidance. Tough love may work in tennis, but it is not yet NICE-approved. Opinions are solely mine (and occasionally contradicted by my wife). Despite being on annual leave, life doesn’t exactly come with a pause button when you’ve got a child — especially Read more
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Disclaimer:No cricket stumps were harmed in the making of this blog. Any technical inaccuracies about the rules of cricket are entirely the fault of the author’s nationality and complete bewilderment at the concept of “overs,” “wickets,” and why everyone claps politely when someone gets out. Please direct any corrections to the ECB or possibly Legoland. Read more
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And just like that, we’ve hung up the mini rackets for a little while. Last weekend marked the last tennis tournament for the next 4–6 weeks — and where better to take a breather than the sunny(ish) courts of Yeovil? We picked Yeovil for a few very sensible reasons: The Pre-Game Ritual Like any seasoned Read more
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Disclaimer: All post-match snacks were ethically sourced from the McFlurry machine. No rackets were harmed in the making of this blog. Additional Disclaimer: Fish may have been shared. Chips were not. Last weekend saw us return to the sunny (and slightly smug) courts of Bideford for another round of U9 tennis — same ARC venue, Read more
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Well, we’re back. Not just from Bideford, North Devon, but back at that special venue — the Atlantic Racquet Centre (ARC), where our son played his first ever tournament just over a year ago. Back then it was U8s, big nerves, little rackets, and a slightly confused parent brigade googling what “Red ball” meant. Fast Read more
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A tennis parent’s tale from the Millfield Grade 4 U9 Compass Draw 🚗 Destination: Millfield Prep Last Saturday, we packed the car with bananas, tennis bags, and enough snacks to feed a small army, and headed to Millfield Prep School—a venue known as much for its prestige as for its particularly bouncy indoor courts. The Read more
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Since October 2024, our weekends have often been shaped by the bright energy of the U8 Somerset Tennis Dragon Tour, an initiative brilliantly organised by Tim Seymour, the Somerset U8 Tennis Head Coach. Over the course of ten well-structured tournaments, U8 players from across the county have battled it out for points in a Grand Read more
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