Deal Parochial finish Kent LTA Finals Day as County Runners Up in Sponge Ball Tennis Doubles.

The Deal Parochial Tennis Team had another 6.45am start, this time to go to the Kent LTA’s Primary Schools’ Doubles Finals at Bromley on Friday 23rd June.

Joining our Year 3’s: Jack, Che, Liam, Charley, Ruby and Mia (all of whom had played wonderfully well in the previous week to win through from the Bromley heats), were Kate and Katelyn from Year 6, who were playing in the yellow ball tennis (i.e. adult type tennis) doubles finals.

The standard of tennis in all the Finals was very high. In the yellow ball tennis, Kate and Katelyn were great sportsmanship ambassadors for our school, smiling throughout, even though they were up against some very tough competition. They improved with every match and were delighted to win some games in their final matches.

In the sponge ball tennis, there were some very close matches; Jack and Che had to hold their nerve to win all three of their round robin matches, as two of their matches went to sudden death with them winning 11-10.  Liam and Charley also had some very close round robin matches, winning one of them. Ruby and Mia were up against some very tough opponents in the girls’ competition and were rightly complemented by one of their umpires on their good play and “never give up” attitude.

In the subsequent compass draw, both Liam and Charley and Ruby and Mia were very happy to win their final consolation matches. Additionally, Jack and Che continued their good form into the compass draw and reached the overall final, where despite some amazing rallies, they finished Runners Up. It was then really nice that Ms Vanessa Webb, who we know very well from the Deal Indoor Tennis Centre, then presented the children with their medals and certificates in her capacity of Deputy President of the Kent LTA.

Well done to everyone; it was an amazing achievement for so many of you to reach the County Finals at Bromley, and for Jack and Che to finish it as Runners Up.

As always, many thanks to all the parents who drove and supported the team during the day.

Karen Hodgson.