Tennis TOO MANY JUNIORS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30234, 12 September 1963, Page 16

Tennis TOO MANY JUNIORS

Players Lost To Game

"I might be sticking my neck out but I feel that we have got too many juniors and we cannot look after them all properly." Mr M C. Healey said at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Junior Lawn Tennis Association last evening. Mr. Healey was commenting on the fact that many players were being lost to tennis when they left school.

If there were only 50 junior players in each club, thev could be concentrated on "We are trying to do too little for too many." he said. It was a big disappointment that the senior association was not reaping the benefit of the junior association's work said Mr G. E. Atkinson. Players were not staying with the clubs and most of them were starving for players. There were players available in the schools but thev were not being affiliated In clubs and were being lost to the game. A way to channel them through to the clubs had to be found How. he did not know, said Mr Atkinson.

Replying to a suggestion that school courts might be used on Saturday mornings. Mr Atkinson said that he considered it a most dangerous proposition. "We want our courts and our club courts to be used. ' he said.

Part of the association's problem of lasing players was through the Department of Education providing all schools with courts. A player got his tennis free until he left school and tf he had not Joined a club he was lost to tennis said Mr Atkinson.

Games would be kept on club courts as much as passible said Mr R. B Brown. The use of school courts was only envisaged when junior players were using all the club courts and keeping seniors off them, he said.

A recommendation that tha levy on junior players be increased for the 1964-65 season was forwarded to the Canterbury senior association. Physical Fitness Last season the Howe shield team had not been nearly fit enough. Mr G Pickering said He advocated that a period of physical education should be taken by leading players and that it should be enforced "We should make it as physically tough as passible for those in ladder matches and they will come out on the right side of It." Mr Pickering said Their reactions would be faster and It would do tennis a lot of good. Officers elected were Patron. Mr A. M. Hatch; president, Mr A. C. Felton; vicePOesidents. 16 were elected; management committee. Mlaa D Hopping. Mrs V Wheal Messrs A. Lee G. E Atkinson, G Lane. G. Pickering. R. Rodger-.; honorary auditor. Mr A. C. Felton.