Ball persons ready, linesmen ready, KLTC players ready

The teams entered will be in sections two, three and four.

In section 2, KLTC is eager to consolidate its spot in the higher grade and promote the advancement of junior players at this level. Mitch Cox, Regan Moore and Justin Wearne head up the men’s section and will be keen to be competitive throughout the season. Moore looks like being one of the top players in section two and, with the ever improving and very motivated Cox, is looking forward to an even better year on court. Wearne has been promoted from section three and has been training very hard over winter to be a solid backstop to Moore and Cox and is looking forward to testing himself at this level.

The club is very excited for its section two “up and coming” junior ladies in Jade Christou, Kat Wearne and Miley Morris. All three have had comprehensive coaching from club coach David Starling and it is expected they will raise a lot of eyebrows from their opposition.

In section three, KLTC is going into the tennis year with a mixture of age, youth, experience and very competitive mindset. Club president Greg Tarrant and the ever reliable Abbey Prycroft will be leading the way. As one of the most respected players in the Goulburn Murray competition for more than 20 years, Tarrant will play a mentoring role for promising juniors Will Worsfold, Zane Sutton and Ben Dickens. KLTC is looking forward to these three stamping themselves as quality players in the future and they will provide headaches for opposition teams.

Prycroft is one of the most respected and competitive players in the Goulburn Valley tennis community. She will provide stiff opposition in singles, double and mixed throughout the season and will be a tremendous role model to the younger players as she always gives 150 per cent, winning or losing. Prycroft will be supported by Alissa Christou, along with Claire Mawley, who has returned to competition tennis after university. Mawley was one of KLTC’s very talented juniors in her day and the club is looking forward to a very successful season for her. Alicia Cunningham makes a return to senior tennis after a number of years, but the opposition will have its work cut out when it sees her on the other side of the net.

Susie and Lauren Bennett, Rod Alley and Darren Woodcock head up KLTC’s section four team. Although there are some new faces in this team, it was a finalist last year and certainly cannot be underestimated.

Alley and Woodcock will be supported by Blake McMeekin, Tyler Shade and Ron Lapworth. Susie and Lauren Bennett will be supported by loyal and dedicated club member Renee Fleming, Sonya McCraw and Meg McConnell. McConnell comes from a very talented tennis and sporting family, with dad Brendan, mum Justine and big brother Sam playing for KLTC over a number of years. Meg herself has been a promising junior for the club.

Junior tennis

KLTC will be providing some richly deserved recognition for its juniors in the Free Press throughout the season. Stay tuned in the coming weeks.

Very special guests coming to KLTC

The club, in conjunction with Tennis Victoria, is excited to announce it will soon be hosting some “very special” official guests from the tennis world. KLTC is proposing to complement this visit with both a senior and junior event on the day, along with giveaways and fun activities. KLTC is looking forward to welcoming all tennis players from the whole district, past present and future, to attend this day.

The best courts in the Goulburn Valley

A big shout-out to David and Sheree Starling on the preparation and presentation of the club’s 18 tennis courts. This “central umpire” has witnessed the good and bad standard of the courts, but the playing surface of the 16 grass courts is second to none this year.

To all KLTC senior, junior, ladies day, twilight and social members, the club looks forward to seeing you throughout the season, both on and off the court. Have a tremendous season.

— Central Umpire