Glen's Tennis Tip For August:

The Volley is an essential part of tennis, particularly in doubles. It is also one of the harder strokes to play, generally because people try to over complicate the action.

Effective volleying will take time away from your opponent putting you in an attacking position. The best opportunity to volley is when you see your opponent struggling, this way you are more likely to receive an easier volley.
 
The action of the volley itself is very simple, it is not a swing, but more of a 'Block' or 'High 5' action. This gives you more control over your shot. It is also important that you are moving forward towards the volley in order to shift your weight into the shot making it more powerful. Your aim is to get as close to the net as you can so that you can hit down.
 
Remember the difficulty of your volley depends on the effectiveness of your 'Set-Up' shot.
 
If you want to see a Video Demo, Click this link http://www.videojug.com/film/the-forehand-volley

Good Luck!

HERE IS THE LATEST ...........

• Next committee meeting is on Saturday 4/9/10. If you have any ideas or concerns please get them to a committee member.

• The Durham & Cleveland Junior Open and the Esporta Junior Open are two tournaments recently won by Cameron Haswell; that's fantastic! His coach (Glen Newton) said that Cameron's "mental improvement" was key in achieving the victories. Well done guys.

• Resurfacing of the road along Linden Road from the junction of West Avenue to Elmfield Road will start on Wed the 18th of Aug and will hopefully finish on Fri the 20th. Access to the Club from the Linden Rd end may be difficult and parking may be affected during this time.

• Almost 60 people came to the Quiz Night and helped to make it the most successful ever in many ways, not least in terms of fund raising. £253.60 was collected on the night for the MacMillan Nurses. Many thanks to everyone involved (special mention for Heather Sutton) for the time and effort invested. Our fund raising goal this year is £600. With £108 collected on President’s Day and £24 from the Family Doubles, we have so far raised  £385.60p. So far so good GLTC, but let's not be complacent - minimum of £215 still to go.

• Gosforth Ladies II get promotion! The main team was (in alphabetical order): Christine Cail; Clare Cartmel; Ros Johnson;Carol Marshall; Lisa Robson and Kim Todd.  (Heather Sutton, Anna Snowdon and Julie Brown also played against Stocksfield.) Great stuff ladies!
  

• Wasn't that the best President's Day we've had for many a year? Even the weather was as required. A fantastic effort by all concerned (but special thanks to Heather Sutton) for all that went in to honour this year's President Christine Cail. A great final that was much appreciated by our guest, Tommy Fu (Chairman of the Bowling Club) and more attendees than we had seats for and was eventually won by Alex Warents and Emily Ogden with the runners up being Chris Gray and Kim Todd. Well done GLTC - great fun, food and tennis - a real win-win-win!

• Fri August 6th at 7.30pm. It's back! By popular demand! Its the GLTC Quiz Night. Tickets (they're going fast) can be purchased from Committee Members for just £3 per person. (Includes a buffet but its for charity so bring your own liquid refreshments and glasses!)

   

• The committee would like to remind everyone that courtesy between all players, of all ages is something that is expected all of the time.

• We know a good many of you can't resist a tournament, afternoon tea and lots of fun. So don't miss out on President's Day which is coming up on Saturday the 24th of July with the tournament starting at 1.30pm.

• A warm welcome to more new members; The Shields family (Martin & Mary with sons Daniel & Eddie), Heather Hislop, Wendy Storey, Ian & Stephanie Wardle

• WELL PLAYED AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR JUNIOR TEAMS who have successfully completed all their league matches. The all important guys and girls were:                                                                                                                                                                     Boys U16 Team - Cameron Haswell, Joe Robson, Andrew Davies, Richard Briggs, Max Graham, James Schofield.             

                   Girls  U16 Team - Rachel Mayne, Ellen Marshall, Lizzy Mansfield, Claire Humphry-Smith, Sally Hewett

                   Boys U12 Team - Timothy Sung, James Lorraine, Will Ridley, Sam Stoner, Simon Leeming, Alex Dunn, Cameron Hamiltion

                   Girls U12  Team - Emma Carrie, Emma Dixon, Ellie Kilner, Isobel Brearly, Hannah Richards, Alex Carrie, Irene Podogrocki

          Many thanks too to everyone behind the scenes who helped with the logistics, not least the team Captains (parents of some of the

          junior players) whose help has been invaluable in making sure the matches took place.

• The committee asks that all members please refrain from leaving water bottles on the courts, cups under the benches outside the clubhouse and to kindly throw the very dangerous peel-back metal lids from tennis ball cans in to the bins.

• Welcome to new members: The Godinho family (Antonio and Jill with Freddie Isabelle and Edward), 'Team Thorniley-Walker' (Edward and Mo with Sophie, Harry and Olivia), 'Team Trainor' (Stephen and Joanne and their children Jack and Amelie), the Shields Team (Martin & Mary with their boys Daniel and Eddie) and new senior members Michael Harriet, Daniel Konn and Ian & Stephanie Wardle

• Great news!! After such positive feedback re the coaching sessions on mens and ladies practice nights, they are starting again on the 20th and 22nd of July respectively. (Coaching sessions on junior practice nights won't restart as all matches have been completed.)

• The Adderstone Group Northumberland Open takes place between 31/7/10 -7/8/10. Online entry is not available so if you wish to enter (closing date for entry is 19/7/10) download a form from the LTA Northumberland website.

• The Northumberland Awards Evening is during the Open on Thursday 5th of August at 7.30pm in the marquee. Anyone you want to nominate for an award? Your coach? A Team? A Junior? Simply print off a nomination form from the Downloads page (on this website) and give them your support.

• Guess who the winners were at the Pink Family Doubles Tournament – everyone who entered really - because on a glorious sunny summer day, with strawberries and ice-cream, Pimms and all the other good stuff on offer, how could they not all be winners? The tennis? Of course yes, there was tennis too and special mentions have to go to:

  Group 1 Winners: Natasha & Ali Perros

  Group 2 Joint Winners: The Haswels (brother and sister Cameron and Anya) & Team Richards (dad and daughter Dai and Hannah

  Well done to overall winners: Natasha & Ali Perros

  Many thanks to Head Coach Lynda for organising a good, fun tournament. And to those of you who didn’t enter due to the England World Cup match – want to guess who had the best afternoon?

• 'DESIGN A LOGO' COMPETITION. We need a Club logo for GLTC shirts and who better to ask than the most creative and dynamic members of the Club – our Junior members. So we’re launching a competition just for you guys to do exactly that. It starts now and entries must be in by noon on July 24th. (There’s a prize for the winning entry.) Our Head Coach Lynda Henderson is the organiser so if you need any further info please contact Lynda on 07767276685

   

• The 'Pink Family Doubles Tournament' is on Sunday, June 27th at 1.30-4.00pm. Each doubles pair will be made up from an adult and a junior club member. If you're a junior member without a tennis-playing parent, don't worry, come along anyway and we'll get you a partner. A pink item of clothing is required for all those playing as pink is the colour of the cancer charity logo. There will be strawberries and cream and drinks provided. Prizes of course for the winners. Entry fee of £2 per doubles pair, 50% of which will go towards our charity fund raising target of £600 this year. (If you need more info contact Head Coach Lynda Henderson on 07767276685).

• Welcome to new Junior Members James and Sam Ashcroft, Matthew Bainbridge and Cameron Hamilton, and to the families including Team Matthews (John, Debbie, Alastair and Helen), The Posner Family (Ewa, Nicky, Simon and Thomas), The Johnston Family (Helen, Keith, Richard and Patrick); Team Tate (Karen, Les, Jes and Joel); not forgetting Student Member Jack Grummitt and to Alice Melville, Graham Woods, Helen Stephenson, Terence Dobson, Malcolm Yorke, Jo Eldridge, Steve Rayner (that's Rayner with an 'e'!) and Bob Morrison.

• (If you have joined the Club since the start of April this year and have not received an email from the Club Secretary, please email Austen at austenh@pacific.net.sg )

• Haswell does it again! Saturday June 5th. GLTC's Cameron Haswell today won the U14 Boys Gateshead Open with a 6-3 6-3 victory. Coach Glen Newton said it was Cameron's attacking play that won him the match. Well done guys you've made us proud yet again!

• Quiz Night is now on Fri August 6th at 7.30pm. It was scheduled for June 18th but has been postponed. Please contact a committee member quickly as the tickets will get snapped up.

• Many thanks to Brandon Gilhooley, Glen Newton and Chris Trousdale for the coaching sessions they're running for the Ladies, Juniors and Mens teams respectively, The feedback has been great gentlemen.

• The Club was recently informed of the passing of Shirley Latimer. Shirley had been a stalwart of GLTC and a respected Life Member for many years. She will be sadly missed.

• DONT PANIC! If you have sent your cheque to renew or apply for membership and have not yet received your Club Membership Card and or the shoe tag, it is because a hiccup at the printers has delayed things a little. The matter has been resolved and the Club Membership Cards and shoe tags will be in your hands soon!

• Minutes of Commitee Meetings are now available on the Members page in the password-protected area

• The Bowling Club have kindly offered the use of their bar to members of GLTC on any weekday evening starting Monday April 19th. Isn't that great? (Tennis attire is fine but if there is an event taking place and people are dressed in jacket and ties then please refrain!).

• In the Northumberland Easter Ratings Tournament, our very own Cameron Haswell won his round robin section by winning all 4 matches and Max Grayham played 4 and won 3. Well done guys, GLTC is proud of you!

• In 2009 GLTC raised £400 for charity. For 2010 we have set a target of £600. With your help we will raise that money via events and adding £1 to the entry fee for tournaments at the Club

• Fancy yourself as an interior designer? The Committee have set aside a budget of £12,000 to refurbish the Clubhouse. A workgroup is being set up to make recommendations and the goal is to have all work done by April 2011. Want to be part of the workgroup? If you can't be part of the wrokgroup, do you have any ideas as to what you would do to improve the clubhouse? Email austenh@pacific.net.sg

• Stop press!!  Congratulations to Glen Newton who has qualified as a Level 2 Tennis Coach. Brilliant!

• HEY, CHECK THIS OUT! For both Juniors and Seniors - team tennis that involves singles and doubles. Just follow this link: http://www.lta.org.uk/Articles/Featured-competitions/AEGON-Team-Tennis/