Part funded through Dorset Tennis and the LTA, we run regular county training for all LTA Junior County Cup age groups - 8U, 9U, 10U, 12U, 14U and 18U.
The programme will see the top players in the county come together to train with each other to optimise their development. For those who continue to progress, they will achieve county representation in identified team events against other counties.
This opportunity is designed to support home club coaching. Players will train and meet with each other on a regular basis to complement their club/coach programme. The sessions will be high intensity, fun, group based with an overall aim to enable a team ethos and assess the best pairings for future doubles matches in county events. The programme is invitational.
Players will have opportunities to represent their county as part of a county team and County Training will be delivered by local coaches who have specialised training and a track record of working with county performance players.
The County Lead Coaches work with coaches around the county to build strong links to develop players into county players.
8U to 11U
County Performance Coach - Phil Loose
E | philloose@icloud.com
M | 07812 086441
12U to 18U
County Performance Coach | Rob Booth
E | rob.booth@yahoo.co.uk
M | 07917 834969
8U TO 11U
County Training
All players attending County Training must have LTA Advantage membership, with their playing county set to Dorset. This is free to join and accounts can be created on the LTA website. This is required so we can ensure all players are eligible to attend Dorset County Training and are eligible to represent Dorset in team events. It also means we can ensure all players are training in the right age group.
Training sessions for 8U will be 1.5 hours. For age groups 9U to 10U, the sessions will be 2 hours.
The programme is invitational.
County Cup
County Cup is series of national events held at all age groups from 8U through to adult with the exception of 16U. Counties submit teams and events take place throughout the country with 4-8 counties in each group. 8U County Cup is a fun team event focused on providing a learning experience for players, their parents and coaches and is aimed at giving all concerned an introduction to County Cup tennis competition, 9U and 10U teams have the opportunity to earn a place in the County Cup National Finals by winning their play-off group. 11U players have the opportunity to gain direct entry to the Finals if the ranking in a team environment of all players is high enough, or might have the chance to qualify for one of two remaining spaces if they are placed in Division 1 and win their group.
County Cup dates for 2025 are as follows (these can also be found on the Junior County Tennis webpage) :
8U Saturday 26th or Sunday 27th April (TBC)
9U Qualifying : Sunday 2nd March. Finals : Saturday 29th (Girls) and Sunday 30th March (Boys)
10U Qualifying : Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May. Finals : Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th June
11U Division matches Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June. Finals : Friday 4th - Sunday 6th July
Tournaments
All players need LTA Advantage Membership to enter and play tournaments. A free account can be created on the LTA Advantage website. After joining, players will have an LTA Advantage membership number/account to enter tournaments.
A useful 'Guide to Competition for Parents and Players 8U to 11U' can be found here
The LTA's 'READY, PLAY - An Introductory Guide to Competition' ideal for parents and carers of players who are new to competition can be found here
The guide covers :
- Things to consider before your child starts competing
- What to expect at tennis competitions and how to positively support your child
- What happens after your child has played a competition
Go to 'Find a Tournament' webpage for links to LTA Competition Calendars.
ALL AGE GROUPS - 8U TO 18U
County Friendly Matches
When and where possible, as part of County Training, the Lead Coach will set up friendly county matches against other counties. These matches offer the Lead Coach the following:
- Select players that may be involved with County Cup events in the future
- Give opportunities to players to represent the County.
- Create more competitive experiences as a team.
Depending on the number of matches that can be arranged, it is usually, the goal of the Lead Coach that as many players within age groups will take part in a county match.
Get in touch
If you feel you know or work with a developing player, please contact Phil or Rob.
Tennis Parents Community Facebook Group
Simon Spalter (Tennis Volunteer Group) and Kay Gilbert (Wiltshire Club & Avon County Volunteer) have launched the Tennis Parents Community Facebook Group, connecting parents on a similar journey to share ideas and experiences, ask each other practical questions, and ultimately decide for themselves how they can best support their children. Over 2000 parents have joined, bringing their informed views to the conversations from their experiences, and some also from their roles as teachers, healthcare professionals, players, or even coaches.
“Parents have an essential role in the development of junior tennis players, making sacrifices to support them financially, logistically, emotionally, and shaping their values,” said Kay, who’s children all played county tennis. “There is a lot that parents can learn from each other, especially those who are new to the role or even the sport.”
Simon added, “Most parents have the best interest of their children at heart, but we can all think of examples where parents have unrealistic expectations, put pressure on children by over-emphasising winning, or lack emotional control themselves. The group is a great way to open discussions about these tricky subjects, or to simply get quick answers to whatever practical issues they face.
You can join at the following link:
