A tennis academy set up in memory of a Burnham-On-Sea tennis player who died last year has picked the group of eleven young players it is going to train.
The first formal training session of the Nathan Edwards Tennis Academy was held on Wednesday (June 4th) at the town’s Avenue Tennis Club.
The academy was set up following the tragic death of 17-year-old Nathan in a road accident last November. He was a talented member of Burnham’s Avenue Tennis Club and a former King Alfred School pupil.
The academy has held three sift days and assessed 1,000 young tennis players in its search for talented children who will receive extensive training from the group.
Nathan’s mother, Sally, (pictured below) has been present throughout the selection of the players and is delighted with progress.
“The three girls and eight boys we’ve selected range in age from 7 to 10 and include several youngsters who already play well and the others are new to the game but show real potential,” Sally told Burnham-On-Sea.com at Wednesday’s training session.
“I’m delighted with the group we’ve chosen. It’s been really hard work to make it all happen in such a short time, but it’s all very rewarding as well,” she added.
The academy’s head coach, Jamie Allen, has been joined by Greg Kyd, who is the replacement for James Tuckett, who recently left the Bunham club after being head-hunted by another tennis organisation.
Avenue player Rhiannon Parsons, 14, who was recently selected to play in the Somerset County Under 14s squad, has also been working with the children, feeding balls, going through exercises and demonstrating techniques.
