Newsletter
April 2025
Courts 4-6 get the green light for April 2026!
Some good news from the committee! We’re pleased to announce we’ve selected a contractor for the levelling and resurfacing of courts four through six.
With Rachel taking the lead role, the project has involved liaising with several sports ground construction companies and experts to identify the best way forward.
Rachel
The committee has subsequently found a suitable contractor and scheduled the work for April 2026, which was presented and discussed at this month’s AGM.
This represents an important step in our ongoing efforts to improve club facilities. The resurfacing will address the issues with courts 4-6, providing members with better playing conditions for years to come.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the AGM discussions on this topic, as your input has been valuable.
We Need Your Help: We still need to secure significant funding for this project. If you have experience with grant applications, potential funding sources, or project management skills, please contact a committee member or email club@southbournetennisclub.co.uk.
Meet Coach Makaio!
You’ve probably seen him on court, but did you know Mak achieved his LTA Level 2 tennis coach qualification at the end of 2024. He has been volunteering at the club since the age of 10 and is now part of the STC coaching team. Mak has been playing tennis for 13 years and competed at county level.
Makaio is a great addition to the coaching team, with additional experience coaching young players with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Mak is available for private 1-to-1 lessons for all ages and abilities and advanced hitting sessions for competitive players.
For more info contact: Makaio (Mak) Brown, makaiojbrown@gmail.com, 07472 482575
Club Champs 2025
- Mon evening: 2 courts for Club session, 1 court for Club Champs matches
- Tue evening: 1 court for Club Champs matches from Team Practice session (when no home match is scheduled)
- Wed evening: 4 courts for Club session, 1 court for Club Champs matches
- Thu evening: 2 courts for Club session, 1 court for Club Champs matches
- Sun morning: 4 courts for Club session, 1 court for Club Champs matches
Dink, Smash and Stay Out of the Kitchen — Sunday Pickleball is Back!
Open Pickleball Sessions — Come and see what all the hype is about!
Starting: 4th May
Sundays: 2pm to 4pm
Pickleball is officially the fastest-growing sport in the world and now it’s back at Southbourne! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, our weekly Open Play sessions are the perfect way to get involved.
Pickleball blends the best parts of tennis, badminton, and table tennis into one fast-paced, social, and seriously addictive game. It’s easy to learn, fun for all ages and abilities, and all equipment is provided. Just bring yourself!
Come along, have a go, and see why millions of people are picking up a paddle.
Upcoming Events
On Saturday 14th June, Southbourne Tennis Club will host the second Dorset Volunteers Day. This event is held to celebrate tennis volunteers and share good practice across the tennis community.
We are very proud to announce that the LTA President, Sandi Proctor, will be taking time out of her packed schedule to visit on the day.
Lucy Shuker, Paralympic multi-medallist will also be on court helping Dave Sanger with disability tennis.
If you would like any further information, please reach out to us at club@southbournetennisclub.co.uk.
2025 AGM
The 2025 AGM took place on Monday 28th April. Please get in touch if you have any questions. If you want to catch up on anything presented at this years AGM, then you can find relevant documents here: AGM Documents
Committee Pillars & Leads
Interested in getting involved?
Reach out to a committee member or email us at club@southbournetennisclub.co.uk
WE ARE SOUTHBOURNE TENNIS CLUB
Iford Lane, Bournemouth, Dorset BH6 5NF
club@southbournetennisclub.co.uk
Telephone: 01202 434044
Please note, phone isn’t always manned so please leave a message and someone will get back to you.
Charity Number: 1185919
Company no: 00841056
The Chatter-box
New Tuesday Afternoon Adult Club Session
Open Adult Club Session
Duration: April & May
Tuesday: 2pm to 4pm
Following the earlier announcement on 23rd March, we’re trialling a new adult club session throughout April and May. It runs every Tuesday from 2pm to 4pm and is open to adult members of all standards.
We’d love to see you there so come along and help make this new session a success!
Meet Noemi From Vitalcare Physiotherapy
You may have seen Noemi at the club or been treated by her already. Here is a little bit about Noemi:
My name is Noemi, I’m a fully qualified physiotherapist and personal trainer and I’m here to help you prevent injuries, improve mobility, and strengthen key muscle groups to boost your game. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or aiming to sharpen your competitive edge, I’ll support you with personalised plans designed to meet your goals. Step onto the court feeling stronger, more agile, and ready to play your best!
Services Offered: Physiotherapy, Fitness Classes, Personal Training, Assisted Stretching
Your Club, Your Courts — Join The Maintenance Crew!
If you are interested in helping with odd jobs and ongoing maintenance at the club, the committee have collated a list at the below link which is a live list being updated by the committee as jobs are identified or completed:
https://tinyurl.com/STC-facilities-todo
If you can pickup any of these jobs, please let us know.
If you are interested in the Facilities role on the Committee please register your interest by sending an email to club@southbournetennisclub.com.
COURT SIDE NEWS
Court Brushing
Courts 1-3 were recently re-sanded, therefore please ensure you use the brushes by Court 1 to brush the courts before and/or after you play, this will ensure the sand remains evenly distributed across the courts and helps protect the surface from uneven wear.
Use of Club Balls
When using the Courts outside of designated club session play, please ensure you are using your own tennis balls. Club balls should only be utilised for designated club sessions and club matches.
'OUT!'
SAFEGUARDING
At STC we strive to ensure that all children, and any young people and adults at risk, are not subjected to any form of abuse, and have a really enjoyable experience at the Club.
If anyone ever has any concerns regarding the welfare of any member would you please inform the Safeguarding Officer, Celia Barron (celiabarron@yahoo.com) or the Head Coach, David Sanger (davesanger@gmail.com)
CLUB STRATEGY – SECURING OUR FUTURE, STARTING TODAY
This is just one design, but imagine each time we want to present social media content we have to grapple with how to place this long name before we start. This is one reason many companies opt for shorter names like Nike, Uber, Zara, Tesla, Lush to name just a few.
When using a long name such as Southbourne Tennis Club, the name either takes up a lot of premium advertising space, or the name ends up squashed in or in a small font, both leading to a less premium look.
HOWEVER! – WE ARE IN LUCK!
We are lucky that many local businesses in Southbourne have adopted the term SOBO as their abbreviation; SOBO Fish, SOBO Sommelier, SOBO Beach etc . This gives a great opportunity to adopt a short abbreviated brand much more practical for punchy social media campaigns on smaller devices. The added benefit is the brand awareness has already been established on what SOBO stands for. And better still, we have already secured the trademark for SOBO Tennis™.
Looking ahead this could play a role in supporting the future of the club, allowing us to connect with a younger membership audience. It is important to note that this abbreviated brand would be used alongside Southbourne Tennis Club on larger platforms, it is not intended to replace it.
Good idea? – have your say below!
Do you have brand experience? Get in touch club@southbournetennisclub.com
HAVE YOUR SAY
Let us know your thoughts on adopting SOBO Tennis™ as an abbreviated brand, or if you have any other comments or ideas: