Club Spotlight: There's tennis for all at Montrose
• 3 MINUTE READ
A strong sense of community can be found at our 2024 Tennis For All Award winner, Montrose Tennis Club, which has brought tennis into the lives of many in the town.
With six floodlit, all-weather courts and two mini courts, the club has become a hub of activity for its 273 members, with inclusivity at the forefront of their outlook.
In addition to sessions for everyone from beginners to advanced players and cardio tennis, an over 65s group has become a staple of what Montrose has to offer.
In 2023, the group tripled in size, attracting many who had never played tennis before or since their youth. Given the struggles of the Covid pandemic, many locals who had become isolated found that the club’s offering improved their mental health.
Club President Maggie Hodges said: “Many of the 65s group travel from 20 miles away to take part - it is as much about a bit of exercise and playing tennis as it is about social interaction.
“This group has become very socially active, outside of playing tennis. They are more physically active and their mental health has certainly improved - they are a joy to be around.”
Residents of the nearby Adam Centre regularly make their way onto the mini courts and are often joined by toddlers from the Little Beehive Nursery, which makes for fun interactions between generations.
Fundraisers are a big part of what makes the Montrose community so strong. Club juniors raise money for Red Nose Day and Children in Need, as well as holding supermarket bag packs to fund activities and equipment. Members can also nominate one charity each year; just recently, adults and juniors took part in a mini-red tournament to raise money for The Edinburgh Transplant Team.
The club focuses on grassroots tennis with taster sessions, welcoming primary three pupils from local schools for six weeks of tennis, concluding with a tennis festival for all pupils, the most recent featuring 160 children.
Additionally, coach-led sessions took place in spring for 30 children with learning difficulties, helped by volunteers from the club who have done their Disability Activator training. With positive feedback from schools and parents, Montrose hopes to continue these sessions this autumn.
Competition is also part of the club, where an annual box league has attracted more than 50 singles players, while the new doubles box league has 20 players already competing regularly.
Competitive tennis goes beyond the club as Montrose fields teams in the Tayside leagues with members representing three men’s teams, three women’s teams and three junior teams.
And the club recently hosted its annual North Angus Tournament which usually attracts approximately 260 players from around the country. This year’s edition saw North of Scotland representative and Montrose’s own Cameron Fryer win the men’s singles.
In the meantime, tennis is open to all at Montrose as the club looks ahead to celebrating its centenary in 2025.
Membership
- Adult/Senior 12 month: £137.50
- Adult/Senior 6 month: £90
- Child 12 month: £37.50
- Family 12 month: £290
- Junior 12 month: £53.50
- Mini 12 month: £15
- Single parent 12 month: £150
- Student 12 month: £65
Click here to find out more about Montrose Tennis Club.
