Yorkshire’s Reuben Newman-Billington named Young Person of the Year at 2021 LTA Tennis Awards
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Reuben Newman-Billington has been crowned a national winner at the prestigious LTA Tennis Awards for his inspirational work in tennis.
The Sheffield tennis trailblazer, 18, scooped the LTA’s Young Person of the Year Award after enjoying an outstanding 2020 and being instrumental in the development of players across Yorkshire.
Newman-Billington, who operates at Graves Tennis Centre, has adapted creatively to the demands of the pandemic, shown consistent innovation and been a true team player and leader throughout the last 12 months.
He coaches players before and after school, volunteers at the weekends and regularly helps organise competitions. During lockdown, he set daily tennis tasks which included quizzes, artwork competitions and physical challenges for over 50 families to do at home.
Newman-Billington was announced as the winner British tennis player and LTA Youth Ambassador Paul Jubb at a live-streamed awards ceremony presented by Great Britain Davis Cup captain Leon Smith.
The LTA Tennis Awards are now in their sixth year and celebrate the achievements and contributions of outstanding tennis volunteers, coaches, officials, venues and players across the country.
And Newman-Billington was hand-picked as one of 16 national winners recognised at the awards ceremony last Thursday, which honoured individuals involved in tennis at grassroots, county, regional and national level.
Nominations were drawn from over 25,000 volunteers, nearly 5,000 coaches and 1,000 officials, 22,000 schools, nearly 3,000 clubs and over 9,000 LTA approved tournaments, with Newman-Billington recognised for his inspirational work in the Yorkshire region.
The quality and quantity of the nominations demonstrate outstanding work that has been done in tennis through the pandemic and David Rawlinson, LTA President, said: “The LTA Tennis Awards are a real celebration of the people that make our sport thrive.
“They celebrate the achievements made by outstanding volunteers, coaches, officials, venues and players, who are all vital in helping us to grow the game.
“The past year has been challenging for everyone, but to see the tremendous positive contributions the nominees have made to the sport and to their communities has been tremendously uplifting.”
National Runners Up
Katie McKay
Scotland’s Katie McKay promoted tennis in local primary schools, delivering taster sessions and inspiring children to join her club. Katie helps as an assistant coach planning and leading lessons three nights a week and during holiday camps. The 16 year-old created 24 videos throughout lockdown with “stay at home” challenges for children.
Beth Groves
Beth Groves volunteers four days a week at her club in Devon, helped establish a girls’ only tennis group and acts as a mentor to a young coach. During lockdown the 17-year-old convinced her club’s committee to renovate the clubhouse, raising most of the funds herself, and created weekly home workout videos and competitions for all children to take part in.
LTA Young Person of the Year 2021 – National Shortlist
- Sebastian Griffiths from Whitchurch Tennis Centre in Wales
- Beth Groves from St Budeaux [pronounced St Budo] Tennis Club in Devon
- Joe Harris from Ashby Castle in Leicestershire
- Katie McKay from Wormit & Newport Tennis Club in Scotland
- Reuben Newman-Billington from Graves Tennis Centre in Yorkshire
- Georgia Routledge from Tennis For Life in Norfolk
- Kati Rust from Bromley Tennis Centre in Kent
