The Sportsmatch Herts Mini Tennis Trail was set up across the County to enable budding tennis players in schools within the County to have the opportunity to experience tennis and maybe have the chance to enter into regular tennis at their local club.

Herts LTA have introduced this venture following the succesful launch of their 3-year "Pathway to Tarbes" scheme in 2007, which is geared towards the best quaility 8 and under players across the County, and provides them with subsidised quality tennis coaching.

The aim of the Sportsmatch Herts Mini Tennis Trail is to enable a young budding tennis player the opportunity to access tennis at their local club. And futher enabling selected players a subsidised programme at that local club. This means that tennis, historically an expensive sport, to compete with other sports for the talented and enthusiastic tennis players, and perhaps the next British Tennis Star!!

The trail works across a number of stages:

• Qualified and licensed coaches enter 128 schools across the County during the spring and offer 'taster' sessions to year 1 students. They will also provide information on local follow-on tennis opportunities at their tennis club/centre
• Tennis Festivals are then held across the summer months at local tennis clubs. The clubs will provide the young tennis players and their families with some fun tennis, and tennis related activities. They will also inform attendees of playing opportunities in the future
• From the festival days, 8 players will be selected to attend subsidised coaching sessions (£1.50 each) for 35 weeks. In addition there will be parent and coach support. The most able players in these coaching sessions may be further selected to attend talent days in connection with the Pathway to Tarbes squads

It is the most exciting and ambitious tennis development programme
ever run in the County...and is unrivalled nationally.

Participating Clubs and Contacts in Hertfordshire
Please call your local venue to see when their Festival Day is...

Batchwood TC, Batchwood Drive, St Albans AL3 5XA – Neale Proud 07971 963472
Berkhamsted, Broadwater, Lower Kings Rd, HP4 2AL – Chris Stringer 07766 707686
Broxbourne, Mill Lane Close, Broxbourne EN10 7BA – Mike Seymour 07956 324540
Buntingford TC, Bowling Green Lane – Liz Wade 07930 576021
Cassiobury, The Gardens, Cassiobury Estate, Watford WD1 3DT – Angie Gunn 07745 989123  
Croxley, The Green, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth – Wayne McDonald 07957 755540
Elstree, Aldenham Road, Elstree WD6 3BB – Roberto Domizi 07850 719079
Gosling TC, Gosling Sports Park, Stanborough Rd, WGC AL8 6XE – Monica Becerra 07702 211959
Hertford, Hartham Common, Hertford – Andrew McNeil 07899 965959
Hoddesdon, Beech Walk, Lowfield, Hoddesdon EN11 8NS – Cliff Devonshire 07709 355655
Legends, Haileybury College, Hertford SG13 7NU – Sheila Langley  07718 352732
Letchworth, Muddy Lane, Letchworth Gdn City SG6 3TB – Steve Shea 07813 296353
Leverstock Green, Grasmere Close, Leverstock Green, HP3 8QZ – Paul Dent 01442 393393
Northaw & Cuffley, Northaw Road, Cuffley EN6 4LU – Mandy Bishop 07767 205627
Odyssey, Old Knebworth Lane, Stevenage SG2 8DU – Sarah Jackson 07966 575511
Potters Bar, The Walk, Potters Bar, EN6 1PS – Karl Mills 07939 303483
Radlett, 425 Watling Street, Radlett WD7 7JG – Anthony Searle 07786 211905
Sawbridgeworth, Townfields, Off Springhall Road CM21 9ET – Ian Zellner  07798 754642
Townsend, 8 Waverley Road, St Albans AL3 5PA – Matt Foster 07780 533337
Welwyn, The Playing Fields, Ottway Walk, Welwyn AL6 9AT – Mark Howard 01438 717990