'B' Team Warm Weather Training Camp 2009

The aim of the tour was to provide structured practice for the B Team in advance of the Inter Services Tournament on 25/26 April.  Although it was intended to be joint men’s/ladies training camp there were no female players available.  The aspiration was therefore to take the entire prospective men’s B Team on tour plus a couple of A team players to boost the standard, and one or two others whose game might develop to B Team level.

The team assembled at Portsmouth Indoor Tennis Centre for a short training session and fixture on Saturday 28th March, and stayed in the Combined Services Accommodation facility at TEMERAIRE overnight before an early departure for Gatwick Airport the following morning.  The purpose was to build team cohesion in plenty of time and to ensure that the entire group travelled to the airport together.

Aphrodite Hills is a purpose built holiday resort equidistant from Paphos and Episokpi.  It comprises a Golf Course, Tennis Academy, Spa, Five Star Hotel and numerous ‘villages’ of apartments and villas offered under ‘time share’ arrangements.  A bed and breakfast rate was arranged with the resort; the team resided in two 3 bedroom (one double, two twin rooms) self catering apartments, each sleeping 5 persons and very well equipped – including a washing machine that ensured clean kit each day.  The apartments were less than ten minutes’ walk from the tennis courts and Golf Clubhouse (where the team took breakfast each morning).  Fuller details of the resort can be found at www.aphroditehills.com

The Tennis Academy possesses 4 hard 4 clay courts – all to a very high standard.  The Tennis Manager and Head Pro were most helpful and accommodating from the outset.  The team had full and free access to the hard courts at all times, and also took the opportunity to play on clay on one of the later days.  The training times were initially scheduled for 11-1300 and 14-1600, however midday temperatures forced this to be revised to 0900-1100 and 15-1700.  Each day comprised a mix of drills and match play.  On the third day a match was held against a local team from Episkopi who fielded 3 doubles pairs.  Though some matches were fairly close the RN team prevailed, winning 8-1.

A strong accolade should go to Cpl Greg Andrews who led the coaching.  His method was popular and effective, and was pitched at exactly the right level for the mix of ability and appetite amongst the team.  The tour was subsidised by the RN Sports Lottery Fund and the RNLTA.

The tour made it into May's Navy News - click here to see the article.