FUTURE CHAMPIONS? Tennis Coach Picks Two

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 19

FUTURE CHAMPIONS? Tennis Coach Picks Two

(.Vew Zealand Press Association?

WELLINGTON.

Two young tennis girls—the 14-year-old Miss M. Pryde (Wellington) and the 16-year-old Miss S. Caldwell (Wairarapa)—have been singled out for natural ability and future potential by Mrs T. Long, a leading Australian coach.

Mrs Long was brought to New Zealand last month by the Lawn Tennis Association to coach 10 top junior girls in the 14-16 age group.

Her report was tabled at last evening’s meeting of the association's management committee.

Mrs Long has put forward

four suggestions to raise the standard of tennis in New Zealand, and particularly the standard of women’s tennis: Promotion of interest in the game with increased facilities and well-organised competitions, especially for juniors.

Obtaining indoor facilities in the winter when the climate is unsuitable.

Provision of top class professional coaching for selected groups of promising juniors. Wider promotion, where practical, of competitive playAustralian tournaments could be used more as a training ground for New Zealand teams and selected promising players. The juniors in Mrs Long’s group were J. Bishop and R. Dillon (Canterbury), S. Caldwell (Wairarapa), S. Collins (Southland), J. Chatfield, R. Russell and P. Hern (Auckland), M. Pryde (Wellington), M. Donaldson (Northland), and C. Ritchie (Waikato). Mrs Long has also advised the New Zealand association that she is available for coaching during the August-Sep-tember school holidays and from early December to early February.