From the brink to breakthrough – the tennis club serving up a community revival

Lighting the way with National Lottery support

A big problem the club faced was a lack of floodlighting. In the winter months, evening court time was simply non-existent. To find a solution, in 2022 the club applied for a Sport Wales grant and were awarded £35,000 of National Lottery funding via Sport Wales’ Be Active Wales Fund to literally light up the club. 

But the floodlights were only the start. 

Social sessions

Michaela McDonald was a relative newcomer to tennis, having only picked up a racket for the first time in midlife, but she quickly became an integral figure to Pen-y-Ffordd’s story.

She suggested to the club’s committee that they should start running social sessions aimed at beginners and less advanced players. Thanks to word of mouth and low-key advertising, it was obvious that local appetite for social tennis sessions was high.  

Increasing women and girls’ participation

The club wanted to increase their number of women and girls, and Head Coach Mike Herd felt they needed a female coach to lead the way. 

Michaela stepped up, training in 2023 to become a Level 2 qualified coach thanks to a £1,900 National Lottery grant, also awarded by Sport Wales. 

Women initially joined for social play. Inspired by Michaela, they quickly gained confidence, made friends, and even began competing against local clubs.

Mike and Michaela have also attended countless courses to better understand how to encourage more women and girls on court.

As a result, Michaela now runs girls-only coaching sessions, focusing on teamwork and confidence rather than competition. And it’s really netted some gains in female participation with girls return to the courts every week with friends in tow. 

Mike said: “We gained insight into girls’ preferences, needs, and barriers to participation, which has allowed us to tailor sessions to be more inclusive and engaging. This understanding will help us continue to grow our membership and ensure that tennis remains accessible and enjoyable for everyone in the community.”

Getting even more people playing tennis

Mike and Michaela aren’t stopping here. Their eyes are on the future and how they can help even more people to benefit from tennis. Mike has already set up a walking tennis session and has more plans in the pipeline.

Future plans include:

• Disability tennis.
• A bespoke tennis programme for people living with Parkinson’s.  

Gone are the empty courts and the struggling club. Pen-y-Ffordd Tennis Club is transformed and is making a winning return to the community.  

Support your community through sport

Thinking of helping people in your community thrive through sport? Like Pen-y-Ffordd Tennis Club, the Be Active Wales Fund could help your club provide opportunities for people of all abilities.