The Comet s column in association with Letchworth Tennis Club contains all the news, views and future events at the club Martin Home and Mike Appleboom of Letchworth Tennis Club have become the Herts men s over-55s doubles champions for 2006. The veteran

The Comet's column in association with Letchworth Tennis Club contains all the news, views and future events at the club

Martin Home and Mike Appleboom of Letchworth Tennis Club have become the Herts men's over-55s doubles champions for 2006.

The veteran pair sealed their triumph at Harpenden Tennis Club after navigating the entire draw without dropping a set.

Home and Appleboom have also represented Herts in this year's national inter-county cup.

Letchworth pair Chris Chapman and John Bennett were runners-up in the over-45s age group county finals, losing for the second year running to Harpenden pair Martin Corrie and Neagle Cathcart.

P Letchworth have continued their domination of the Garden City Cup.

The club retained the Reiss Cup for the fifth year running after a comprehensive 5-0 triumph over Welwyn Garden City.

This annual event between the first garden cities pits Letchworth Tennis Club's club champions against winners from the Welwyn GC championships.

John Garland and Wendy Job won the men's and ladies' singles, with Neil Blake and Tim Fitzpatrick (men's doubles), Job and Lynn Higginson-Carter (ladies' doubles) and John Davies and Higginson-Carter (mixed doubles) completing the victory.

P The Letchworth boys' under-16 team became this year's county champs after beating Berkhamsted 5-1 in the final staged at the Muddy Lane club at the weekend.

The team was captained by Scott Lawrence and included new recruit from Australia, Romil Shah, Gurjinder Khera and Nirinder Singh.

P Steve Shea, head of performance at Letchworth, has been awarded the BTCA county award.

This recognises his work with performance players and the development of the coaching programme at Letchworth Tennis Club.

The club's performance programme now caters for more than 20 top club, county and national level players.

This is complemented by a new full-time programme called New Breed Tennis Academy, which provides a complete training programme for full-time tennis players.

It incorporates tennis, fitness, mental training and lifestyle education as well as offering a tutoring service for those players wishing to continue their education.

Shea will be presented with this award at a prize-giving ceremony held at Next Generation in Hatfield next Thursday (November 16). Following this he will be forwarded for nomination for the national award later on in the year.

P Letchworth's mini and junior coaching programme is almost full with only 12 spaces out of a possible 232 available this term.

The club also have a satellite session running at Hitchin on Saturday mornings for six and seven-year-olds, something the club is looking to expand upon in the local area.

If you are interested in joining a course, or would like an assessment before the new year, then call Maddy Walker on 01462 675444.