Summer Tennis Open 2023

ARC Summer Open

The ARC Summer Open for Adults and Juniors continued this year in its usual week. And what a week in the sun came our way! There were 30 different events, 9 days of competition, 200 entrants, over 400 matches played and competitors aged from 6 to 80! The week began with Mens and Ladies Vets doubles on a very hot May afternoon. U8 doubles attracted just  2 pairs, most of whom were playing their first doubles competition of their life! What a final it was! The enthusiasm was contagious and competitiveness ran high as the tiebreak was finally decided on 10-8. If you want to see good volleying, come and see these children in action when they play in another event! On a similar theme there were also U9 and U10 doubles. Thursday saw 60 children U10 on site for all the singles events, and for the first time ever we were able to have separate boys and girls events these could not have happened without the help of our great team of Junior volunteers who were on court scoring:  Nick, James, Lucas, Ryan, Heidi, Jayden, Arlo, Jack, Michael and Euan.

Events for older juniors were well supported and the compass draws meant that everyone found their own level in the end. It was great to attract enough girls to hold both singles and doubles events this year. Children travelled from as far away as the Lake District, Wales and Kent to compete here. A record 35 children from ARC entered

ARC players who claimed trophies:

U8 Singles  Winner Boris Lobato RU Marlow Murray

U8 Doubles Winners Henry Maukonen & Zeon Storkey RU William Lethem Gent & Oli Wild

U9 Doubles Winners Boris Lobato and Rufus Underwood

U10 Boys Singles RU Iseo Gould

U10 Girls Singles Winner Amelia Crighton

U10 Doubles  Ru Amelia Crighton & Iseo Gould

U12 Girls Singles RU Heidi Clarke

U14 Girls Doubles  Winners  Lily Bridger & Heidi Clarke

U16 Boys Singles RU Euan Greenslade

U18 Boys Doubles RU Euan Greenslade

Winsome Trophy for Most Improved and successful ARC Junior in this tournament Boris Lobato

The adult tournament did not disappoint with its late night doubles of a very high standard, spectators wrapped in blankets and the toasties and drinks going down well. Again competition was fierce, both from the home club and visitors from away.

ARC players who won trophies:

Mens’ Singles  Lewie Parker

Ladies Singles RU Niamh Ramsay

Mens Doubles Winners Dan & Alex Grigg RU Dan Lobato

Ladies Doubles Winners  Lottie Miles & Niamh Ramsay RU Sue Donegan

Mens Vets’ Singles RU John Norman

Mixed Doubles Vets’ Winners Ian Leonard & Cath Andrews RU Phil Yabsley

Ladies Vets’ Winner  Sue Donegan RU Sarah Powell & Marian Vinall

Mens Vets’ Winners Dave Thresher & Phil Yabsley RU Simon Trapnell & Martyn Beer

Junior Sportsmanship award – Troy Eales & Noah Williams

If you missed out on all the fun this time, make sure you enter the next weeklong tournament which is the ARC Winter Open October 21st to 29th – save the date now!

Remember all events are either Compass Draw or Round Robin so you get to play 3 or 4 matches and only need to commit one or 2 days/evenings!

Squash & Racketball Courts Opening 12th June

We’re extremely proud to be finally opening our 2 brand new glass back Squash & Racketball courts on Monday 12th June 2023.

The courts are long awaited and will become the only publicly available courts in North Devon after the closure of the courts at North Devon Leisure Centre last year.

The courts will be available to be booked from 8am – 9pm on weekdays, 8am – 5pm Saturdays and 9am – 4pm Sundays with equipment hire provided for just £1 per racquet for those who need it. As with everything at the centre, you won’t need a membership to use the courts with prices starting at just £5.00 for 30 minutes, however using one of our great membership packages will be by far the best and cheapest way to access the centre with prices dropping to as low as £3 per 30 minutes for Unlimited Racquet members. The new Squash & Racketball Racquet package will offer a 30% discount on the base court rate of £10 off-peak/ £15 peak along with a host of other benefits. 

This eagerly anticipated facility completes the planned racquet sport offering at the centre and it’s hoped that interest in Squash will be very high. The completed facility will feature a multi-sports hall/event space and community café which is set to be completed in 2024 once the final funds have been raised.

ARC is a community charity with the aim of making racquet sports & fitness accessible and affordable to all local people. In this sense our skilled and engaging team will be embarking on a formal community launch of the Squash & Racketball courts in September which will see local schools, disability centres and community groups all being invited to sample the new courts and learn to play Squash & Racketball in a fun and supportive environment. As part of this community launch the centre is planning a free open day and exhibition evening on Saturday 2nd September which will see professional Squash players from across the country visit the centre to play a series of exhibition matches and offer free coaching & inspiration to anyone who comes along.

      
Our staff team spent some time this week experiencing the courts for themselves and ensuring they are ready to answer your questions on our new offering.

We’re really hoping that you, our existing community, will be keen to get involved and try the new courts between now and September as part of our ‘soft launch’. We’ve had huge interest in Squash since it was first proposed we install courts many years ago and we’re thrilled to finally be able to make Squash available to you our members & users and the wider community of Torridge & North Devon. It’s testament to the extremely hard work of many of our volunteers, and the continued support of our many funders, that this has been achieved. We’re also particularly excited to be able to introduce Racketball, also known as Squash57, a slower more accessible version of the sport that is perfect for those just starting out, or those who are less mobile. Please do drop in to the centre anytime after the 12th to have a look at the courts or book a court and give them a go yourself.

Find out more about the courts, memberships and how you can get involved here - https://www.atlanticracquetcentre.co.uk/squash-racketball

Here you can see members of our staff team sampling the courts and learning about the new offering ready to answer all of your questions.

Do Something Different!

This month we held loads of Do Something Different events to raise awareness of Mental Health! Our Staff & Volunteers generously gave up their time to run all these events that they themselves love doing!

Doing something different for just 60 minutes with other people can have a huge impact on your health & wellbeing and in particular your mental health. Exercising, socialising & learn a new skill are all fantastic ways to improve your mental health!

Below are a few photos from several of the events!

LTA ARTICLE: how a North Devon racket and fitness centre reached the heart of its community

 
 

ARC have recently been featured on the LTA website as a case study for inclusivity and volunteering opportunities. The article delves into all the amazing community opportunities, partnerships and events our staff and volunteers have worked to create over the recent months and years.

We are incredibly proud to be seen as a leading light within our community and this is certainly something we will continue to work and grow.

Read the full article here:

“Located on Devon’s North Coast, Atlantic Racquet Centre (ARC) are defining what it really means to be a sports centre at the heart of the community…”

ARC Success in Vernon Weaver


Rupert George, Lewie Parker, Tom Vinall, Alex Grigg, Sally Rana, Lottie Koval, Nicole Wickett, Anoushka Lynd

2023 saw the return of the Vernon Weaver competition after a 4 year break due to Covid. The event was held at ARC for the first time and marked the 40th Anniversary of the tournament which sees the League Winners from East Devon, Plymouth, Exeter and North Devon compete against each other in both Ladies and Mens Tennis.

The men lost the toss and played outside. A strong David Lloyd team beat Budleigh 3-1 whilst ARC defeated the Devonshire 3-1.

In the Ladies event a lengthy battle took place between the Devonshire and David Lloyd with the latter coming out on top 3-1 after winning both Championship tiebreaks.  ARC gained their place in the Final by  defeating  Sidmouth  4-0.

The finals did not disappoint. Great tennis was on display in the Men’s event. ARC came out on top beating David Lloyd 3-1 with ARC 1st pair of Lewie Parker and Rupert George unbeaten all day without dropping a set.  In a high standard Ladies final. ARC  also went on to win, beating David Lloyd by one set.

Easter Holiday Camps are open for booking

 
 

Tennis & Badminton Activity Camps

3rd-5th April & 10th-12th April

Our popular Holiday Tennis & Badminton Camp is a fun-filled 3-day activity week that’s overflowing with great games, serious skills, terrific teamwork, and continuous competition! Whether you are booking them in for a half-day, a full day or all 3 days they’re bound to come home absolutely exhausted and with huge smiles on their faces! The large age group is split down the middle depending on who’s attending each session meaning the older kids get to style it out together whilst the younger ones are kept bouncing!  We provide all the equipment so just send them along with trainers and a drink. If they’re doing the full day they’ll need a packed lunch to eat in our supervised lunch break at 12pm. If you have any questions at all or special requirement don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Book on to: 
a Half-Day,
a Whole Day,
a Full 3 Days.

Mini Red Camps - Tuesday 4th & 11th April

Our classic Mini Red Camp is a super fun filled hour of games, skills work and competition. As well as playing lots of Tennis, your child will play loads of exciting games aimed at improving their co-ordination, balance and agility whilst having loads of fun.

Invitational Performance Camps - 6th & 13th April

Our junior and mini performance camps are intensive 2-hour training sessions aimed at some of our most advanced players in both mini tennis age groups and yellow ball. The session is invitation only and will include strength and conditioning work, speed work, intensive drills, focused 1:1 coach time and match play.

Family Cup 2023

The Family Cup tournament recently held at ARC was an uplifting event that brought together nine pairs of players. The tournament was played on Mini Tennis courts, and the players used sponge balls to showcase their skills and techniques.

The players were all enthusiastic about the event, and it was great to see them coming together to bond and enjoy a day of friendly competition. Each pair competed in eight matches, and every player was cheering on their own, creating a wonderful and supportive atmosphere.

The players' commitment and passion were inspiring, and it was evident that they had all put in a lot of effort to prepare for the tournament. The competitive spirit on display was a testament to their dedication and love for the game, and it made the event a resounding success.

At the end of the tournament, one pair emerged victorious, with Dan and Rudi taking home the coveted Family Cup trophy with Jayden and Oscar being the runners up! However, every family had something to be proud of, having had a great day out playing tennis and enjoying time with their loved ones.

The next Family Cup tournament will be held in September, and we're excited to see even more players come together to play and compete in this fun-filled event.

Half Term Adult Coaching Sessions - What's on (and What's not!)

 
 

Our regular coaching programs take a break next week for half term, but there is still plenty going on at ARC during this week. Here’s a quick summary of what’s going ahead…

Tennis

  • Clubplay Sessions - Tuesday & Friday 7-9pm, Wednesday 10am-12pm

  • Practice & Play - Wednesday ONLY 1-3pm

  • Adult Doubles Clinic - Thursday 7-9pm

Badminton

  • No-Strings - Wednesday 2-4.30pm, Thursday 7-9pm

  • Clubplay Session - Friday 7-9pm

Table Tennis

  • Bat & Chat - Wednesday 2-4.30pm

Fitness Classes

  • All classes during the week going ahead as normal

  • Weightlifting - 8-9am Saturday 18th (No other classes on Saturday 18th Feb*)

  • Functional Fitness - 10am Sunday 19th

*There will be no drop in sessions, coaching or classes for any sport on Saturday 18th Feb (except a Mini Badminton make up session with Alistair, and Weightlifting class with Lottie M) due to a staff training day.

All the above sessions can be booked via Team up (payment is required at time of booking).

Impressive Results from our First Nutrition Workshop

 
 

In January ARC ran it’s first series of Nutrition workshops to help members learn about, and improve their eating habits. The four sessions were run by guest Nutrition Coaches, Frazer and Rachel McArdell each Wednesday evening throughout the month.

The sessions themselves were full of great tips, helpful advice and lots of ‘myth-busting’ science with clear, easy guidelines for the participants to follow. We also had a Facebook group to share recipes and for members to support each other and ask questions of the coaches.

Here’s what one of the attendees had to say:

“The course has been awesome, it’s really made me change up some of my eating habits, which weren’t bad but I’ve definitely needed to make some adjustments. I’ve felt so good through Jan... I’ve had more energy, focus and motivation which has resulted in me not only feeling great but it’s allowed me to really thrive in my work as I run my own business. I’ve also been sleeping really well, averaging 9 hours a night!”
— Kellie Simpson

There is no doubt the course made a real difference to the participants. On average the group lost 2.5kg over the four week period, and 3cm off their waist. It shows what can be achieved with the right help!

“The nutrition course was informative without being too in-depth - the take aways were clear, very achievable and really helped me to understand what our body’s need. Frazer and Rachel were knowledgeable, friendly and very supportive. I look forward to the next one maybe on sports nutrition!”
— Attendee

The course focused on the importance of making good food choices, helping participants identify healthy options and alternatives to sugary and processed foods. Portion sizes were also discussed, and the coaches provides some handy tips for quickly and easily planning meals and their make-up.

Frazer and Rachel talked about good hydration, exercise and physical activity that best supports health and fat loss. These tips really paid off, with everyone losing weight and feeling better as a result of their better nutrition.

“This was a very friendly, supportive and engaged group of like-minded people all wanting to understand more about the relationship between health, exercise, nutrition and hydration. Highly informative and enjoyable weekly group that I would truly recommend.
One negative......only 4 weeks.”
— Attendee

We will certainly be aiming to put on more nutrition courses in the coming months. If this is something you would be interested in, please drop us an email so we can inform you of the dates once confirmed. Future courses will also include a sports nutrition workshop to help you fuel your workouts and racquet sports.

ARC Fitness 1st Birthday!

 
 

ARC Fitness is one year old today and what a year it’s been! We have the best members, staff, volunteers and coaches that make the gym such a fun and friendly place to be everyday. Thank you all!

It’s been great to see everyone working out, socialising, competing, having fun, moving better and of course becoming stronger and fitter this year.

Here’s to the next

ARC Awards Evening

 
 

On Saturday 26th November, ARC held our annual awards Evening. Over 140 people came along to the event, creating a fantastic atmosphere. Throughout the evening, we celebrated over 50 awards and achievements across tennis, badminton and fitness.

Towards the end of the evening we recognised our special award winners and nominees. These included our most improved players for tennis, badminton, fitness and table tennis. The award for the most improved adult and junior with a disability is always a highlight of the evening, and this year these honours went to Randa Gobara and Haiden Kellow.

The team of the Year was awarded to our Ladies Badminton team from 2021 who were put into a men’s league due to lack of ladies entries and still managed to finish mid-table.

Our Community Partner of the Year was the Northam Care Trust for their contributions to people with mental and physical disabilities in Bideford.

Finally Ella Wilson was our Staff Member of the Year for her fantastic dedication and hard work and Simon Trapnell was awarded Volunteer of the Year in recognition of his contributions to ARC’s maintaince team.