Page 57 - She's One Crazy Lady!

Give me a ball
I can thank Dad for my love of sport, both watching it and playing
it. Always wanting a boy, I suppose my ‘awkward’ arrival on this
planet disappointed him, although I believe I made up for this as “ far as sport was concerned because from a very early age, Dad
and I shared a common bond of enjoying any sport that involved
a ball. Whenever we had quality time together we would always
have a selection of balls on hand and whenever there was time
we played football, tennis, cricket and whatever other games
we made up. For many years, when I lived at home, Dad and
I would stay up on a Saturday night to watch Match of the Day,
Mum having taken herself off for some peace and quiet. Dad
always did the Pools so on Saturdays and after work he couldn’t
wait to check them, although I can’t ever remember him winning
anything.
Give me a ball and I was happy! When I was eight it was arranged for me to have tennis lessons at Wicksteed Park, at a time when they used to have a huge practice wall and courts, somewhere near the top of the park. I took to it straight away. It was only when we moved to Wellingborough and after I had coaching from our games and PE teacher at St. Peter’s that I took up tennis seriously. To join a tennis club, I remember having to be nominated by the committee and ‘played in’ at Wellingborough Tennis Club that used to be in Hatton Park Road – red clay courts that ruined the obligatory white kit that had to be worn. Thankfully, I was accepted and from the age of 14. I didn’t look back. As the club was in walking distance of where I
lived, I spent all my spare time there and befriended
many people, old and young, and was soon involved
in competitive league play and the world of ladies and
mixed doubles tournaments, playing for many clubs
over the years including Earls Barton, Higham Ferrers
and Phipps in Wellingborough, that used to be on the
Doughboy’s football site and often flooded.
Mrs Bean, my Games teacher, worked me hard and was always very encouraging, even giving up part of her lunch breaks to give me coaching, as did some of the older members of the club, and I was elated when I was invited to attend county coaching sessions
Mrs Bean, my
Games teacher,
worked me
hard and was
always very
encouraging,
even giving up
part of her lunch
breaks to give me
coaching. ”
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