Tennis Scotland Special Award 2013
Merchiston Castle School welcomed Ian Conway, Vice President of Tennis Scotland, to a school assembly last week to present the Tennis Academy with the Tennis Scotland Special Award 2013. He spoke about the achievements throughout the age groups in the Academy and how the boys had impressively fought their way into the national schools’ tennis arena to become real contenders. Mr Conway also mentioned the esteemed career of Head Coach, Marcel du Coudray, who has worked with top ATP player Nikolay Davydenko since 2006, helping him reach his career high ranking of number 3 on the ATP world rankings. Marcel’s level of professionalism and intensity is undoubtedly something that has contributed to the success of the Tennis Academy. Recently, achievements include: U15 team became National Schools Tennis Champions 2013 and Scottish Schools’ Tennis Champions 2013. Merchiston says is delighted to receive this national recognition.
The Tennis Academy at Merchiston
Merchiston established Scotland’s first Tennis Academy in 2007 with 12 boys and girls. Since then it has grown to around twice that size. These young players attend Merchiston and St George’s Schools in Edinburgh (some boarding, some day pupils), where they pursue a full academic timetable while receiving a top class tennis programme, using Merchiston’s facilities.
Students are invited to join the elite group within the Tennis Academy following a technical assessment. Pupils are provided with the best possible chance of making their tennis dream come true, and also gain a first-class education. The Tennis Academy is an integral part of the Tennis Scotland Performance Plan, the aim being to develop successful international tennis players. It is the first partnership in Scotland to provide specialised tennis training and a high level education with a specially adapted curriculum. For any aspiring sporting talent, there is always the challenge of balancing the dedication required for sporting excellence with the need to gain a strong education.
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