Avonhead Tennis

About the club

In a quiet park, surrounded by sheltering trees……. Avonhead Tennis Club is set in a quiet tree lined park, well away from road noise. The park (called Crosbie Park) is adjacent to the Christchurch New Zealand northwest suburbs of Avonhead and Hyde park. In this area underground water springs rise to the surface to form the Avon River that meanders through the city; hence the name Avonhead.	Which Christchurch? The garden city of New Zealand. Surf beaches on the eastern edge, Ski fields an hour to West and alluvial plains between, the ideal base for tennis.
	Play on a mid-winters Saturday afternoon. Christchurch is typically dry, still and about 8-14º C on a winter’s afternoon
Courts The club has 6 courts, 4 of which have high quality synthetic grass. Two courts are laid (January 2009) in a rubberised acrylic surface; perhaps the ‘springiest’ outdoor hard courts in Canterbury. Two of the courts have flood-lights and these can be used until 9 p.m. on any day. There is a small fee for the lights. Facilities The pavilion includes a kitchen, large meeting room and outdoor BBQ area. There is a secure small playground for young children which can be easily monitored by parents while they are playing tennis. There is good parking all around the courts. The courts have an automatic lock and visitors will need to pay the casual fee to a committee member or coach if present, or pay the fee into the unlocking ‘slot’ machine. Fees are described on another page. Members The club has approximately 300 members of whom about 120 are Seniors (over 18 years) and 180 are Juniors. The club caters for any age group and skill level. There are about 25 Junior interclub teams (of 4 to 6 players). In 2006-07 season, Avonhead had the most teams in the Canterbury inter-club finals, in proportion to the number of teams entered. The seniors have about 8 interclub teams. In most years, several teams win or reach the finals of their divisions. Coaching and player development Avonhead has a resident coach (Shane Tainui) and an extensive programme to develop the skills of younger tennis players. Avonhead is rare amongst tennis clubs in that there is organised mid-week tennis for Juniors. On Tuesdays, from 3.30pm to 5 pm children aged from 5 to 9 can participate in organised games and from 5 pm to 6 pm, Juniors aged 10 to 17 can participate in organised games. Social Activities The club has a social hour after senior play on Saturdays and regularly the Juniors are hosted with a BBQ. The club organises a highly recreational golf day each year and the typical club end-of-season dinner/dance. The mid-week players often conclude a morning’s tennis with a lunch or BBQ.	Major Financial Supporters The club is very fortunate to receive some vital grants from community trusts and ‘gaming charities’. We are pleased to acknowledge the support of