Double success for Bradfield College and tennis at LTA Awards

We are thrilled to announce that Bradfield has earned double recognition at this year’s LTA National Awards as the College has been nominated for the LTA School of the Year while tennis coach Selena Coburn has been shortlisted for the LTA Official of the Year award. Both nominations followed on from our success at the LTA Regional Awards where Bradfield was named Regional School of the Year and Selena won the Official of the Year for the Central and East Region.

Having initially progressed from more than 250 winners at the county stage of the awards, as regional winners Selena and the College are now on shortlists of three to win the National School of the Year and Official of the Year awards. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton on 4 July.

The award demonstrates the College’s commitment to tennis, a tribute to my excellent team as well as the staff and pupils who oversee and compete in regular tennis matches against other schools.

damian fuller, director of tennis at bradfield college

The awards follow an unprecedented year of sporting success at Bradfield in which the Senior tennis boys won the College’s first ever Independent Schools Tennis Association Youll Cup, the Senior girls won the ISTA Loveband Plate and the Junior boys won the ISTA Springthorpe Cup. Two of the Youll Cup winning side, Tom and Jack, represented an ISTA team at Wimbledon this past summer with Senior girls’ Captain Tina, who earned a Scholarship at an American university, called up as a reserve.

Upon winning LTA Regional School of the Year Damian Fuller, Bradfield’s Director of Tennis, said: “This is the culmination of twelve years of hard work putting Bradfield College firmly on the tennis map. The award demonstrates the College’s commitment to tennis from building the indoor centre in 2000 and the appointment of a Director of Tennis in 2011 to the construction of six world class clay courts in 2017 and the employment of a dedicated tennis coaching team.

“Furthermore, the award is a tribute to my excellent team as well as the staff and pupils of Bradfield College who commit their time to overseeing, playing and competing in regular tennis matches against other schools. I am delighted that all of the aforementioned hard work and commitment has been rewarded with this accolade.”

Together, we have accomplished a great deal and I am proud of the work that we have done.

Selena Coburn, LTA Regional Official of the year

Now in their eighth year, the LTA Tennis Awards celebrate the thousands of individuals involved in tennis and highlight the incredible achievements of some 22,000 schools, 13,000 LTA registered venues and more than 9,000 LTA-approved tournaments which help to grow tennis around the country. The school and Selena were selected as winners from more than 2,200 nominations across 13 different categories, acknowledging outstanding contributions to tennis in 2022.

“I am fortunate to work with some of the most dedicated and talented people here at Bradfield College in the Tennis Centre”, commented Selena upon being named as Regional Official of the Year. “Together, we have accomplished a great deal and I am proud of the work that we have done. I would like to thank my colleagues at the Tennis Centre for their support and encouragement, especially over the last 12 months. I am grateful for this award and I am committed to continuing to work hard to improve the events that we host at Bradfield Tennis Centre.”

Scott Lloyd, Chief Executive of the LTA, commenting on this year’s regional winners via the LTA website, said: “The contributions the nominees have made to the sport are tremendously positive. We are delighted to celebrate their amazing dedication to the game and all they do for their communities.”