This article is in recognition of Leisha Keane's extraordinary contribution to Criccieth Tennis Club and to tennis in the community for over five decades. This year (2025), Leisha announced her retirement from coaching, marking the end of an exceptional era of service, dedication, and love for the sport.

Leisha has been part of the club since the 1960s, having first played on the original grass courts as a young teenager. From those early days, she became a vital part of the club’s identity and, ultimately, one of the key figures responsible for ensuring the club survived through difficult times.

Through tireless fundraising efforts, she was part of the group that helped secure the future of one of the oldest tennis clubs in the UK. The resurfacing of the courts and the development of a new clubhouse were ultimately made possible by the sale of the squash courts, an initiative she supported to safeguard tennis in Criccieth for generations to come.

As a coach, Leisha has given more than just her time. She has given consistency, warmth, encouragement, and a profound sense of community. Every season, every week, in all weathers, she coached both adults and juniors from the area.

Her adult groups speak with such fondness of her sessions - how her positivity brought people together, especially in the period after the pandemic, when many were anxious about mixing again. Through her gentle leadership, countless people found confidence, friendship, and joy in returning to the sport.

Her work with juniors has been equally impactful. She organised junior tournaments with great care, ensuring each coaching block culminated in a celebratory event.

These tournaments were always traditional, nostalgic and heartfelt - complete with a classic tennis tea of cakes, biscuits and orange squash. For many children, these memories mirror the timeless experiences of growing up around tennis clubs, and Leisha ensured that tradition lived on.

Her reliability was unmatched. When poor weather made outdoor play impossible, she would move sessions indoors to the local memorial hall for touchtennis. Nothing stopped her from providing opportunities for local people to play and enjoy tennis.

At committee level, Leisha has been a pillar of strength and consistency. As club secretary she has never missed a meeting, always giving her time to administrative work that is so often unseen but absolutely crucial. Her organisational skills, communication and dedication have been central to the club’s smooth running and long-term stability.

Leisha’s own words reflect her lifelong commitment: she became a Life Member in 1980, a Trustee by the late 1980s, and in 2019 achieved her LTA Level 2 Coaching qualification to continue improving the standard of coaching she offered. She has coached generations of players, collaborated with local schools, and nurtured tennis at every level within the community.

Leisha Keane embodies everything this award seeks to recognise. She is kind, loyal, dependable, deeply passionate about the sport, and has given freely of her time, energy and heart for over 30 years. Her legacy at Criccieth Tennis Club is profound and lasting, and her contribution to tennis in the local community is immeasurable.

Diolch yn Fawr, Leisha, from all at the Club past and present X