About Us
Desford Tennis club was first established in 2008, we started out with just two gravel courts and a lean-to. However, due to the energetic instigation of Gillian Jurenko ably assisted by Jim and Sue Houghton and the Hand Family, we quickly had three courts, all resurfaced, floodlights and a brick built clubhouse. The latter was officially opened by our own Leicestershire Tennis Pro, Mark Cox in 2015. In the past few years we have grown in size, with the addition of two multi use courts for tennis and other sports such as netball and football. Alec Matty, our head coach and his father Harry Matty, have been a staple to growing our club membership and encouraging people to play in the Leicestershire leagues, where we have two ladies teams, three men’s teams and two mixed teams in terms of adult play. We also have strong junior teams; Mini Orange (7+ yrs) Mini Green (9+yrs) which are mixed, boys 12u, 14u, 16u and 18u, and girls 14u.
Desford Lawn Tennis Club offers an extensive range of sessions for all ages, abilities and backgrounds, with sessions supported through strong connections with local businesses and members volunteering. These volunteers epitomise dedication and commitment, ensuring all players have positive experiences at the club. Specific sessions include a group for older players with hearing and visual impairment, those with new hips and knees, a group for those with learning disabilities, tournaments for players on the autism spectrum from local schools, and a group for players and their families who are affected by cancer. Desford Lawn Tennis Club wants to make a difference to people's lives through making tennis accessible to anyone who wants to play it. They do this by working in partnership with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and the Borough Sport and Health Alliance by designing and running programmes that target and support people who may initially feel tennis is not for them. These players quickly see that tennis is not only great fun but improves player’s health, wellbeing and fitness, along with providing a social group who support one another and they soon feel part of the club.
'It's a fantastic club that we love being a part of - friendly, inclusive and affordable, quickly spring to mind. I joined after my children started playing, having never picked up a tennis racket before and was made to feel very welcome. Fast forward over ten years later and we are still playing socially and also competitively. The club has gone from strength to strength, but it's nurturing core values have remained the same. I'm proud to be a member of such a great club and have made some lovely friends along the way'
Sally, Eve & Charlie Coope
"I have been a member of Desford Tennis club ever since the start, and have seen it grow from being a small two court venue with no teams to an established club with great coaching facilities. During that growth, it has always maintained its philosophy of being friendly, welcoming, inclusive and reasonably priced."
Steve Fryer