YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE SITE OF WHAT IS REPORTED TO BE THE LARGEST LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION IN THE U.K
THE LEIGH & WESTCLIFF L.T.A.
SPONSORED BY STEGGLES & CO. FINANCIAL ADVISERS
(click for the Steggles website)
Welcome to our Website
This web site will be updated on a daily basis and offers you the following:-
HOME & HISTORY -- Home Page & Early History of the L.&.W.
WHAT WE OFFER -- The Details of our Tennis Activities
THE COMMITTEE -- Profile of The L.&.W. Committee Members
AFFILIATED CLUBS -- The Seventeen Clubs in the Association
EVENT CALENDAR -- The 2009 Diary
LEAGUE TABLES -- Summer & Winter League Charts
MATCH SET SCORES -- Daily Update of Set Scores
JUNIOR TABLES -- Our Junior League Charts
TOURNAMENTS DRAWS -- The Championship Draws & Entry Form
FIXTURES -- The Current Summer or Winter Fixtures
THE FULL RULES -- Play by the Rules, you now have them
GUESTBOOK -- Make Your Comments or suggestions
ENQUIRIES -- Anything you want to know ? Just ask!
LINKS TO CLUBS -- Links to Affiliated Club Sites
NEWS -- L.&.W. Tennis News
Designed by the Webmaster
David Lincoln, League Secretary
Set up by Dave during February 2006
With grateful thanks to Gerry Sverdloff for helping to get the league charts on line.
FROM LITTLE ACORNS GROW IN THE SOUTH
THE LEIGH & WESTCLIFF LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION
The year was 1949 and the need to have a tennis association for small clubs was recognised in the South East of Essex. Originally this was to give one or two court clubs, and all standards of players, competitive tennis. Representatives from eight local clubs decided to form a league ready for the 1950 summer season. St.Peters Church was the meeting venue and the initial clubs involved were:- St.Peters LTC, Kent Elms TC, Crowstone LTC, Leigh Road Baptist TC, Brookside, Leigh Wesley, Oakleigh and St.Mary's. The four clubs shown in Italic lettering are sadly no longer in existence. In the beginning it was decided that member clubs should compete in a league competition, playing each other once. This original league, and still called 'The League', consisted of a men's, ladies and mixed pairing, now playing home and away. The format continues to be run to this day and we like to feel it is unique in league tennis. We have during the years since 1950 been joined by The David Lloyd Centre Southend, Deanes Sports Centre, Hadleigh Park LTC, Hockley LTC, Invicta TC, Leigh TC, Rayleigh LTC, Rochford TC, Southend Lawn TC, Thorpe Bay LTC, Westcliff Hardcourt LTC, Westcliff Lawn TC and Wickford LTC. Click ('Affiliated Clubs' Button). A number of other clubs have been involved through the many years, to name, I do believe, most of them:- Access, A.W.R.E., Cavendish, C.E.Heaths, Civil Service, Conifers, Erycinus, Old Southendians, St.Aidans, St.Saviours, Southbourne & Southend Hospital. At the time of my history of the L.&.W. going on line, February 2006, we have 16 affiliated clubs within our ranks, and would always welcome new organisations in our area with tennis facilities. (Contact the writer on the 'Enquiries' Button.) Following the summer success of 'THE LEAGUE',Gentlemen's leagues were set up in 1970, followed fifteen years later by the Ladies in 1985. Winter League tennis was introduced for the 1986/87 season; this started with eight divisions. Summer club knockout competitions commenced in May 1964 and were named the Jubilee Cup for the Men, Jubilee Bowl for the Ladies and in 1988 the Jubilee Shield for the Mixed. (See 'What we Offer' Button)
Now well into the new millennium and the Leigh & Westcliff is reported to be the largest tennis association in the country. During the winter months I run 18 leagues of six teams with four players per squad. In the summer the leagues are 15 strong, also holding six teams per division, but housing six players per team. We have well over 1,500 registered players within our 17 affiliated clubs. The rules of the association have been built very comprehensively over the years, they are strictly adhered to by myself as League Secretary, with the backing from the elected committee of eleven, all members of the clubs involved. (See 'The Committee' Button). Knockout tournaments are arranged, Summer and Winter, for all affiliated 1,500 members as well as Junior Leagues within the Summer Season. Tennis membership is available from all of our affiliated clubs with varied membership costs, to suit all pockets.
D.J.L. League Secretary / Webmaster.