Club History
LUTHERAN TENNIS CLUB HISTORY
Lutheran Tennis Club (LTC) was founded in 1949 as a social outlet for the local Lutheran church youth. Starting with one team, with one tennis court on the Swanport Road church grounds. Lutheran Tennis Club is the only Hard Court club based in Murray Bridge. Although we are a Christian based club our members do not have to belong to a church to play, any player is very welcome.
2004/05 season saw the LTC amalgamate with the Murray Bridge Netball Association. With the amalgamation 12 netball courts were converted to include 12 tennis courts, which has meant infrastructure upgrades including additional playing surface, removable netball and tennis posts and nets, fencing, shelters and grounds beautification.
In 2006 the club moved to Christian Reserve where is has 12 tennis courts with clubrooms including full canteen, administration and entertainment facilities to cater for multiple tennis teams.
In 2011 the Rural City of Murray Bridge Council, Federal Government and the Tennis and Netball Clubs put funds towards the development of tennis and netball in the region.
The Christian Reserve Complex has just had all 12 courts resurfaced in Plexi-pave, in blue and terracotta. All 12 courts are lit to the highest competition standard, perfect for night tennis.
LTC has the vision that tennis participation will only increase with a change in the perception of the game. To that end LTC was the first club in the Lower Murray Hard Court Tennis Association (LMHCTA) to engage a full time coaching panel that are responsible for the weekly coaching of all teams in the club. Tennis is seen as quite a technical game and having professional coaches has improved the learning cycle of new players and continued to improve the seasoned players. This initiative has been adopted by other clubs in the Association, thus contributing to the growth and sustainability of tennis in the Murraylands.
LOCATION
The Lutheran Tennis Club home courts 12 court complex is based at Christian Reserve , Recreation Avenue, Murray Bridge 5253. The club also has the original 2 court complex at Swanport Road Murray Bridge, just behind Christ Church Lutheran Church.
JUNIOR COACHING
LTC has always employed a professional coach to coach their Junior players, the club believes that a coach will bring the best out of each player and teach correct technique and court etiquette. Private lessons are also available upon request. This season the club has employed Leanne Riches to mentor our juniors and to pass on all of her knowledge and skill.
CLUB STALWARTS
LTC still has some of its founding members still playing and filling roles on the club committee. Ken Zadow has been President for many years of the clubs history, and is responsible for the redevelopment of those courts, just recently building an undercover BBQ area and storage shed for the courts.