WimX Tennis Academy

🎓GCSE RESULTS DAY — WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?

If you’ve received your GCSE results today and you’re thinking about your next step, here’s an opportunity to keep developing both on and off the court.

In partnership with Barnet and Southgate College, WimX Tennis & Padel is offering an exciting pathway for aspiring tennis and padel players to continue their education while taking their game to the next level. 💪

✨ Free training
🎓 Coaching qualifications
🚀 Workforce opportunities

Train like a pro, gain valuable qualifications, build your experience and become part of a thriving tennis and padel environment — all while pursuing your education.

We’re really looking forward to working more closely with Middlesex Tennis on this and other exciting leadership initiatives coming soon.

Got your results? Now think about your next move.

👉 Apply today: https://www.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk/sports/sports-trials-form
📧 [email protected]

Sports Trials Form Barnet and Southgate College is a large further education college in north London offering courses in over 15 subject areas, across campuses in High Barnet, Southgate, Colindale and Edmonton Green.

📣 ONE-OFF PADEL COMMUNICATION CLINIC – EXCLUSIVE TO HERON MEMBERS

Fresh from writing the exciting new LTA Padel Communication CPD alongside padel legends Icíar Montes and Belén Castro, Jo Ward will be showcasing the content for the very first time – exclusively for HERON members!

TWO SESSIONS TO CHOOSE FROM:
📅 Saturday 29th August
⏰ Session 1: 1.00–2.30pm
⏰ Session 2: 2.30–4.00pm

More about the Communication Clinic:

✅ A practical on-court session looking at how better communication between partners can improve teamwork, decision-making and performance on the padel court.

✅ A fantastic opportunity to experience some of the thinking and practical content behind the brand-new LTA CPD before its wider rollout.

Limited places available – book early on Matchpoint to secure your spot.

Congratulations to Barnet Southgate College tennis player Ben Whitley on reaching the Para-Standing Men's PST 1-2 Play Your Way to Wimbledon Finals last Thursday! 🎾👏

The competition was one of many Play Your Way to Wimbledon events held across the country, culminating in the prestigious finals at the world-famous All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) in Wimbledon.

Reflecting on the experience, Ben’s mum said: “It was such an amazing experience! Ben played brilliantly and held his own against higher-ranking players, including World Champions!”

A fantastic achievement and a memorable experience on one of tennis’s biggest stages. Well done, Ben! 🌟

Looking for a fun way to get moving, meet new people, and enjoy one of the fastest-growing sports around?

Join our Mixed Pickleball Sessions at Ridgeway Park and experience 90 minutes of fun, fitness, and friendly competition!

✅ Great Exercise – Enjoy a fantastic full-body workout without it feeling like a chore.
✅ Social & Inclusive – Meet fellow players in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
✅ All Skill Levels Welcome – Whether you're a complete beginner or have experience in racket sports, you'll have a great time on court.
✅ Learn & Improve – Develop your skills, build confidence, and enjoy exciting games with players of mixed abilities.

📅 Dates: Saturday 1 August & Saturday 8 August 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00am – 11:30am
👥 Age: 12+ years
🏓 Levels: Beginner, Intermediate & Improver
💷 Cost: £10 per session

📍 Ridgeway Park, Peel Close, London, Essex E4 6XU

Come along, get active, and discover why pickleball is becoming one of the most popular sports for all ages. Spaces are limited, so book your place today!

Book Now on: https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/WimXTennis/Coaching/Summary/f7c48cde-ffff-4b30-a7d1-d9f66c22b65f

From Helen Crook, Co-Founder of WimX Tennis

It is with great sadness that I share the passing of my mum, Muriel Crook, who died peacefully on 9 July 2026, aged 91, after living with dementia for more than ten years.

In many ways, Muriel was the grandmother of WimX.

When four former tour players and I founded WimX in 2004, she immediately became part of the journey. Whether helping to organise fundraising quizzes or supporting events, she was always there, just as she had been throughout her life in tennis.

Her story in the sport began many years earlier.

After moving from Lancashire to Basildon with my late father, Cliff, they discovered a set of floodlit council-owned courts at Mopsies Park, where a men's-only tennis club operated. Together they persuaded the council to allow the club to use the courts free of charge and set about creating something very different. They established a junior coaching programme known as the Cadet Scheme, offering coaching for just a few pence per session, with every penny reinvested into equipment so more young people could take part.

Although Mum came to tennis later than many, she was determined to contribute. She took lessons with some of Essex's leading coaches, including June Pearce, to improve her own game before qualifying as an LTA coach at Lilleshall in 1983.
That decision changed the lives of hundreds of young people.

The Cadet Scheme introduced generations of children to tennis, creating friendships that still exist today. It was also where I first picked up a racket and where my own journey in tennis began.

When my father became chairman, Muriel played a huge role in transforming the club into one that welcomed women, juniors and families. What had once been a small local club grew into one that regularly competed—and often won—in the Essex, Chelmsford & District and Southend & District leagues, despite operating from public council courts rather than a private members' facility.

She was never just an organiser. If a junior team needed getting to an away match, Mum would somehow fit everyone into our tiny Fiat 126—or make two journeys if that was what it took. Nothing was ever too much trouble if it meant giving young people the chance to play.

She also worked alongside me to secure the refurbishment of the Mopsies Park courts, helping to produce the business case and working with Basildon Council and the LTA to improve the facilities for future generations. Away from the club, she served for 12 years as Secretary of the Essex Tennis Coaches Association and, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the club, both Mum and I were later made Honorary Members of Basildon Lawn Tennis Club.

Severe arthritis in her hands eventually forced Mum to stop playing but she remained closely connected to the club and the people within it for many years afterwards.

Looking back now, it is impossible not to recognise just how much of WimX's DNA came from her. The belief that tennis should be accessible to everyone, the importance of volunteering, reinvesting in young people, creating opportunities and building communities through sport—those values were all lived by Muriel long before WimX existed.

Without her drive, encouragement and example, I may never have played tennis. And without that, WimX may never have been born.

Thank you, Mum, for everything you gave to me, to tennis, and to so many other people whose lives you helped shape.

You will never be forgotten.

Helen ❤️

* Memorial planned on Aug 1st with details TBC

WimX x Rocket Padel Ilford Summer Camp is Here!

We’re excited to be partnering with Rocket Padel Ilford to deliver our Summer Padel Camps from 27th July – 13th August, with sessions running daily from 10am–3pm (including lunch from 12–1pm).

👧🧒 Age-specific groups
Our camps are tailored across three age groups, ensuring every child receives the right level of coaching, challenge, and support throughout the week.

🎾 What to expect:
✅ Padel coaching & skill development
✅ Fun games & drills
✅ Matchplay opportunities
✅ LTA Youth-inspired activities
✅ Confidence building & teamwork
✅ Lots of fun on and off the court!

🌟 More than just padel!
Alongside on-court coaching, children will enjoy:
🎲 Board games & puzzles
🎨 Colouring activities
🥗 Fun nutrition sessions

Using a player-centred, skill-based approach, our experienced coaching team creates an engaging environment where children of all abilities can learn, develop, and enjoy the game. Whether they’re picking up a racket for the first time or looking to take their skills to the next level, there’s something for everyone.

Spaces are limited – book now to secure your place: https://eequ.org/book/wimx-padel-haf-summer-club-with-wimx-tennis-and-padel-9351

PadelForKids HolidayCamp

🎾☀️ WimX Tennis HAF Summer Camp is Back!

We’re excited to be running our HAF Summer Tennis Camp from 28th July – 7th August, with sessions taking place daily from 10am–3pm (including lunch from 12–1pm).

👧🧒 Age-specific groups
Our camp is split into three groups to ensure every child receives coaching, activities, and challenges that are tailored to their age and stage of development.

🎾 What to expect:
✅ Tennis coaching & skill development
✅ Fun games & drills
✅ Matchplay opportunities
✅ LTA Youth-inspired activities
✅ Confidence building & teamwork
✅ Lots of fun on and off the court!

🌟 More than just tennis!
Alongside tennis sessions, children will enjoy:
🏓 Pickleball
🎲 Board games & puzzles
🎨 Colouring activities
🥗 Fun nutrition sessions

Our player-centred approach supports all abilities, from complete beginners to more experienced players, helping every child learn, improve, and enjoy being active in a positive environment.

Spaces are limited – book now to secure your place: https://eequ.org/book/wimx-tennis-haf-summer-camp-with-wimx-tennis-and-padel-6886