Tennis champs head to state finals

Tennis stars - from left: Tom, Alistair, Saskia, Jet, Harry, Ernesto and Max are ready to play at the State Junior Tennis Finals in January.

SUSHINE Beach State School Junior Tennis Team have won the chance to compete in the state finals – which are to be held at the Brisbane International in January – by remaining undefeated at the recent regional tennis trials.
The regional trials were held at Noosa Tennis Club, where schools from all over the Sunshine Coast were able to compete for the chance to rub shoulders with the world’s sporting elite at the Brisbane International, including the legendary Rafael Nadal, Stan “The Man“ Wawrinka (US Open and French Open champion), Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic and world number one women’s player Angelique Kerber (current Austrtalian Open and US Open champion).
The red ball event is for students in Years 2 and 3 and features modified rules, court dimensions and equipment.
The Sunshine Slammers team of Tom, Alistair, Saskia, Jet, Harry, Ernesto and Max, played consistently well all day and managed to remain undefeated by winning six matches in a row.
It was an amazing show of concentration from each member of the team, a perfect example of competition, fun and sportsmanship.
Sunshine Beach State School has recently joined forces with the Noosa Tennis Academy to provide extra guidance and coaching in order to provide students at the school with these exciting opportunities.
Amazingly, this is the third team fro the school to have made it through to the state finals in the last two years, which is testament to the relationship between the school and the coaching staff at the academy.
The school teams are coached and managed by Nick Caldwell, who holds the position of Junior Development Manager at the academy.
The Sunshine Beach State School Tennis Program has been so successful that a new tennis court will be included in the upgraded facilities at the school which are due for completion in 2017.
The new facility will provide extra opportunities at the school so more students can participate in this excellent program.
Players are looking forward to this event becoming a regular fixture in the Noosa District School Sport calendar.