TOTALLY Tennis was the venue last week for the North Hampshire heat of the British Schools Tennis Association (BSTA) competition run by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Lawn Tennis Association.

The competition was held as part of the LTA's mini-tennis initiative and this tournament was for players who are aged eight and under who compete at red level.

Further competitions are taking place throughout the county at the higher orange and green levels and all the competitions are open to teams from both state and private schools.

Teams from Daneshill, Meon Cross and Greenfields schools joined two teams from Yateley Manor in the tournament, held over a morning at the indoor centre.

Each team played against each other with Yateley Manor A-team winning overall with a total of 15 matches. Daneshill came second with 12 matches and the B-team from Yateley Manor came third with eight matches.

Yateley Manor A-team, which included Totally Tennis performance player and recent Robinson Junior Aces tournament winner Jonathon Dow (pictured), will now travel to Southampton ITI on July 3 to play in the final against the winning school from South Hampshire.

Some 50 schools entered the competition in the South-East region this year compared to just eight in 2001. Interest is now at an all-time high following the appointment of Mark Jackson as mini-tennis coach for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and BSTA League secretary.

He is responsible for the development of mini-tennis in the region. Jackson took over in February, taking a more local approach to developing tennis for younger players in the area.

Jackson said: "The tournament was very successful and an enjoyable opportunity for children of this age to experience and participate in competition.

"The number of schools that have entered this year is fantastic and my aim is to build on this in 2003 by inviting all schools that are members of the BSTA in the region to participate.

"I think that tournaments, such as the red competition held at Totally Tennis today, which are based at one venue, create a good atmosphere rather than at orange and green levels where players travel to each other's schools at the end of the school day.

"I am looking forward to hosting the finals day for red, orange and green competitors at Southampton in July."