FuturePros Tennis Academy marked its annual awards on Saturday at Logan Village with 370 athletes and family members joining the celebrations.
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All players received acknowledgement of their commitment to four terms of training and this year the presentations were amped-up with some entertainment.
Standout achievers also took the FPTA honorary walk through the smoke volcanoes to a one minute clip of music that had inspired them individually through the year
The kids enjoyed the slip and slide on the hot Queensland afternoon with the more adventurous testing themselves on the Big Baller.
Fore dinner, attendees shared in more than 100 Dominos pizzas.
Coach AJ Thompson said after a busy year it was lovely to catch up with the families in a chilled setting.
He said tennis could be gruelling because it didn’t have an off-season like many other sports.
“We train 12 months of the year and depending on the individual journey it can be a good chunk of time before being ready to play on the junior tour in a competitive role,” he said.
“In a world where we can buy almost anything on the spot, tennis is not like this, it takes commitment and dedication to achieve any personal goal so for a child to show this commitment and not quit when its too hard or too hot we are proud of the athletes we are raising.
“Congratulations to each and every one of our Future Pros Tennis Academy athletes.”
Thompson said the academy was looking forward to its holiday programs and an exciting year in 2019.
Award winners
Jacob Marks received the academy’s highest accolade for bringing it beyond, while Hunter Thompson and Chloe Liese were both recognised for the nine week dig challenge – dream, plan and grind.
Jenna Potts and Meeka Morrow were both acknowledged for their progression, ability and focus, and for being a coach’s Dream.
Gemma Stainkey and Karl Gwinner were named the most improved junior female and male talent.
Gaelle Degryse claimed the FPTA Future Potential award.
Kyle Haslam was awarded for his hard work, hustle and grind, and for reaching his potential.
Kirsty Bishop and Jake Vincent won the creatively titled award for the dream is free but the hustle is sold separately.
Lauren Stainkey and Harry Marsh both won the award for new talent and enthusiasm, and Dylan Gilbert and Amy Potts were honoured for their sportsmanship.
Jayden Morrow, Preston Thompson, Izaac Speer, Grace Amps, Daniel Joy, Laith Flint and Kyle Smith were also acknowledged with the FPTA Increased Development award.
