Veterans' Tennis
MORE PLAYERS NEEDED
A cry for help is going out from the Men's Vets group that plays at the club twice a week, on Tuesday mornings and Friday mornings. For one reason or another their numbers are diminishing and they are looking for more players to join in with their group. 35 plus seems an appropriate age to join, it costs nothing and play usually starts around 8.30, continuing until around 11.00.
The veterans playing at Duffield take advantage of the all-weather courts. These range from the latest LTA definition of veterans which starts at the age of 35, to the downright crochety! Both the Men's and the Ladies "seniors" play regularly, many of them more often than a great deal of members. In general they do not play in the various Veterans leagues that have now sprung up but rather enjoy social play, mostly doubles.
 Pictured above are some of the veterans that play regularly every Tuesday and Friday morning, some arriving around 8 o'clock and playing through until 11.
Probably our oldest member is an ex-RAF Spitfire pilot who is now in his 80's and initially became a member in the 1960's. At least one more ex-RAF member plays regularly in our Veterans.
 One of our veterans used to be the Chief Executive Officer at Ley's Castings in Derby. Two or three members unsurprisingly worked for British Rail, some joining Duffield soon after the war. An ex-Manchester City player regularly joins the group and he can take a couple of months off, pick up a racquet and play as if he'd never been away! One or two top LTA personnel used to be Duffield members and one newcomer to the morning veterans is an ex-J.P. Years ago, the M.D. of Lake's and the chairman of Rolls Royce both used to play regularly.
Some of our veterans are well-known for their forthright views and keep committee members on their toes with their knowledge of tennis, the rules etc. They also apply this keenness to their game, their linecalls and their enthusiastic attitude!
On the Ladies' side, there is no particular veterans group but amongst the ladies is one who has been a member since 1960, 47 years. She has always played in bare feet but last summer she became injured and after a break she has now returned to playing. Occasionally, and very reluctantly, she puts on shoes but still prefers to play in bare feet.
Some of our older members remember when the clubhouse overlooked 3 grass courts and a Crown bowling green, where the bottom tennis court now sits next to the river. Seating was on deck chairs in front of the wooden pavilion which had 2 separate rooms, a changing room with a shower with an entrance on one side for the men and on the other for the ladies. Tea was brewed on Primus stoves and food was eaten on the grass between games. There was only one squash court with the booking sheet at the White Hart.
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