Carlingford High School’s tennis team has claimed the 2016 Henry Lin Shield

Enormous effort sees Carlingford claim Tennis Challenge title

Carlingford High School's North West Schools Tennis Challenge team has won its first Henry Lin Shield. (L-R) Siena Lucas, Brooke Houweling, Michael Su, Gavin Waller, Otto Gulliver, Sidney Chen, Byron Waller.

In 2015, Carlingford High School had just four students participate in the North West Schools Tennis Challenge.

Fast forward one year, Carlingford has claimed its first Henry Lin Shield for the competition’s overall winning school with 23 students taking part throughout the year.

The increase in numbers was the result of a passionate push by students, parents and teachers to embrace and encourage the school’s many talented tennis players to become involved.

Carlingford High School P & C representative Christine Lucas said the result was a great reward for the positive spirit displayed by each of the students who participated.

“It was a really positive result and perfect recognition of the kids’ overall team effort,” she said.

“Kids who had never even met before had a really great time playing with each other and that showed in the result.”

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Run by the Eastwood Thornleigh District Tennis Association, the North West Schools Tennis Challenge sees dozens of local schools put forward teams of six students to compete in several doubles tournaments throughout terms one, two and three.

After achieving good results in each competition, Carlingford was awarded the Henry Lin Shield by ETDTA event co-ordinator John Andersen, who acknowledged the positive energy and momentum the Challenge has conjured at the school.

“This combined effort from the parents and the school to encourage students to participate has produced a great result for the students, the school and for the sport of tennis,” he said.

Ms Lucas hopes that the school’s success this year will lead to even more participants in the future.

“The competition has been really good because it has gotten kids who used to play tennis in primary school back into the sport,” she said.

“Hopefully we can keep it going next year.”

Carlingford High School’s North West School’s Tennis Challenge team is now in the running to win NewsLocal’s Team Spirit award, sponsored by SportsTG.

NewsLocal’s Junior Sport Star awards are sponsored by Rebel.

To nominate, go to juniorsportsstar.com.au

Originally published as Carlingford High School’s tennis team has claimed the 2016 Henry Lin Shield