There is plenty happening at Kenilworth Tennis, Squash & Croquet Club as autumn arrives, with competition, junior development, social events, charity fundraising and improvements to the club's facilities all contributing to a busy few months.

But look beyond the results and competitions and another story emerges — one about people.

Across tennis, squash, croquet and padel, members are not simply turning up to play their chosen sport. They are competing together, supporting each other, bringing friends to the club, volunteering at events, celebrating successes and increasingly getting involved in activities outside their usual section.

It is that sense of community that is helping to give KTSCC its distinctive character.

Tennis: competition, cake and plenty of social play

Tennis Captain's Day provided a perfect example.

Thirty-two players, including social players, team players and juniors, took part in a team competition organised by captains Stan and Julie. Players changed partners and opponents throughout several rounds before Stan's team eventually came out on top after a closely fought afternoon.

But the result was only part of the story. Members spent the afternoon playing, chatting and enjoying cake and refreshments provided by volunteers.

A big part of the success of events such as Captain's Day is the willingness of members to contribute to the social side of the club — something that was clearly appreciated by everyone taking part.

Next spring's event should be particularly special, marking 40 years of Captain's Day in its current format.

There is plenty of competitive tennis too. The winter matches have begun, with six ladies' teams, including three veterans' teams, alongside a men's team and a mixed senior team.

There has also been county success for KTSCC's Kate Perkins, who led the Warwickshire over-60s team to promotion in the Seniors County Cup. Following victories over Cornwall and Somerset, Warwickshire needed to beat Wiltshire in their final match and secured a narrow 3-1 victory to finish top of Division 3a.

Alongside the team tennis, social players have Americano events and regular Sunday morning sessions to look forward to, while the tennis section will also be involved in the club's charity event supporting Breast Cancer Now.

Squash joins a global event

Squash is also bringing members together for something rather unusual.

On October 8, KTSCC will take part in Rally28's World's Biggest Squash Match, joining clubs and players around the world.

Members will find a partner and play for either the All Stars or Super Stars, with their results contributing both to the Kenilworth competition and the wider global event.

And, appropriately for a club event, the evening will finish with a curry in the bar.

Members are also being encouraged to make a donation to Breast Cancer Now, turning the sporting occasion into another opportunity for the club community to support a good cause.

There is further good news for squash players with new glass balustrades being installed around the remaining courts, giving the whole squash area a consistent and smart finish.

The work will cause some temporary disruption, but it represents another investment in the facilities that members use throughout the year.

Croquet's success story gathers pace

On the lawns, the croquet season is drawing towards its conclusion after a year of strong performances.

Alan Hulme has enjoyed a remarkable first full competitive year in Golf Croquet, winning three trophies with another final still to play. His handicap has fallen rapidly and he has also represented Kenilworth Abbey in the West Midlands Federation league.

In Association Croquet, Adrian Morris won the prestigious Castle Cup, while Jon Hodge has also enjoyed an excellent season after only a couple of years playing the game. He has already won one trophy and has two further finals to play.

The annual Kenilworth Festival brought together eight teams from six clubs for a full day of competition, with seven games for each pair.

The scores remained close throughout and, after a day of competitive matches, Ashby eventually took the title. Kenilworth pairings also performed strongly, with Ian and Gordon finishing third and Lynne and Phil winning six of their seven games.

Away from the competitions, the club has continued to welcome visiting teams. Friendly matches against Northampton and Edgbaston provided very different results, but both were described as enjoyable days and an opportunity to meet players from other clubs.

The lawns themselves have also been a source of pride, remaining green and in excellent condition throughout the summer thanks to the club's irrigation system.

Padel: a section full of momentum

The growing popularity of padel was on full display at the 2026 Club Championships.

Finals Day brought players, families, friends and supporters together around the courts, creating a lively atmosphere alongside some excellent matches.

Championships were contested across a range of categories, with Guy Pearson and Robert Stewart taking the Open title, Guy Pearson and Vanille Johansson winning the Mixed competition and Jess Bramley and Vanille Johansson taking the Ladies title.

The junior championships offered perhaps the clearest indication of where the section is heading.

Jake Simpson and Klauss won the U14 title before Jake stepped up to the U18 competition with Sam Kingston — and won that too.

Fiorella Parry also enjoyed a double success, winning the U12 competition with Maverick before stepping up to the U14 Girls competition with Fremah.

There were strong performances throughout the junior competitions, with younger players showing the confidence to compete against older opponents.

Just as importantly, the championships brought families together, with parents watching from around the courts and juniors supporting their partners and competitors.

That combination of competition, friendship and encouragement is helping to create a strong junior community around the sport.

And the progress is not confined to the club. Three of KTSCC's four padel teams — the men's first team and both women's teams — have qualified for the iPadel National Finals Day in Kingsley next month.

When the four sports become one community

Perhaps the clearest indication of the club's community spirit is the number of occasions when the four sporting sections come together.

The charity day on October 10 is one such event. Members can take part in tennis, padel or croquet while raising money for Breast Cancer Now, with croquet in particular offering an opportunity for anyone who has never tried it to receive some instruction and have a go.

The club's social calendar then continues with a curry night on October 30, a quiz on November 21 and the Christmas Bash on December 19.

The Christmas event will once again mix members from the different sporting sections into teams for some fun sport, followed by food and prizes.

There are also plenty of smaller moments that contribute to the atmosphere — the volunteers providing cake at Captain's Day, families supporting the junior championships, players travelling to other clubs for friendly matches, or members simply staying for a drink and a chat after their game.

That is perhaps what makes KTSCC more than four separate sports sharing the same site.

There are players who want serious competition and others who simply want a social game. There are juniors taking their first steps in sport alongside experienced competitors playing at county and national level. There are people who arrive for one particular sport and find themselves getting involved in something completely different.

And increasingly, those different groups are meeting one another.

As autumn arrives, the courts and lawns may be getting quieter in the shorter evenings, but there is little sign of the club itself slowing down.

At its heart, KTSCC is a melting pot of sport, friendship and growth — a place where people come together to play, compete, make connections and share in everything the club has to offer.

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