12-year-old Evie, a student at The King’s School, part of Pontefract Academies Trust has aspirations to one day be a professional tennis player. Her dream is to play at Wimbledon and follow in the footsteps of her hero Johanna Konta.
Evie, who has been playing in tournaments since the age of 5, trains for a minimum of 7 hours a week at Goole Tennis Centre. Her passion for tennis began when her Grandad spotted she had great hand-eye coordination when playing throw and catch in the garden with a tennis ball at the age of 3. When she turned 4, the closest local club that would accept a child so young was Goole Tennis Centre. At the age of 5, Evie took part in her first tournament, playing four matches and winning two of them.
It didn’t stop there. Successes in 2022 alone include 1st in an Under 14s match at Tennis World in Middlesborough, 3rd in an Under 18s match at Goole Tennis Centre, and 1st in an Under 14s final match at Goole Tennis Centre. Her wins also include 2nd place in the Under 16s final at Goole and a brilliant 1st place in the under 14s final in Chesterfield.
Evie’s personal coach, Steve Turnbull said: “I have known Evie since she was 5 and have coached her for the last 2 years individually. Evie is a fantastic learner and extremely dedicated to her tennis. To coach her is a pleasure as you know there is someone who is completely engaged in trying to get better. With her competitive skills and her technique being sound she is able to transfer these skills to the match court, which has helped her triumph in her recent successes. I have no doubt that with continued patience and dedication Evie will go on to more achievements both individually and representing Yorkshire in the near future.”
Mr Pinto, Headteacher at The King’s School said: “I am so proud to keep hearing about Evie’s Tennis successes. To balance a full-time education alongside a passion for a sport is no mean feat, so it’s fantastic to hear that Evie is thriving at what she does. At The King’s School, we encourage participation in sport as we understand the benefits that come with it. We will continue to support Evie with her passion and help her in whatever way we can. I’m excited to see what the future holds for her.”