Dumfries tennis centre on course to open this year
A new indoor tennis centre in Dumfries is on course to open later this year.The Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis (TSIT) project at the King George V sports complex has reached the halfway stage in its construction.Work began in February on the three-court centre which will open towards the end of the year.It is part of nationwide efforts to boost participation and will provide year-round access to tennis for players across Dumfries and Galloway.
The £2.3m project is described as an important landmark in the ongoing efforts to improve access to the sport across Scotland.It will be the third indoor tennis centre built recently following sites in Edinburgh and Elgin.Maureen Johnstone, who chairs Dumfries and Galloway Council's community wellbeing committee, said: "I am delighted to see the progress of the new tennis centre and look forward to it being completed."It will be a major community asset for us and will provide much-needed indoor facilities for tennis players in the region and beyond."
'A sport for everyone'
Sportscotland chief executive Forbes Dunlop said it was exciting to see the progress which had been made."When it's opened the centre will be hugely significant for local tennis and the communities in Dumfries and Galloway," he said.The Lawn Tennis Association said the project embodied its vision of ensuring tennis was "truly a sport for everyone".Blane Dodds, chief executive of Tennis Scotland, said: "This is a significant moment as we aim to continue making tennis accessible to everyone right across Scotland by providing year-round indoor facilities."The new indoor centre in Dumfries and Galloway is taking shape and we're all looking forward to seeing players get on the courts soon."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
14 minutes ago
- BBC News
'It didn't work out' - Vente leaves Hibs for 'significant fee'
Dylan Vente's time at Hibernian did not work out as planned, says head coach David Gray, as the striker seals a permanent move away to Eredivisie side SC Heerenveen for a "significant fee".The 26-year-old's arrival at Easter Road for a "notable fee" two years ago was described by the Leith club as part of a "significant investment in the playing squad".But the forward went on to play just 43 games, scoring 11 goals, during his time at spent the majority of last season on loan PEC Zwolle in the Dutch top flight and netted an impressive tally of 13 from 30 Eredivisie his departure, Hibs boss Gray said: "Dylan performed well in the Eredivisie with PEC Zwolle last season and felt more comfortable back in his homeland, playing football with a smile on his face. "His time at Hibs didn't quite work out the way we'd all planned, but I'd like to thank him for all his hard work and hope he goes on to achieve his ambitions and full potential."Hibs sporting director Malky Mackay added: "There was a lot of interest in Dylan this summer after his performances last season, and he had a clear desire to continue playing and enjoying his football in the Eredivisie."We had to make sure we got the right deal for Hibernian, and after a number of conversations, we're happy with the deal we've got for him."
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
In numbers: Why is Miller so coveted?
Clearly an 18-year-old who has played 76 first-team games, captained his club, and made his international debut possesses talent which is going to attract his debut Lennon Miller's close control, passing range, and vision have caught the across the world are data driven, always looking for young players with positive numbers who can be bought at a relatively low price, developed, and sold on.A look at some of the numbers for central midfielders in the Scottish Premiership last season demonstrates why Miller would appear in lots of an adept set-piece taker, Miller grabbed eight assists for Motherwell, a tally only bettered by Rangers' Nicolas Raskin among central midfielders in the a deeper-lying midfielder, he was deployed as one of two number 10s in the early part of the campaign for Motherwell, and ranked third among midfielders for chances created by the end of the season, as well as deliveries into the for the dirtier side of the game, only Celtic captain Callum McGregor won the ball back more times than teenager was also the most fouled central midfielder in the league, a nod to his ability to use his body to protect the ball in tight spaces, and his dribbling prowess passing accuracy as a whole is further down the charts, which hints at an area for development, but Motherwell's direct style and Miller's tendency to play riskier passes forward could also be behind the lower course individual statistics are not themselves the basis for signing what has been striking about Miller has been the calmness and confidence with which he has played since his has often been keen to take responsibility, for example scoring an injury-time penalty against Dundee United to send Motherwell to the semi-finals of the League was similarly unbothered by his first Scotland start against Liechtenstein, putting in a standout display."He makes football look easy regardless of what game he plays in," his former Motherwell team-mate Tony Watt posted on X after that more: What next for highly-rated Motherwell teenager Miller?
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
What next for highly-rated Motherwell teenager Miller?
With the transfer window open, one of the big stories in Scottish football is the future of Motherwell teenager Lennon 18-year-old midfielder has just one year left on his Fir Park deal, which means it is the club's final chance to get a significant fee for another successful academy has turned heads in the last two seasons in particular after initially making his debut six days after his 16th birthday in August term he captained Motherwell several times and had another fine campaign, which culminated in his first Scotland cap and dad Lee, himself a former footballer, joked at an SPFL event marking the release of the new season's fixtures that "there's a different club every day" mentioned online as his son's next as yet there have been no bids made. But what might the future hold for Scottish football's brightest young talent? Why is Miller so coveted? Clearly an 18-year-old who has played 76 first-team games, captained his club, and made his international debut possesses talent which is going to attract his debut Miller's close control, passing range, and vision have caught the across the world are data driven, always looking for young players with positive numbers who can be bought at a relatively low price, developed, and sold on.A look at some of the numbers for central midfielders in the Scottish Premiership last season demonstrates why Miller would appear in lots of an adept set-piece taker, Miller grabbed eight assists for Motherwell, a tally only bettered by Rangers' Nicolas Raskin among central midfielders in the a deeper-lying midfielder, he was deployed as one of two number 10s in the early part of the campaign for Motherwell, and ranked third among midfielders for chances created by the end of the season, as well as deliveries into the for the dirtier side of the game, only Celtic captain Callum McGregor won the ball back more times than teenager was also the most fouled central midfielder in the league, a nod to his ability to use his body to protect the ball in tight spaces, and his dribbling prowess passing accuracy as a whole is further down the charts, which hints at an area for development, but Motherwell's direct style and Miller's tendency to play riskier passes forward could also be behind the lower course individual statistics are not themselves the basis for signing what has been striking about Miller has been the calmness and confidence with which he has played since his has often been keen to take responsibility, for example scoring an injury-time penalty against Dundee United to send Motherwell to the semi-finals of the League was similarly unbothered by his first Scotland start against Liechtenstein, putting in a standout display."He makes football look easy regardless of what game he plays in," his Motherwell team-mate Tony Watt posted on X after that game. Is a switch abroad Miller's next move? Miller and his dad have always maintained playing regularly is the away from these shores might be his best chance to do that, while others also think it would be a good fit for his Udinese and Union Saint-Gilloise reportedly had bids rejected for Miller in January, and they will unlikely to be the last offers coming young Scottish players have increasingly looked to move abroad in recent it is Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson enhancing their careers while playing at Bologna, or Max Johnston tasting title success and Champions League football after leaving Motherwell for Sturm Graz in Austria, the template is like recent Scotland debutants Josh Doig and Andy Irving have also progressed in their careers through playing regularly abroad, while there is the influence of more senior players Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour at Napoli."Lennon's next move is so important, because a lot of players will get sucked into going to just a massive club and going, right, I've arrived," dad Lee said."But there needs to be a lot of thought process, and there has been a lot of thought process of his next move, because it's a development move again."This is what we planned out for him, in terms of playing loads of games in the first team, doing really well, and it's on him to do that. "There was a pathway there at Motherwell, and the next one, for me, is important because he has to play, he has to develop, he has to then kick on again."Once he's round about better players, no disrespect to the Motherwell players, but once he's round about top class elite players, he will then kick on again, in my opinion."And I think he has that inner belief, and it's not arrogance, it's just a belief. And he wants to play football." What about the Premier League? Lots of Scottish teenagers have moved to Premier League academies before even playing a first-team game since Brexit, but Miller has chosen a different given his dad's comments about much he relishes playing regularly, a move to the top level in England seems less only Premier League side linked so far is newly-promoted Sunderland, external. With the club's owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus employing a strategy focused on young players, plus the record sale of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund, it makes sense they would be interested in it materialises into an offer remains to be seen. Could Celtic keep Miller in Scotland? The Premiership champions are the only Scottish club talked about when it comes to signing Miller from Motherwell.A young Scottish player with lots of potential is exactly the type of signing Celtic would hope to make, especially given the lack of academy players making the first team in the last few with 32-year-old McGregor still the undisputed first pick at the base of Brendan Rodgers' midfield three, it could come down to how much time on the pitch Miller thinks he would and whether Celtic can, or want to, meet Motherwell's asking price in a potentially competitive Miller's part he has stayed as calm as ever about what the future holds."I've got a year left on my contract so my focus is to go back into pre-season, work as hard as I can and get ready for the season," he said after his first Scotland start."You get these big clubs mentioned, but it is only speculation."You just need to try and focus on what you're doing and that will all take care of itself."
