UCC Tennis Club raise almost €500 for Breast Cancer Ireland | Tara Higgins

UCC Tennis club are off to a swinging start this semester. With the committee placing great importance on fundraising this year, the club got the ball rolling with a series of fundraisers in aid of Breast Cancer Ireland.

The first of these was “Set for a Cure,” a two-day tournament held on the weekend of 12/13 October at Sunday’s Well Boating and Tennis Club. The tournament attracted over ten teams of men and women from various Cork clubs including Sundays Well, Lakewood and Lower Aghada.

With competitors ranging in age from fifteen to fifty-something (It felt impolite to ask!) the competition provided a sporting, competitive and social platform to encourage men, women, college and secondary school students to pool together for an extremely worthwhile cause.

At one stage of the tournament it was remarked upon by a player (male) that many Breast Cancer fundraisers are directed at women. However, with more in the men’s draw than the women’s, UCC Tennis have shown that fundraising should be for everyone and that inclusivity is key to successful fundraising.

The tournament received very positive feedback from players, who described it as a ‘smashing’ weekend that was very well run.

The prize of UCC Tennis jackets was extremely well received by the team (dominated by secondary school students) who defeated one of the UCC men’s team in the men’s final.

A big congratulations to Daniel Moloney (14), Sean O’Callaghan (15), Philip O’Callaghan (17) and UCC Tennis alum and former Men’s Captain Owen Harte Barry on their fantastic win.

UCC Tennis teams had more success in the ladies draw with the final being a toss up between the team of current ladies captain and last years captain’s team.

With sister acts on both teams, the victory went to Martha Stapleton, Alice Twomey, Andrea Higgins and Tara Higgins. It is worth noting that on three of the four teams in the final there were brothers and sisters playing together.

The month of October was Breast Cancer Awareness month and ‘Set for a Cure’ was only the beginning of UCC Tennis Club’s efforts to fundraise and raise awareness.

A “Mini Set for a Cure” was run for the club’s beginners and intermediate players, with rumours swirling that a bake sale is also on the cards.

With the current fundraising total at €475 after just two events, UCC Tennis club believes they are in with a real shot to break the €500 goal before we send the money to Breast Cancer Ireland in early November.