Luc-sur-Orbieu: Nicolas Ferra serves the cause of tennis

A hell of excellent news for the Tennis-club of Luc-sur-Orbieu (TCL)! He who had reached his glass ceiling, and made the most of his two present courts, is joyful to see the arrival of two new courts, promised for subsequent September. True “swiss army knife of the club” as he defines himself, Nicolas Ferra – who sees tennis as “an adventure where there is always something to look for” – is the first joyful one.

Good information for a membership whose numbers stopped rising in 2015 “because we couldn't get everyone to play, which led to a lot of frustration”. “These two additional courts will offer at least 50% more playing time and allow everyone to find more partners of equivalent level.rejoices Luc's teacher, because our mission is to develop tennis, and finding partners means meeting the demand.”

Nicolas Ferra, 38, initially from Lézignan, is the BPJEPS monitor (State graduate) of the TCL, at the fee of 90 hours per thirty days. A devoted and proud teacher to see: “We are the club where there are the most 11-26 year olds – around 80 – that is to say those who have chosen to play on their own, which therefore means that we respond well to their requests”.

Requests to which Luc once more responded throughout the February match, reserved for these beneath 18, and which noticed high-caliber ladies compete with a Bulgarian winner from Figueras. Nicolas Ferra's imaginative and prescient of issues is easy and specific: “Like me, people like small clubs because, with the lack of pitches, the teacher is more attentive to everyone, benevolent with everyone”. We play Luc much less anonymously than in a giant metropolis.

A match, a celebration

Even higher : “Each of our Aude clubs organizes its tournament, which represents a real two-three week celebration”. Like village festivals. “We have become used to enjoying these tournaments, with a very particular phenomenon here where the Lucois make it a point to participate in everything that is organized; they are caring people and show a lot of solidarity. But the Covid came to sweep away these habits, while training, without a match, led to a loss of objectives.
Fortunately, the crisis has passed and Nicolas Ferra and his family are still there, except for a few units (see box). Loyal to the club. A TC Luc that the latter has been striving to develop since 2008. Player in Lézignan and accountant, ranked 15 for ten years, his teacher asked him to replace him for Luc. Passionate but without coaching experience, Ferra first says no then accepts “to make some cash”. “Following, the leaders of Luc requested me to arrange a tennis college and I mentioned sure instantly, in September 2008.” He then became an assistant monitor (AMT) and put the DE (which replaced the State patent) in mind, but without any certainty of staying with Luc. Between 2010 and 2012, he really began to teach in the village, “the place, as an essential benefit, kids can evolve in full security inside the sports activities complicated”. His toughest job? “It took me 7-8 years to show 5-8 yr olds properly. It has nothing to do with older gamers, as a result of it's important to handle to place them into exercise, it's important to ask your self methods to obtain it, discover what they're on the lookout for, and never surprise what I'd have preferred to be provided after I was their age.” An entire artwork that Nicolas Ferra makes use of as we speak to take the TCL as excessive as potential.