Set and match for Port Alfred Corporate Cup
Players and sponsors ensure success
If Port Alfred Tennis Club captain Adriaan Potgieter’s words are anything to go by, the Port Alfred Corporate Tennis Cup competition not only achieved its mission, but exceeded expectations.
Speaking at the prize-giving for the first edition of the new league at the Port Alfred Bowling & Croquet Club on Friday evening, he started by thanking Sean Wiblin (Postnet Makhanda) for sponsoring the prize-giving and Quiz Night.
Participating teams BUCO, Stenden University, BS Sports, Pam Golding, Leach Pharmacy and Build It were rewarded with gifts, while Build It also walked away with the first prize and the PA Corporate Cup trophy.
“Pierre Coetzer, Alan Harty and myself sat one evening and tried to formulate a possible project plan required to package, sell and host a corporate tennis competition. Now at the conclusion of this our first edition of the event, I can assure you compared with what we envisioned that night, what played out was vastly different.
“Despite dealing with a couple of curve balls along the way, we are happy to say the
end result exceeded our initial expectations,” he said.
“We had plenty to learn from this first edition of the tournament.
“Eskom load-shedding and needing to deal with a combination of old and new lighting equipment that kept tripping the power kept us scratching our heads.
“I am looking forward to communicating with our six main sponsors in due course to review this tournament and to hear your suggestions to improve it in 2023.”
Potgieter said next year the club aimed to bring on two more sponsors to have a total of
eight, as per the initial plan.
It would also bring the tournament forward to February or March to make the most of the warmer weather.
Potgieter added there were many outstanding moments during their first hosting of the tournament.
He named players such as Wikus Venter, for Leach Pharmacy, Wade Labuschagne, for Pam Golding, and Chris Friderichs and Tamryn Friderichs playing for Build It, who set the stage alight.
He named Pulani Potgieter “who concocted unbelievable meals every evening”.
He also had high praise for
Stenden University players, especially Meagan Alexander and Lindy Hulley, who played in the womens and mens sections.
“You guys were the heart and soul of this years’ event and we all salute you for that.”
He thanked businesses that sponsored prizes, vouchers and meals: Bearded Butcher, Honey Dawn Farm, Country Meat Market, Pick n Pay, Talk of the Town, Rosehill SuperSpar, Old Mutual, Healing Hands, Kowie Cellars, Plumbrite, Tash’s, Juan Pretorius Architects, Graze by the River, Burksies, Nice Café, Fishaways and Halyards Hotel.