Tributes have been paid to one of Ayrshire’s most popular and best known tennis coaches, who has sadly died aged 70.
Morris Thompson passed away suddenly at his home in Coylton on February 17.
Morris was a well known figure in Ayrshire tennis circles and for many years he was face of the Ayrshire Mini Tennis League.
A keen cyclist and hill walker, having walked throughout North America, Europe and Scotland, Morris was a late starter to tennis.
Earlier in his life Morris was a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Strathclyde University and worked at Hunterston B Power Station.
A significant proportion of his time at Hunterston was spent as a simulator tutor, teaching engineers how to operate the reactor control centre. He not only provided training courses in Scotland, but both nationally and internationally.
He joined Coylton Tennis Club in his 30s where he was initially coached and mentored by the late Alec Murray.
His enthusiasm and dedication for the sport quickly flourished and he started coaching Coylton Juniors in the early 1990s with Captain Gower.
When Captain Gower stopped coaching, Morris took over as junior convenor and coach at Coylton Tennis Club, coaching both mini and lawn tennis.
Initially, he coached youngsters on a Saturday morning, but over the years his tennis coaching portfolio increased to throughout the week.
Morris entered many junior teams on behalf of Coylton Tennis Club into Ayrshire leagues and was proud of the local childrens’ achievements and successes.
For more than 25 years, Morris held the role of Ayrshire Mini Tennis Convenor and organised Ayrshire Mini Tennis Leagues, the Ayrshire Junior Tennis leagues and Mini Tennis County Competitions for children of all ages, working closely with other Ayrshire Tennis stalwarts such as Jan Collins and Colin Sutherland.
He acted as an ambassador for Tennis in Ayrshire and influenced young people’s early experiences of tennis from all clubs across Ayrshire.
Andrew Raitt, head of participation at Tennis Scotland, said: “I met Morris many times over the years and had the pleasure of presenting him with his South Ayrshire Active schools award for Volunteer of the Year in 2019.
“Morris was a great ambassador for tennis in Ayrshire and introduced thousands of children over the years to tennis. Morris liked to go about his coaching in schools, coaching at Coylton and the Friday Ayrshire mini leagues quietly and did it all as a volunteer.
“He was a lovely man that loved tennis and sharing his love of tennis with thousands of kids in Ayrshire. Morris will be greatly missed and remembered by the tennis community.”
Morris spent a significant amount of time developing and refining his coaching skills, reading and watching the latest methods from around the world. Friends and colleagues say he was “incredibly skilled” and talented at designing engaging teaching sessions for all ages and abilities, to improve and develop their playing skills.
Following retirement, he offered tennis coaching to a range of schools in Ayrshire including Coylton, Dalrymple, Annbank, and Tarbolton primary schools and St Patrick’s in Auchinleck, in addition to his Coylton Tennis Club commitments.
At some of the schools, he even assisted at their sports days, encouraging enthusiasm for participation in sport and exercise generally.
He was also a regular contributor to the Ayrshire Post sports pages and his updates on local tennis were always well received.
Morris’ contributions to the community were recognised when he won the award for South Ayrshire Active Schools Volunteer of the Year in 2019. He was also nominated for the Tennis Scotland volunteer of the year award in 2019 and South Ayrshire Active Schools ‘unsung hero award’ in 2021.
In 2021 alone, he delivered 150 classes, offered six outdoor sessions weekly and 50 children regularly attended his Coylton Tennis Club commitments.
Unassuming Morris, when nominated for another tennis award in 2021 reportedly said: “The people who should be recognised are the children, who have turned out in all weather, often wrapped up against the cold and wind.”
In addition to tennis coaching, in the past, Morris also voluntarily ran badminton and five-a-side football groups for young people.
Tennis Ayrshire paid this tribute on Facebook: “Morris was involved in many areas of tennis throughout his adult life.
“He was Mini Tennis Convenor for Tennis Ayrshire for many years, has been a huge part of Coylton Tennis Club and Coylton Primary School and started lots of Ayrshire juniors on their tennis journey.”
And Prestwick Tennis and Fitness said: “Morris had been such a huge part of tennis in Ayrshire for so many years, he will be sorely missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.”
Morris is survived by brother, Robin, sister in law, Sadie and niece, Angela.
His funeral is at Masonhill Crematorium on Thursday, March 9 at 12noon.
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