The local round of the cup was played in August, with students from all around Yass Valley taking part to learn basic tennis skills and enjoy a gentle competition. 

After a close-run final, Yass Public triumphed over Gunning Public and earned a place at the finals, which are being played at Sydney Olympic Park today. 

Coach at the Hume Tennis Club Scott Eulenstein said that the anticipation level from the kids had been extraordinary in the days leading up to the trip. 

“There’s been a lot of excitement and a lot of the kids have been training quite hard during their lunch breaks and hitting with their parents and getting some hours up on court,” Mr Eulenstein said. 

He believes that the experience will be “invaluable” to the children and their development in tennis. 

The competition is open to Year Three and Four students, and the finals in Sydney featured 19 other schools from across NSW and the ACT. 

The ceremony started at 9:30 in the morning, with play beginning at 12:30 and concluding at 1:30. 

The trophy was presented by tournament namesake Todd Woodbridge, in what Mr Eulenstein believes was a very special gesture for all the kids participating. 

“The chance to play for something so prestigious named after an Australian champion is an invaluable opportunity,” he said. 

“I think all the kids will definitely come back better for the experience.” 

Although the competition is a chance to improve individual tennis skills at the local and regional levels, the finals provide an opportunity to learn about teamwork and making a contribution towards a group effort. 

“It will be a mixture of competitive play and also that team emphasis as well,” Mr Eulenstein said. 

The children travelled up a yesterday to acclimatise to the big-city atmosphere and socialise with the other competitors. 

“The students actually went up [on Wednesday] and they did a tour of the facility there at Homebush, plus they had a meet-and-greet and a barbecue with all the other zones in NSW,” Mr Eulenstein said.