There may be a time, in years to come, when we look back at our failure to capitalise on ambition and regret our slow decline into stuttering indifference.
A time where we realise we have unwittingly dragged ourselves into a period of sporting stagnation, where the success of Andy Murray is but a distant memory.
Mum Judy’s decision to shelve plans for her much vaunted Park of Keir development may be music to the ears of campaigners who rallied against building on greenbelt territory, but the consequences of its demise could be far reaching.
We are now sleepwalking into an abyss of apathy. Facilities broken, swimming pools closing, golf courses disappearing, budgets being rapidly wiped out by cuts, with only worse to come as government ministers tighten their belts.
Worse than this, we appear to be letting it all happen. Weak, subservient, bending over backwards to appease the money men, in the vain hope of riches still to come. Governing bodies, terrified to rock the boat, remain silent.
Tennis Scotland? Conspicuously quiet in the whole Park of Keir affair. It’s almost ironic that their website is littered with images of Andy Murray as if, somehow, that will appease those who cling on, in the vain hope of a legacy for the former world No1.
Judy Murray told Mail Sport she has encountered ‘apathy, lack of ambition and at times lack of cooperation from those whose role it is to promote sport and tennis in Scotland’.
Andy Murray’s career is now over yet there is still debate raging about a proper legacy for the two-time Wimbledon champion
Jamie, Judy and Andy Murray were responsible for increasing interest in tennis in Scotland
Park of Keir was billed as a way of honouring the Murrays’ legacy – but it has been shelved
Her £20million landmark development plan lies in the gutter as a result of spiralling costs, planning delays and protracted discussions with stakeholders.
To say that the former Fed Cup captain is gutted – and exhausted – by the process, is an understatement. There’s only so many times one person can fight against those who lack the same ambition.
Murray, who pumped hundreds of thousands of pounds of her own money into Park of Keir, has since spoken out about the ‘lies and misrepresentations that have been peddled’ by those in oppposition. She insists her development was not about luxury housing and has railed against suggestions she stood to make millions.
Would she try again? Doubtful, given the current dynamic.
Last week First Minister John Swinney told Mail Sport he would be ‘open to discussions’ about another Judy Murray-inspired venture. What that looks like, he wouldn’t reveal. The assumption may be that Murray will jump headfirst into another such venture – piggybacking onto a potential tennis site elsewhere in Scotland.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said he was still only to talks with the Murrays
While this may suit the sporting authorities, it may not be a solution that aligns completely with the sort of legacy the Murray family feel is appropriate.
The idea of the Park of Keir development wasn’t a Mecca for fans of racquet sports but a way of life for those who watched and enveloped themselves in sport from a meaningfully young age.
An environment where toddlers, mothers, children and adults could immerse themselves in active living – all under the same roof – and without the prohibitive charges of private members’ clubs we so frequently see popping up around the country.
A soft play area was a vital part of the philosophy. While some may have seen its inclusion as unnecessary, itwas actually incredibly important.
It spoke volumes about the value of community buy-in, of the importance of parents and young people growing and maturing with a community. By introducing children of pre-school age to a sporting environment, their imagination is captured. If they like it, they will ask to stay; to try out new things, to be part of the wider dynamic.
Parents become a part of that, too – not only with their children, but with a new circle of friends and companions. Some may even go on to take part in that sport, themselves – giving their time as volunteers, or becoming coaches of the future. The effect is long-lasting, almost cyclical.
At an elite level, the centre proposed opportunities and a vision that is sorely lacking in Scotland. More indoor courts, space for pickleball and padel, the chance to learn and be educated by tennis professionals who have played the game to a high level – with visits from Sir Andy into the bargain.
More pertinently, it was to be led and organised by individuals with real skin in the game – unlike local-authority ventures, who struggle with finance and budgetary constraints. That could hardly be more prescient now, as we look down the barrel of budget cuts across Scotland’s local authorities, and in the UK as a whole.
Sportscotland and the LTA offered to stump up £5m each to help the endeavour materialise. This, however, was subject to planning and consent being met.
The Murray Play Foundation – the charitable organisation behind the project – needed £5m more to make it viable. Hundreds of thousands of pounds, meanwhile, would be needed for the next round of planning, with no guarantee the application would be a success.
When asked if there was a sense of apathy on its part, the CEO of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, told Mail Sport he would meet with Judy Murray ‘in the near future and talk about where we go from here, because we are absolutely committed to recognising and celebrating the impact Andy, Jamie and Judy have had. They’ve done incredible things for Scottish sport.’
He added, however, that there was ‘always a balance to be struck on these things’, and that ‘investing more in one project means investing less in another.’
While that is undoubtedly true, it slips into questionable territory when one looks at the years Scotland has had to capitalise on the success of Andy and Jamie Murray.
Sporting authorities have languished in the Murrays’ success, but dwindled abominably when it comes to making the most of the legacy staring them blatantly in the face.
Up-and-coming talents are still leaving Scotland to train elsewhere. The much-hailed GB Tennis Academy at Stirling University is already off to pastures new in England. With only three Scottish players coming through its doors in its time here, its success is questionable at best.
Meanwhile, we await the news of more indoor tennis courts being built across the country, following up on promises made in 2019 for ten new indoor facilities. While courts have sprung up at Oriam in Edinburgh and in Moray in the Highlands, it remains to be seen what will happen elsewhere.
So where do we go from here, in terms of future tennis players?
We used to be a country filled with vision and enlightenment but are swamped now in an interminable well of indifference
We now need more than Judy Murray to bang the drum for us. Not just to cement a legacy to her family’s success, but to ensure the health and wellbeing of future generations.
To do otherwise is a barrier to progress, and a silent accomplice to injustice.
