In a bend in the road which runs adjacent to the All England Tennis Club stands one of the golden postboxes that were painted all round Britain in 2012.
As the crowds streamed into the Wimbledon Championships last week thousands brushed past it barely noticing it and its existence has nothing to do with tennis, marking instead the achievement of Sophie Hosking, the Scottish-born, but Wimbledon-raised rower whose victory in the lightweight double sculls at the London Olympics was among several achieved in that sport.
We do rowing in Britain, a sport much of the rest of the world knows little about and has no chance of competing in, while there are golden postboxes all over the south east of England.
Returning briefly home to Dunblane from Wimbledon the day after watching Andy Murray claim the most important title in tennis for a second time, having to work a way round a ‘Dyno-Rod’ van to get the car parked somewhere near the house as everyday life went on offered, then, a reminder of the extraordinary nature of the reaction there has been to the achievements of the town’s most famous son.
Tourists and locals alike initially flocked to have their photos taken at its golden postbox, which stands as a monument to his breakthrough win. Four years on it remains a common sight, when passing that way, rain, wind, or shine to see people setting up photographs.
Tempting as it might be to suspect that the location contributes to the specialness of this particular postbox, sitting as it does smack bang in the centre of town at the top of the High Street, very few ever seem to bother to try to arrange to use the magnificent Cathedral, which has drawn visitors for centuries, as a backdrop. The photo-takers are there to visit a shrine dedicated to a very special individual.
In a variety of contexts it has often been said that Dunblane is not the sort of place that is expected to be the source of extraordinary happenings, just a sleepy, pleasant little town in the heart of Scotland’s commuter belt. Yet it is precisely the sort of place that can develop champions, because anywhere can be if the environment is right and it evidently was to produce, as things stood when Murray struck that winning shot on Sunday, two world class athletes in the reigning Wimbledon champion and the world’s number one doubles player.
Pretty much at the other end of the High Street from the cathedral are tennis courts that are as accessible by foot or cycle to every local youngster as you could hope for them to be. There is also a golf course that has produced some pretty decent players which now, sitting almost within sight of the Murray boys’ grand-parents’ home which sits adjacent to the second tee, houses the town’s second feature which pays tribute to their achievements. That was unveiled earlier this year when Jamie turned up to hit the first drive off a hole which previously bore the sport’s most common name for a closing hole– ‘Hame’ – but has now aptly been changed to ‘Murrays’ Hame’.
They had, too, parents who provided the necessary direction and encouragement to give them the chance to be successful and were prepared to overcome the lack of specialist help available to make the very best of the enthusiasm and talent they identified.
The different demeanours of Andy and Jamie, apparently contrasting outlooks even when it comes to how they prepare to play the sport in which they have diverse and often, most notably when they perform together in the British cause, complementary skillsets and playing styles befitting their specialisations, only serves to underline that message.
Two talented boys were lucky enough to be exposed to a sport at which they excel and were given the playing time and space to make the most of that. The citizenry of Dunblane, even those of us who are relatively recent incomers, have benefited in being allowed to bask in the reflected glory, just as any place can if it provides the environment which gives its youngsters the right opportunities.
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