GAME SET & MATCH My Coaching Futures Journey
THE PRESENTATION Joe the tennis player Decision to move into coaching Transition from player to coach Coaching Futures role and how it evolved Key challenges and successes Key people The future Recommendations Questions
JOE THE TENNIS PLAYER Aged 6 at Graves Tennis & Leisure Centre, Sheffield September 2006: Moved to University of Stirling to train & study September 2010: Part time masters degree in Sport Management (6 and a half years study!) European University with Stirling in Russia (2007) and Spain (2012) British Tour titles in Stirling (2010, 2012) & Sheffield (2012). Top 30 in Great British rankings October 2010: Helped Stirling win European Clay Court Championships at Roland Garros
JOE THE PLAYER CONT. BUCS Premier League & Trophy Champions with Stirling 2012 & 2013 BUCS Individual Championship singles runner up and doubles winner 2012 November 2012: Represented Britain in the BNP Paribas University Event, Aix-en-Provence June 2013: Reached final of $10,000 Futures doubles event in Greece. Career high world ranking, 1268 Shortlisted for World Uni Games Kazan
DECISION TO MOVE INTO 2003: Started assisting/hitting sessions with top juniors in Sheffield. A way to pay for my own lessons Helped me improve my own tennis. Understand the game better Early success: Jessica Ren won 12U Orange bowl championship in 2006 2006 to 2009: Put coaching to the side to focus on my own tennis and study COACHING
TRANSITION FROM PLAYER TO COACH 2009: Approached by Tennis Scotland to assist coaching sessions as a hitter to top junior players Again it helped me improve my own tennis Worked with Mark Walker, mentored by Judy Murray 2011: Began to travel with the players due to Mark family commitments and to help me gain experience. Also injured at the time Success: Jonny O Mara winning 4 ITF junior titles in 4 weeks
TRANSITION FROM PLAYER TO COACH CONT. September 2011: Became a Winning Student player/coach. More formal role within the system. Assisted Tennis Scotland and University of Stirling Continued work with Mark Walker. Started work with Toby Smith Success: Maia Lumsden won 14U Orange Bowl Championship in 2012 Travelled nationally and internationally to Malta
COACHING FUTURES ROLE & HOW IT EVOLVED Appointed October 2013 A role similar to Winning Students role but more formal Year 1: Continue to work predominantly with Toby Smith & Mark Walker at University of Stirling Year 2: Look to develop own responsibilities. Experience different events and visit academies
COACHING FUTURES Exposed to many different ages/levels throughout Scotland & international trips. Senior tournaments to talent identification days Achieve 2014. Shadowing Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. A lot of time on the road Started primary school coaching YEAR 1
COACHING FUTURES YEAR 2 Year 2: Travelling with Colin Fleming during summer of 2015. French Open to Wimbledon Shadowing top international coaches, Louis Cayer and Leon Smith Gordon Reid - Wheelchair French Open Doubles Champion & US Open Doubles Champion 3 weeks with Maia Lumsden in USA/Canada. Seeing her beat world no. 6 at a Grand Slam Coach to players at 3 of the 4 Grand Slams Blogged during my time away http://www3.lta.org.uk/in-yourarea/scotland/news/june-15/behind-the-sceneson-the-professional-tour---joe-gill-blog-no3/
KEY CHALLENGES Not enough time/opportunity to develop as a coach. Didn't achieve any additional qualifications Used more as an assistant coach/hitter than a coach in my own right Year 1: Position wasn t managed well Became a clone of the coaches I worked with
KEY SUCCESSES Achieve 2014: Being a part of the Commonwealth Games and learning about other sports Summer 2015: Coaching at 3 Grand Slams in a row Being part of a summer tour with top international players & coaches Primary school sessions and competitions. Over 2000 children playing in Stirling area Blogs raised public awareness of my coaching. Not just known as an assistant
KEY PEOPLE Mark Walker Toby Smith Adam Brown Tennis Scotland (in particular Lee Boucher) Other coaches based predominantly at Stirling
THE FUTURE: SHORT TERM Continue work with Colin Fleming, Gordon Reid & Maia Lumsden in Stirling Grow the game in the Stirling area. Working with Adam Brown Tennis Academy at The Gleneagles Arena Gain level 4 Senior Performance Coach Award
THE FUTURE: LONG TERM Travel coach to Scotland s leading players. Within 10 years I d love to be sitting in the player box at Wimbledon Create my own philosophy and produce players through it Continue to help grow the game.
RECOMMENDATIONS Experience coaching at all levels and ages. Might discover another area you enjoy Develop yourself. Not just qualifications. Get out there and learn from others. Even if it is uncomfortable Do you really want to do it? Performance coaching has great rewards but has drawbacks Learn about other sports. How other coaches work. How are the similar/different Make a note of sessions. What have you learnt? What works for each player/training sessions? How can you improve?
QUESTIONS?