After enjoying two fantastic years at a tennis academy in the UK and feeling a bit uncertain about my next steps, I decided to venture into coaching. At the age of 18, I began my coaching journey as an assistant coach in South West London. Through various coaching qualifications, I worked my way up from a club coach to eventually becoming a head coach. Despite working with amazing people and coaches, I felt I had hit a ceiling and wasn’t sure where to go from there.

At 23, I went to university to study sports therapy. As someone who had experienced a few injuries, this area always interested me. I attended the University of Bedfordshire with the goal of enhancing my knowledge and self-improvement. Naturally, I found myself drawn back to tennis immediately. The university’s strong sports department offered me a coaching scholarship, covering the costs of my LTA level 1-3 courses. Being a broke student, I eagerly accepted the opportunity. I was tasked with coaching the university team and promoting tennis at the university – a responsibility I gladly took on.

My most significant learning experience in tennis and discovering its potential as a business occurred in 2015. The LTA presented me with the role of ‘University Tennis Coordinator,’ coupled with a Masters degree. I transitioned from student to entrepreneur overnight, collaborating with universities, councils, clubs, parks, the LTA, charities, national disability organisations, and businesses. My mission was to engage people in tennis, necessitating fresh ideas for participation, competition, workforce development, and more. These years taught me that tennis coaching and running a tennis business entail much more than securing the next hour on the court.

In 2017, Karl offered me the position of ‘Head of Junior Coaching’ at Sutton Tennis & Squash Club, which was precisely what I was looking for. Having been a member with my wife for almost five years, we loved the club and its community. Simultaneously, I introduced disability tennis to Sutton Tennis & Squash Club, establishing a department that fills me with immense pride.