Tennis coach gives tips to hundreds of children

MORE than 300 children in Henley have received free tennis coaching.

Tom Scott, head coach at Henley Tennis Club, visited the town’s four state primaries over five weeks to teach pupils the basics of the sport.

Then a handful of students from each one was chosen to represent their school at a finals event at the tennis club in Tilebarn Close attended by Mayor Kellie Hinton.

Trinity primary won the year 3 and 5 tournaments and Sacred Heart won the year 4 competition.

This was the third year of the initiative, which started in 2021 when the club received funding from the Lawn Tennis Association, and a total of 900 children have benefited.

Last year, it was funded by Henley Town Council and this year by Tennis Oxfordshire. Mr Scott said that delivering the programme had been a pleasure and the children had shown great teamwork and sportsmanship.

He said: “It started with them learning skills and working as a team and now they are playing matches.

“They look very happy. The whole idea is that they work together and play with their friends. The finals day capped off another great event. It was perfect and I have already had emails back from the schools saying how they enjoyed it.” He thanked his coaching team of Levi McAndrew Brown and Tom Francis who helped run the finals day.

Orla Coombes, nine, a pupil at Badgemore primary, said: “It’s really fun and if you lose it’s okay, you have to say well done to the other team. It has made me like tennis way more and it made me more confident.”

Her classmate Willow Gosby-Dolby, 10, said she had enjoyed learning how to serve and hit the ball from different angles and practising rallies.

Michaela Evans, a teacher at Trinity primary, said: “It gives everyone a chance to play tennis — some had never had the chance before.”

Andrew Broadhurst, chairman of Tennis Oxfordshire, said: “What Tom has done here is brilliant.

“He is really keen to get grassroots tennis going and kids experiencing the sport for the first time and playing in a team environment.

“Some of them might not have played it before and it’s all about making the sport more accessible.

“Other coaches across Oxfordshire are doing similar things and this is a great example of how to do it well.

“Hopefully, we can get Tom to work with other coaches and share his good ideas with them.”

Mr Scott was awarded Oxfordshire development coach of the year by the LTA last year.