October is the LTA’s Parents in Tennis month so it was a perfect time to speak to Kay Gilbert in the latest of our series of My Five Top Tips For Tennis Parents. Kay is one of the driving forces behind the Tennis Parents Community Facebook Group - which I highly recommend - and as you’ll hear has some brilliant tips for tennis parents! If you are a tennis (or sporting) parent please do take a listen, I’m sure you won’t regret it…

This episode shows what a wonderful adventure sport can bring you both on the court and off it! Thaddea Lock is the UK’s no.1 pickleball and is enjoying a fantastic chapter in what is America’s fastest growing sport.

I’d heard how pickleball is taking America by storm in the way The Beatles did in the 1960s. I knew from a work point of view that the ace TopspinPro pickleball version has received a very warm welcome in the community.

If truth be told though I didn’t know too much about pickleball, what it is, why it is becoming so popular and whether there is a scene in the UK.

Thanks to Thaddea Lock that has all changed! Thaddea has had an amazing journey in tennis and followed it up with a really exciting chapter in pickleball. I’m sure you’ll enjoy hearing all about it…

I’m a tennis coach and a tennis player but I spend a lot of time in another tennis role - a tennis parent! This podcast shares the things that I’ve learnt from going along to a whole lot of tennis tournaments, plus the tips that experts such as Lisa Stone and Mark Tennant have shared. I also did the excellent LTA ‘Supporting Parents of Competitive Juniors’ course just the other day and felt there was no time like the present to do my little bit to try and make the role of being the tennis parent of a competing junior a little bit easier…

The Laver Cup is coming to London and what an event it is set to be!

In this edition of My Tennis Journey, Laver Cup CEO, Steve Zacks talks about his passion for tennis, the origins of the Laver Cup and the ever so ace story of how Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray ended up joining Team Europe. Hopefully this episode will whet your appetite for the excitement of the forthcoming Laver Cup…

What a journey Derbyshire’s Andy Wood has had from promising badminton star, to becoming a GB Olympic Head Coach and co-founder of Derbyshire Institute of Sport. Along the way, he’s inspired huge numbers to play sport and from a badminton perspective coached Simon Archer and Joanne Goode to GB’s first ever Olympic medal for Great Britain (Bronze) in Sydney 2000 as well as coaching Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms to Silver Medal at Athens Olympics 2004.

Andy has an inspiring story and an exciting current chapter with the Derbyshire Institute of Sport. I hope you’ll enjoy listening to Andy as much as I enjoyed speaking to him.

It was fascinating to talk to Michael Gradon, the CEO of Game4Padel - one of the fastest growing companies in one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.

Padel was described recently as the biggest fitness trend of the Summer by GQ magazine. Jurgen Klopp loves it, Pep Guardiola loves it, Annabel Croft loves it, Zlatan loves it, my Mum loves it and so does my wife and my children.

Michael has a wealth of experience within the corporate World and the tennis World having been on the board of Wimbledon and Game4Padel is growing quickly and has Andy Murray among their investors.

As you’l hear, Michael doesn’t just believe that padel is going to be big, he believes it is going to be MASSIVE.

From a participation point of view in the UK, can it grow to be bigger than rugby? Bigger than cricket? Bigger than netball?

Listen to this episode and find out just how MASSIVE Michael believes padel can become…

Tennis is a game for life and today’s interview proves it! Professional tennis players may retire on average at 27, but for amateur players your tennis career can run and run up to and beyond your 80th birthday. Seniors Tennis GB are passionate about inspiring players who are over 35 to get involved in the game from giving it a go, to playing competitions and even having a chance of representing GB. As you’ll hear from Seniors Tennis GB Head of Selectors for the men’s teams Edward Oakenfull, whatever your level there are some fantastic opportunities to get involved…something I’m planning to do!

Fantastic news! John of Rolleston Primary School where I coach has been named the LTA School of the Year for the Midlands! This follows on from the school being named LTA School of the Year for Staffordshire.

The recipe that has led to this Award has featured six main ingredients that when mixed together produces an ever so ace tennis programme. Find out what the ingredients are in this short episode…

Tom Murray has had an amazing journey from teaching English to a future World No.1 at a Spanish Academy as a young tennis hopeful to heading up one of the World’s fastest growing sports at the LTA. Hear how Tom has helped drive the growth of the game in the UK, what the future holds for padel players and coaches and which World Cup winning footballer he played padel against…

He’s so excited and he just can’t hide it, Paul from online retailer PDHSport is a massive fan of padel and he thinks you’ll like it!

Find out why in this introduction to padel as we discuss why Paul is enjoying the sport so much at the brand new court at Church Broughton Tennis Club where I coach.

As you’ll hear, Paul has a number of reasons why he thinks padel is a fun sport for the whole family…

Ellen Taylor is a Coach at Church Broughton Tennis Club. Ellen has put a tremendous effort into organising a She Rallies Fun Day at the club on Sat 2 April between 2-4pm.

Everyone is welcome at the day, but the aim is to get as many women and girls playing tennis as possible. It was brilliant to hear from Ellen about why she is so passionate about the She Rallies initiative which is brought to us by Judy Murray and the LTA. Enjoy listening and if you’re anywhere near Church Broughton on 2 April, do come on over for some tennis and amazing CAKE!

Tips for tennis parents really is the specialist subject of today’s guest. Lisa Stone is a tennis parent, a tennis broadcaster and the person behind the ever so ace podcast called ParentingAces whose slogan is For Tennis Parents by A Tennis Parent. So who better to deliver our next Top Five Tips For Tennis Parents? As you’ll hear, Lisa has some fantastic advice for all of us tennis parents!

Hello everyone and welcome to this impromptu podcast episode. I’m delighted to say I’ve won an Award in the Derbyshire Tennis Awards!! Let me take two minutes to tell you all about it…

SwingVision is the tennis app featured in Apple’s TV commercials!

If you’re a tennis coach or player with a liking for apps, then I reckon you should find out about SwingVision - and a great place to start is my interview with co-founder and CEO Swupnil Sahai! 

Prepare to be inspired! Roy Turnham was registered blind from birth but as you’ll hear he has never let his sight hold him back. Indeed, Roy’s made over 100 appearances for the England Blind Football Team, he’s won the National Singles and Doubles championships in the GB National Visually Impaired Tennis Champs and he’s combined it all with a spot of rock and roll - having toured as a drummer with the fantastic Liverpool band She Drew The Gun. I found Roy’s story incredibly inspiring, I hope you will too…

Tennis parents know that being a tennis parent can be testing at times! This episode is for all you tennis parents out there.

Mark Tennant is a hugely respected tennis coach and coach educator who co-founded inspire2coach (i2c) - the leading coach education provider. Mark is a Level 5 coach, a Coach Education Master Tutor and has a huge amount of tennis experience having worked for the LTA and the ITF.

Mark has tutored or presented in approaching 100 countries around the World. What’s more, Mark is also a tennis parent! So what a brilliant guest to start our series of Top Tips For Tennis Parents…

Matt Allen and Steve Davies from tennis holiday company Active Away went inside the BBC’s Dragons’ Den and ended up receiving investment from Peter Jones who is a big tennis fan. Find out how the appearance came about, the inside story of their Dragons’ Den appearance and what has happened to Active Away since their television adventure including their biggest challenge to date...

Psstt! I have got a new job and it’s a load of spin. Let me tell you all about it…

Ned Salmon (who is my 8 and three quarter year old son) made his debut for Derbyshire u9s in 2021. I was recently doing a sound check in preparation for a forthcoming episode and Ned kindly agreed to help. I asked him a few questions about his debut for Derbyshire and the answers were ace - so I thought I’d publish them! I particularly liked how Ned talked up how great LTA County Cup can be for developing friendships and how it is not all about winning. I hope you’ll enjoy…

As I write this, we were supposed to be on a plane to the Dominican Republic - but as you’ll hear it wasn’t to be!! This short episode is kind of my end of year reflections with a load of massive thank yous (one of which is for you - yes you!). Do take a listen and if you make it right to the end you’ll hear me doing the Wham Rap! Seriously…