LTA Coach Development podcast

Discover how simple, regular competition can transform player engagement, strengthen club communities, and support long-term programme growth.

In this insightful episode, Neil Brien, Head Coach and Chairman at Eccleston Park LTC, and Paul Olri, LTA Head of Competition, share practical strategies for introducing fun, accessible competition that keeps players coming back. Through real-world examples and lessons from successful pilot programmes, they demonstrate how competition can improve retention, build confidence, create stronger social connections, and generate new opportunities for coaches and venues.

By listening to this episode, you'll learn: 

• How regular, low-pressure competition can increase player enjoyment, confidence, and retention. 
• Practical ways to create a competition culture that strengthens your coaching programme and club community. 
• Simple competition formats and delivery ideas that are easy to implement, regardless of facility size or player level. 
• How competition can encourage family engagement, support club growth, and create additional coaching opportunities. Watch the recording

Whether you're already running match play opportunities or looking for new ways to engage and retain players, this episode offers actionable ideas that you can put into practice straight away.

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This special episode celebrates the contributions of South Asian communities within tennis. The session featured Abdul Ahmed, an inspiring coach who has progressed to coaching at Wimbledon during the 2024–2025 period. As a hitting partner for professional players on the ATP and WTA tours and the founder of Rising Stars Tennis Academy in London, Abdul brought a wealth of experience and insight, particularly in engaging diverse communities across the country, including South Asian communities. Abdul was also joined by Surraya Patel, tennis enthusiast, community campaigner, secondary school science teacher, fitness instructor & personal trainer.

By listening to this podcast, you will be able to:

• Understand the journey and experiences of a South Asian coach progressing into high-performance environments, including insights into coaching at elite events like Wimbledon.
• Explore effective approaches to engaging and growing participation within South Asian and other ethnically diverse communities.
• Identify practical ways coaches can contribute to creating more inclusive, representative tennis environments within their own programmes and networks.

This is a great opportunity to hear about Abdul’s journey, gain valuable coaching insights, and engage with an important conversation around diversity and inclusion in tennis.

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Are you doubting yourself as a coach? or do you feel confident outwardly but uncertain underneath? Confidence and self-esteem sit at the heart of effective coaching, yet many coaches quietly struggle with self-doubt and imposter syndrome.

Join Dr. Callum Gowlling (Sports Psychologist and Director of Liquid Sport Psychology), Fran Lewis, (2021 LTA Performance Coach of the Year and MSc in Sports Psychology), and Merlin Van de Braam (Head of Coach & Official Development & Support), for a revealing conversation designed to help you explore the critical relationship between confidence and self-esteem, and provide you with the key tools for navigating coaching as a career.

By the end of this podcast, you'll gain a better understanding of:

• What confidence and self-esteem mean for coaches
• Behaviours that build confidence
• Coach identity and imposter syndrome
• Resilience for coaches

If you'd like to invest in your personal growth, not just technically, but psychologically, this episode will give you the tools you can apply immediately.

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Listen to this insightful discussion on the importance of income protection for coaches featuring Andy Goulbourne, Howden Insurance Broker, Mark Tennant, LTA Level 5 Coach and Coach Mentor, and Sasha Badrock, LTA Engagement & Accreditation Manager.  

Around 85% of UK coaches are self-employed, and many are unaware of how quickly their income could stop if they were unable to work due to illness or injury. From personal accidents, short-term medical issues, or long-term health conditions, the list of possible reasons that can prevent coaches from working is infinite. 

By engaging with this resource, you'll gain a better understanding of:

• What income protection is and isn’t
• Why it’s important for self-employed coaches to be aware of income protection
• The common policy types and the role of a broker

If you want to build awareness on how to protect the continuity of your coaching business, this webinar is a must-listen.

Please note that this episode is informational only and does not provide personalised financial or insurance advice.

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Listen to this podcast to hear from Iciar Montes, legendary padel champion and World Number 1 for 14 years, and Jo Ward, LTA Head of Education and Qualifications, as they discuss the essentials of padel on-court communication. 

During this conversation, they help you understand:

• Why on-court communication is an essential part of the game
• The positive impact in players' tactical awareness and shot selection
• How to include this in your coaching sessions

If you'd like to learn from true experts and gain top tips that can be applied straight into your coaching programme, this webinar is a must-watch. 

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Listen to this podcast to hear from expert speakers, including Matt Smith, Development and Learning Manager, and Paul Skipp, ERSA Master Professional Tour Stringer, as they discuss the essentials of racquet customisation and explore optimal racquet settings to enhance players' performance.

During this conversation, Paul helps you discover:

• Why racquets with identical specifications can feel different. 
• How to customise for consistency or tailor specs to individual player needs. 
• Practical tips to adop a player-centred approach and match racquet to player's style and goals. 

If you'd like to explore key aspects of racquet frames and customisation to help players perform at their best, don't miss this opportunity to learn from a true industry leader. 

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Listen to this special podcast episode featuring Alexis Simms, EDI Development Partner at the LTA; Eugene Allen, founder and co-host of the Black Spin Global podcast; and Zack Evenden, former Coach to Frances Tiafoe, as they explore this year's Black History Month theme: "Standing Firm in Power and Pride".

Zack shares his journey as a coach from mixed heritage background, all the way from US college tennis to coaching at the ATP and WTA levels. Together, Zack and Eugene also discuss the barriers faced by coaches from diverse backgrounds and highlight the importance of increasing visibility, whether through the media or within tennis clubs.

If you're looking for practical insights and inspiration on how to navigate these challenges and help build a more inclusive tennis community, this episode is for you.

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In this podcast, Caragh McMurtry, CEO of Neurodiverse Sport, and Lesley Crocker, Tennis Manager of the South Devon Tennis Centre, discuss the different aspects of neurodiversity and share practical strategies to support neurodivergent players in your coaching programme.

Caragh and Lesley share valuable insights into neurodiversity and the barriers it can present, particularly for children who want to engage with the sport. Based on personal experience, they focuse on autism and offered top tips to help make coaching sessions more inclusive for autistic people.

If you're looking to gain strategies from industry leaders, support autistic players in regulating, and adapt your coaching to meet their individual needs, this podcast is for you. 

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In this podcast, Ana Soares, specialist in sport psychology with more than 15 years of experience in high-performance tennis and LTA Coach Mentor, helps us navigate the most common on- and off-court challenges of dealing with pressure for players.

Ana shares her knowledge on identifying the various ways players react under pressure and provides the fundamentals for introducing mental training into your coaching sessions, along with detailed action plans for creating routines.

If you'd like to hear from an industry leader in the psychology space and gain top tips to help players deal with pressure more effectively, this podcast is for you.

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In this podcast, Jemima King, LTA Level 4 Senior Performance Coach and Coach Mentor, shares her journey both as player and coach. She explains the challenges she faced when trying to excel in her coaching career while keeping her passion for the game and balancing family responsibilities.

With more than two decades of coaching experience and deep expertise in the mental side of tennis, Jemima has contributed to player development from junior to senior level. She completed her Level 3 tennis qualification in 2005 and began her coaching career at Halton Tennis Centre, where eventually became Head Coach. Later in her journey, she expanded her impact by working as a travelling coach, supporting players competing at ITF standards. Since 2019, she has also taken on the role of Buckinghamshire Tennis Junior County Performance Officer and runs a consultancy dedicated to helping players reach their dream of playing tennis at a US College. On the competitive side, she enjoyed the junior LTA circuit, competing in junior nationals and represented Buckinghamshire from juniors to senior level (15/15 at county week).

If you'd like to get tips from a former player, mum, and Head Coach on how to find a healthy work-life balance, where you can make time for the things you love while enjoying the sport, this podcast is a must-listen. 

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