Louise Holtum is Derbyshire Ladies Co-Captain. In this episode, we find out what’s in store for Derbyshire Ladies at the LTA Winter County Cup from 10-12 Dec and we hear about Louise’s journey from the beautiful courts of Bamford to Loughborough University and beyond. A journey accompanied by a passion for County Tennis!

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Coaches can inspire players to start a life long journey with our brilliant sport. Today’s guest is Merlin Van de Braam, the Head of LTA Coach Development. It was great to speak to Merlin and hear how passionate he is about the new Coach Development Plan and how he believes it will help support coaches be the best they can be. As Merlin says: ‘I hope we can reach all coaches out there to let them know we DO listen.’ Listen to.find out all about the new plan...

PS If you enjoyed listening and would like a chance to chat with Merlin, please do head to the Tennis Coaches’ Support Network (TCSN) Facebook Group. Merlin is due to be a guest on an online event TCSN are hosting on Wed 8 December. To find out more, please head to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TennisCoachesSupportNetwork

PPS To have a look at the full LTA Coach Development Plan, please head here: https://www.lta.org.uk/workforce-venues/coach-teach/coach-development-plan/

Today’s episode focuses around a really important topic - coaching and mental health. And we’re discussing it with a guest who is making a really positive contribution to a subject that can be tricky at times to talk about. Callum Gowling from Liquid Sport Psychology hosts regular coach catch ups where coaches come together for self and collective reflection. They are brilliant sessions. Callum recently ran a get together in aid of Movember where mental health and coaching were discussed - I couldn’t make that one so I thought it would be brilliant to chat to Callum - and he kindly agreed…

To find out more about Callum's courses please head to https://www.liquidsportpsychology.co.uk/

To find out about more about Movember please head to https://uk.movember.com/

Today’s episode has an important life lesson as well as many tennis ones and at the heart of it is the importance of BRAVERY in making things happen!

Bravery has been a constant theme in Rob Morgan’s rapid ascent from a promising junior to Tour Coach helping Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram win Grand Slam titles. Enjoy listening to Rob's journey…

You can find Rob on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/robmorgan91/

Could sport be a force for good that unites us in these most challenging of times? That’s the question which today’s guest - the highly respected sports business leader - Matt Rogan looks to answer in his ace new book ‘All To Play For: How Sport Can Reboot Our Future’. The answer - of course - is that it most certainly can! Speaking to Matt and reading his book have really got me fired up to do all I can to get more children to start a life of sport and more adults to realise the benefits of sport. I hope that after having a listen to our chat that you’ll be fired up too…

David Haggerty made a commitment to tennis aged five and many years later he is still delivering on it! His adventures as a player, an exec at Prince, Slazenger / Dunlop and Head, the Chair, CEO and President of the USTA and now ITF President form a compelling story. A story with a passion for tennis at its heart…

In today’s episode Keith Carder, the LTA’s Head of Competition, tells us all we need to know about the new ITF World Tennis Number. We get to the heart of this exciting new ITF system which is being adopted by the LTA and tennis federations around the World. As you’ll hear, the World Tennis Number is kind of similar to the golf handicap system. It aims to be at the heart of a new global tennis community…

To celebrate becoming a member of the coaching team that delivers County Training in Derbyshire, I’ve put a short little six min episode together on why I love County Tennis and why it can be a constant positive companion as tennis players make their way through life…

Derbyshire’s Millie Devey Smith had a glittering junior tennis career and after attending Repton School decided to head to the University of Bath rather than go on a US tennis scholarship. Find out why it’s a decision she’s glad she made as well as what it’s like to play Emma Raducanu and how she has ended up working at Nottingham Forest FC…

Abbie Breakwell may only be 18, but she’s already had a remarkable journey into the world of Wheelchair Tennis which has seen her rise to no.3 in the girls world rankings! Abbie is from Long Eaton in Derbyshire and also has a strong affinity to Nottingham. I loved our chat because Abbie is great fun and as you’ll hear destiny really did come calling to start her on court adventures. Adventures which are set to get more exciting over the coming months and years…

Further Info…

Give wheelchair tennis a go with the LTA’s wheelchair tennis initiative

The ever so ace Dan Maskell Tennis Trust who Abbie is an Ambassador for

Please click this link to find out more about my tennis podcast and to get in touch