We came to tennis at different times in our lives and from completely different backgrounds, but the one common element is how tennis has impacted our lives and how hugely rewarding it is to be able to help other people find joy from playing tennis.
We resolved to create a place where we could involve more people and share that feelgood boost and happy feeling that you get from playing.
This interest rapidly took over a good portion of their lives!
Although the conventional coaching pathway encompasses everything from tots to cardio to performance competition, we found ourselves increasingly drawn to the inclusive side of tennis. We found that many people believed that they couldn’t join in or play tennis for a whole host of reasons. They thought they were too old, too unfit, were too disabled, or bits of their bodies no longer worked as they should. They were low in confidence, didn’t know anyone, or couldn’t afford it. The list goes on… and for many, the conventional coaching did not fit.
We have both spent years working with adults and children in our community including minority groups such as LGBTQI+, those with disabilities or neurodiversity, and those who are socioeconomic disadvantages. We have signed ourselves up for courses and gained qualifications in order to understand the challenges that people can face and now we are using these skills to help people play tennis.
We firmly believe that tennis has an infinite capacity for adaptability, and from this Diversity Tennis was born. It’s been a steep learning curve for us, but we have enjoyed the challenges and the people we have met on our continuing journey. We never know who is going to come through the door, but we know we will do our best to challenge ourselves to bring the joy of tennis to them.