Coaching Sessions & Academy News

The British Real Tennis Academy 2017-18    by Josh Farrall & Graham Tomkinson

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The British Real Tennis Academy is the UK national coaching programme for the best young players in the country.  Each year, it typically selects 30 or so young players who are a mix of amateurs and professionals, men and women and from 13 to 24 years of age.  Players are selected from across all clubs on the basis of match play results, commitment, potential and the recommendation of their club head professional.  They are streamed into squads according to age and proficiency.  Coaching to the Senior Squad, the lowest handicap players, is delivered via individual one-on-one sessions with coaches such as Rob Fahey and Ben Taylor-Matthews and with funding from the Academy.  Coaching to all other Squads is delivered via a mix of group coaching days at Queen’s with tennis, physical and sports psychology coaches, match play days at Wellington with Dan Jones and individual sessions with tennis coaches such as Rob Fahey, Ben Taylor-Matthews, Ben Ronaldson and Bryn Sayers.  The Society works with the Department of Sport Sciences at Brunel University to ensure that the design and content of Academy programmes include current research and best practice from the wider world of elite sport.  The Dedanists’ Society funds and runs the Academy with strong support from the T&RA.
During 2017-18, the Academy delivered 19 group coaching days and a further 60 sessions of individual one-on-one coaching to 34 of the best young players in the country.  These individual sessions included tennis coaching, match video analysis and sport psychology. 

            

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The handicaps of a third of Academy players improved significantly over the last 12 months.  An annual improvement of 7 points is a good performance for higher handicap players and an improvement of 4 points is good for those with lower handicaps.  Handicap is not the only valid measure of a player’s performance but it is certainly clear and objective.  Typically, the rate of a player’s handicap improvement is not constant.  It varies from year to year depending upon practice, coaching and the adoption, or not, of fundamental changes in technique, fitness and mental strength.  A player’s handicap may deteriorate in the short term while he or she is adopting new methods for longer term benefit.
The number of young professionals in the Academy, including trainees, rose from two to six.

 

•    Senior Squad
The Senior Academy is typically for players of age 17 to 24 and handicaps up to 9 at season start.  This year, it contained 4 players with handicaps of 2.5 to 5.3.  Handicap improvements during the season were slight.  Ed Kay, coached by Rob Fahey, won the British Amateur Singles.  Robert Shenkman, coached by Rob Fahey and Ben Taylor-Matthews, won the British Under 24 Singles Open.

•    Development Squad
The Development Squad is typically for players of age 17 to 24 and handicaps from 10 to 25 at season start.  This year, the Squad contained six players and the majority achieved significant improvements in handicap.  Aaron Flippence, coached by Rob Fahey and Ben Taylor-Matthews, achieved the biggest improvement.  Ed Hyde won the British Under 21 Singles Open.  

•    Ladies Squad
The Ladies Squad is typically for players of age 17 to 24 and handicaps up to 45.  This year, it contained 6 players and half achieved a significant improvement in handicap.  The biggest improvements were made by Lea van der Zwalmen, supported by additional coaching from Ben Ronaldson, and by Jess Garside.  The ladies appreciate and benefit from both open and ladies only coaching sessions.  The Academy will optimise the mix according to player needs.

•    Intermediate Squad
The Intermediate Squad is for players age 16 to 19 and year start handicaps of 26 to 40.  This year, it contained 10 players of whom 2 were trainee professionals and 40% achieved significant improvements in handicap.  The best of them will compete in the World Under 18 Singles Open at Seacourt in August 2018 and will be promoted to the Development Squad next season.

•    Junior Squad
The Junior Squad is for players age 13 to 15 and year start handicaps of 41 to 55.  This year, it contained 8 players of whom 37% achieved significant improvements in handicap.  The best will compete in the World Under 18 Singles Open at Seacourt in August 2018 and have the opportunity to compete again in 2020.

•    Clubs
Congratulations to Seacourt on being the home club and primary developer of 20% of the young players in the Academy.
Distribution of Academy Players by Club
Number of Academy Players    Clubs
7    Seacourt
6    Radley
5    Queen’s *
4    Manchester
3    Cambridge University, Jesmond, RTC.  
2    Manchester
1    Bristol, Moreton, Oxford University, Prested, Wellington.
        *  Many of the Queen’s players were first recruited and coached at a previous club.
The game is beholden to all clubs with the drive and capacity to recruit and develop the young players who represent the future of real tennis and from whom Academy players are selected.

•    Programme Directors & Coaches
Programme Directors     Graham Tomkinson, Stef King
Tennis Coaches    Chris Bray, Chris Chapman, Rob Fahey, Dan Jones, Andrew Lyons, Ben Ronaldson, Bryn Sayers, Ben Taylor-Matthews.
Physical Training    Andy Chinneck, Graham Smith
Sports Psychology    Alex Lucas
Diet & Nutrition    Tracy Parker
Microtactics    Tennis coaches plus Graham Tomkinson.
Logistics & Personal Plans    Josh Farrall

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