Before I started coaching at Fireball Tennis Academy, I spent many years as a player here. I moved from my first tennis club over to Yallambie with a friend, so that we could participate in Saturday Morning Club Competition. This turned out to be just one of so many opportunities that Fireball has given me. Throughout my time as a player, I had private lessons and was also a member of several squads, which made me feel like I was a part of a community…not only did I have the chance to get to know and train with a great group of players, I also had many supportive coaches around me, who invested a lot of energy and time into making me the best player I could be and ensuring I was given every opportunity to succeed.
Fireball opened my eyes to a side of tennis I had never known before. Having only played club competition, I had no idea what was out there but, thanks to the pathway programs here, I was able to transition into a Pennant team and then into tournaments. One of the most rewarding life experiences I have had was actually a Fireball Tennis Tournament Trip…I was lucky enough to be asked to play in Hobart, Tasmania with a number of other high performance players and, in just one week, I developed so much, not only as a player, but as a person; my physical fitness, level of determination and overall attitude was tested, along with my independence, making this trip a very beneficial learning experience for me (not to mention, we had a crazy amount of fun!!).
A year or so after this experience, I was offered a position as a coach at Fireball Tennis and this has taken me on a whole new journey. I have absolutely loved having an impact on my students, inspiring them to love tennis just as much as I do. One of the most enjoyable parts of this job for me is progressing my young players into competitive tennis, giving their lessons purpose and seeing them strive to be just like the profe
ssionals. Hotshots Leagues has definitely become one of my highlights and I have been lucky enough to coordinate this competition at our North East venues for the last couple of terms; it has had such a motivating impact on my coaching.
I am very grateful for my time at Fireball Tennis Academy, both as a player and a coach. I have been able to achieve so much personally and professionally, and it is a wonderful community, in which I have made so many great relationships, with fellow players, my coaching colleagues and, of course, my superstar students and their families. Fair to say I cannot wait to see what the future holds for everyone at Fireball!