9:10am Saturday 13th February 2010
By Steve Carroll
YORK teenage tennis ace Tom Walker has become the youngest coach in the world to attain the sport’s highest ranking professional qualifications.
The 19-year-old came through a gruelling examination of his playing and coaching skills in London to become a Level 4 performance tennis coach.
Having also picked up the Professional Tennis Director Award, the Registry of Professional Tennis Master Professional Award and the United States Professional Tennis Association Professional 1 Award, the former Fulford School pupil is now the world’s youngest coach to achieve the levels recognised by the top professional governing bodies for tennis, including the International Tennis Federation.
Walker, who started playing tennis when he was nine and picked up his first coaching qualification at 15, is a full-time tennis professional at the David Lloyd Club in York and tennis coaching director at Fulford Tennis Club.
He also plays National League division one tennis for Fulford and has represented them in the York League division one from an early age. Walker was also a member of Pocklington men’s premier division one-winning side in 2009. Walker said his main aim was to be a top coach on the professional tennis tour.
“I get more out of coaching,” he said. “I prefer to create champions rather than be one myself. I am very proud to be recognised internationally with these awards. I get a real buzz out of teaching tennis and it’s a great feeling to see someone improving rapidly through your coaching.
“I coach a lot of people of different ability and I have got some good youngsters coming through who are playing quite well.”
Walker is currently working with the City of York council and Lawn Tennis Association to establish stronger links between schools and clubs to encourage more children to take up the sport.
The work doesn’t stop there as Walker is now developing a grass-roots Tennis Tots scheme, where pre-school children are taught agility, balance and co-ordination skills.
“You don’t have to be as good as Andy Murray to enjoy tennis, but it would be brilliant if I could help to discover the next Wimbledon champion,” added Walker.
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