You are using an outdated browser. For a faster, safer browsing experience, upgrade for free today.

Loading...

Achievements

16
Tennis Europe Titles
(& 13 runners-up)
37
National Grade 1-2 Titles
(& 18 runners-up)
6
Players Ranked No.1 in GB
6
GB Team Representatives

Why TA School?

We exist to serve serious young tennis players who do not wish to compromise on their academic studies.

By definition, “elite” is a space that can only be occupied by a rare few. It is not defined by intent, ethos nor structure; anybody can copy a successful model without replicating the corresponding output. There are many schools in Britain offering tennis programs, however our coaches’ achievements, experience and track record are second to none – and that's including high-performance centres and academies at all levels of the LTA Player Pathway.

Our reputation is based on home-grown players, not cherry-picked proven talent; we spot potential and build champions "brick by brick". In this single photo of a previous Tennis Avenue generation are: six players who went on to win Tennis Europe titles; four players who went on to become No.1 in Britain; one player who went on to become No.1 in Europe (and No.6 in the world 18&U).

What we teach on court is entirely based on direct, "on the ground" knowledge and experience of taking players from a very young age to national and international tournament success - year after year for over a decade. Our coaches are constantly learning and evolving, being informed by direct experience at Tennis Europe and ITF circuits. Our players haven't simply competed at national and international levels, they have a consistent and prolific record of winning at these levels, and that sets us apart.

FAQ

We are 100% independent of the LTA and have always been so. This enables us to offer a "one-stop solution" of stability, seamless continuity and long-term commitment to each player all the way through to international tournaments. Indeed we are able to offer ALL our players exactly the same level of opportunities, such as elite training and international travel, that a select few from the LTA Player Pathway will ultimately benefit from.

Our track record at every level stacks up more than favourably with the equivalent LTA entities (Park/Club --> LPDC --> RPDC --> National Academy). Our players have the security of not having to constantly chase selection for better opportunities, as they are in an elite environment from the beginning. We therefore provide a proven alternative to the LTA system in Britain that doesn't involve players being moved from training environment to training environment at every milestone.

Call us old fashioned but we are strong believers in building from sound technical foundations. Our coaches are not performers or entertainers and their aim is to instil good technique and habits as quickly as possible. For this reason we work best with children who want to work seriously on their game and who have a mature understanding (and acceptance) that training is a process which can involve repetitive and boring tasks in the short term.

In our experience it takes 2-3 years to achieve a sound technical foundation, and the ideal time for this is between ages 7-12. It takes focus and perseverance, and this can be quite the challenge for a generation brought up on the idea that they are just a click away from anything they do not find fun or instantly rewarding.

This can also be a challenge for parents who are eager to see their children developing, competing and producing outcomes that justify the considerable commitment and investment made by the family. However there isn't a more entertaining path, or short cut, that we can offer.

What we can offer though is relief from the weekly treadmill of competing week after week, be it in Red and Orange ball competitions or to pick up wins and rankings points in older age groups. Playing the system for wins, rankings or to get noticed is fruitless in the long term; at the very top titles are decided by genuine skill and ability, and that's where the focus should be in the earlier years.

Our players have a comprehensive weekly program of high quality training and fitness. We need to be very mindful that their young bodies get adequate rest and recovery time to avoid storing up potential injuries for the future. Our recommendation is two full days of rest each week.

With this in mind, and with tournaments to fit in as appropriate, it is generally unlikely that county training would be able to add meaningful tennis value to our players' training. Some counties are respectful of this and understand what is best for the children; others may be less sympathetic and will penalise the children by not selecting them to represent their county if they don't attend training.

We welcome our players being called up to represent their counties, and will work with each child to make sure they can keep their counties happy. We do however expect counties to respect the fact that players may have greater priorities such as exams and higher level tournaments, and to not penalise players if they are unable to attend every fixture.

In general it is very difficult to be accountable for a player's progress if they are receiving multiple technical inputs or overall guidance. Therefore in general we do not work with external individual coaches.

The exception to this is in the case of highly advanced players (typically players who are top 10-15 in the country when they arrive at the school). If they have a good existing relationship with a coach and it is clearly successful then we wouldn't want that relationship to end on our behalf. In such a case, if requested, we will play a supporting role and allow the existing coach to set the overall direction with their player's development.

Indeed we are happy to incorporate individual 1-1 sessions with their coach into the player's weekly timetable, if the coach is willing to deliver sessions at the school.