A globally seasoned Canadian tennis coach will help\u00a0Gore\u2019s young tennis players\u00a0fall in love with the game.<\/p>\n
Simon Simsic,\u00a0who\u00a0has coached on his home patch\u00a0and in Australia, has been appointed by Tennis Southland to give weekly tennis coaching to Eastern Southlanders, aged up to 18.<\/p>\n
The former junior player, who\u00a0touched down on Southern soil last Sunday \u00a0will be based in Invercargill.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0said he wanted to inspire young people of all skill levels to pick up the racket.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal is to make kids fall in love with tennis \u2026 spread tennis\u00a0and hope it becomes a lifelong game and passion for them,\u201d Mr Simsic, who got his\u00a0his\u00a0Tennis Canada Club Professional 1 (CP1)\u00a0coaching\u00a0certification in 2024, said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The coaching,\u00a0which began\u00a0this week,\u00a0would be held on\u00a0Monday nights for eight weeks in term 4.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Interest for the $12 sessions could\u00a0be expressed through an online form\u00a0on Tapanui Tennis Club Facebook page, or by contacting Tapanui, Edendale or Citizens tennis clubs.<\/p>\n
Mr Simsic\u2019s coaching sessions would have a maximum of six players\u00a0in\u00a0each.<\/p>\n
This season, alongside the coaching sessions,\u00a0there would be inter-club games between Gore, Tapanui\u00a0and Edendale clubs, starting in November.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Club players could also have the opportunity to play in five regional open, closed and satellite\u00a0tournaments, set to\u00a0take place from the end of October\u00a0to February 2027.<\/p>\n
Wilson Sporting Goods tennis vouchers worth $300 were\u00a0up for grabs for players who attended all regional tournaments.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Simsic, who had coached players as young as 3 and as old as 93, said he would take budding players under his wing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf\u00a0there\u2019s kids that are passionate for it and love being on court, I will try and push them as hard as I can, and to the best that I can, to get them to the best playing level as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Studies had shown\u00a0tennis is one of the best sports to play to maintain a long lifespan, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last year,\u00a0the Tapanui Tennis club had 33 school-aged members.<\/p>\n