Face-to-face: Mark Petchey, tennis ambassador & Neilson Active Holidays consultant
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What will be the key features of the Mark Petchey Tennis Programme?
The vision that we have for the Mark Petchey tennis programme, is to enabling everyone, no matter what their level, to have the chance to pick up a racquet and come away from their holiday a more confident player than when they arrived. Neilson’s existing tennis programme is already very popular, with a 95% satisfaction rating, so my role is really to fine-tune and build on the existing tennis offering to make sure we’re going above and beyond for guests.
The Mark Petchey Tennis Programme is freely available at seven of our eight Beachclubs across Greece and Turkey. The programme runs daily with group coaching sessions, available at no extra cost. Neilson coaches will look to keep guests active on court all the time, keeping them moving and hitting lots of balls and reduce the ‘down-time’ in coaching lessons which will certainly improve their game and enjoyment – as well as their fitness!
How will it cater to tennis players of all abilities?
Neilson’s Beachclubs run daily group coaching sessions throughout the week, and there’s something for everyone! At the beginning of the week, players will be split into groups according to their ability to make sure that everyone makes the most of their time on court. The coaching sessions will cover all aspects of the game and at the end of the week, there is an informal tournament for all players
For really keen young tennis players (8-14 years) we have introduced tennis coaching sessions. These sessions run during the school holidays, in addition to those offered within the children’s clubs. The sessions are free of charge and run for 45 minutes per day.
On top of this, at all of our centres where we have courts, there will be time during the day when the courts are not being used for coaching. During this time guests are free to grab some kit, enjoy a match with friends and put into practice the skills learnt from our professional coaches.
What role will you play in setting up the programme at Neilson’s Beachclubs?
My role is very involved and I will be leading on setting up the programme. My involvement includes:
- Consulting and crafting the overall tennis offering over the next two years, with detailed input on the overarching programme across all Beachclubs. I will be bringing my many years of experience as a tennis coach to implement changes and make sure that no matter what their level, guests can leave their holiday a more confident player. By focusing on details such as how guests are grouped by abilities, and vital areas such as groundstrokes and footwork, players will leave knowing their game has improved.
- Leading a two-day training workshop with Neilson’s head tennis coaches. In April I spent two full days training Neilson’s highly qualified coaches in London, establishing a coaching ethos with them. This will enable them to share the focuses I have worked on with them so they feel well-armed and confident delivering the programme at their Beachclubs.
- Spending time at the Beachclubs, coaching and playing with guests. I will be spend several days each year at the Beachclubs, working with the tennis coaches to consolidate the changes. I will also be leading a number of the existing sessions, giving Neilson’s guests the opportunity to experience the coaching that took Andy Murray from a top 400 to a top 50 world ranking first hand.
Will you make any surprise guest appearances, and if so, where?
I will be spending several days a year at the Beachclubs, so lucky guests will have the chance to be coached by and play with me. I will be at Messini Beachclub in Greece for three days on the 7th, 8th and 9th June 2016.
How will this programme help encourage more people to play tennis, in particular, young people?
Playing tennis is one of the best ways to stay fit, healthy and in shape! It is a game you can play all your life from the age of 5 to 75, and it’s a great way to get the little ones motivated to play sport and a fantastic activity for the whole family! I have two daughters who play a lot and my wife always plays so it is always fun when we get a chance to play together – if sometimes a bit competitive!
Neilson offers sessions that cater for different abilities along with free junior coaching sessions where guests as young as two can get an introduction to tennis. The older kids can enjoy matches and learn new skills with the Neilson experts. The free play at Neilson’s beachclubs will mean families can enjoy some quality time together.
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