Leigh Chapman
Experiences with coaching: I am a Club Professional Coach and have been the Head Coach at Gisborne Tennis Club for over 15 years. All up, I have been involved in coaching for about 20 years and still love seeing students get excited about the game.
Strengths when I play: My main strengths are my consistency (aka Grinder!) and endurance. I compete hard and try not to give my opponent an easy point.
Coaching style: I believe that I am very positive and supportive. I try to engage my students with fun activities. I try to give my students feedback at the end of each lesson so that they have something to practice on in their own time. I foster a love of tennis, no matter the student’s ability or age.
Favourite Player and why: Stefan Edberg. I loved watching Edberg play when I was a kid. He had an amazing serve-and-volley game and my favourite backhand around. He was also calm when he played, his temperament was excellent! Edberg was an incredible player for the game of tennis.
Glen Chapman
Experiences with coaching: I have been the Junior Development coach at the Gisborne tennis club for the past 12 years. I love passing my knowledge of the game to my students and helping them build a passion.
Strengths when I play: Over the past few years I have tried to become calculated and use more strategy to get the better of my opponent.
Coaching style: I like to think of my coaching style as energetic, full of enthusiasm and I like my students to have a lot of fun learning new skills. I like my students to see my passion for the game.
Favourite Player and why: It's got to be the G.O.A.T, the great man Roger Federer. The grace with which he plays is magic to watch and the way he conducts himself both on and off the court has changed the game. A true gentleman.
Ben Van Emmerik
Experiences with coaching: I'm a relatively new coach, starting in 2024 and have loved every minute since! In addition to tennis coaching, I've also coached at Gisborne Little Athletics since 2021.
Strengths when I play: My speed and engine are my biggest strengths. While I may not have the power to hit a winner off every ball, I love running and will never let my opponent get a free point.
Coaching style: I always try to focus on making the lesson as fun as possible for the kids! When I've been coached in the past, I've always found that having a fun time has been the biggest motivator to me to come back and give it my all every time.
Favourite Player and why: I love watching Alex De Minaur play. Not only is he an Aussie, but he plays his heart out every match and can chase down anything!