New tennis coach appointed in Timaru by Timaru Herald

The Timaru Herald interviewed me when I started coaching with South Canterbury Tennis. Here is what they said:

The new coach at the Trust Aoraki Tennis Centre is just 20-years-old but brings a wealth of experience and a passion for the game.

Connor Brosnahan completed managed isolation on Sunday after returning from Greece, where he had been coaching tennis, squash and a European sport called paddle at the five-star Costa Navarino Resort in Messinia since June.

Brosnahan was able to work in Greece as he has a British passport because his mother is British.

Despite Covid-19, Greece had opened up for tourism and strict precautions were taken to ensure good hygiene such as sanitising all sports equipment regularly, wearing masks indoors, and all employees had to be tested every 10 days, he said.

Brosnahan grew up in Ashburton was taught to play tennis at the age of five by his dad Tony, who is also a coach. He went on to represent Mid Canterbury and Canterbury Country.

His first day at the Aoraki tennis centre on Thursday coincided with the South Canterbury Primary Schools Tournament being held.

“I have played a number of tournaments here. I like this place, there are so many courts (14) and it’s a nice location.”

After leaving high school, he worked for a security company during New Zealand summers and as a tennis coach in England in the Northern Hemisphere summers. In 2018/2019 he was based at the Jonathan Markson Academy of Tennis hosted by Oxford University.

“I was coaching eight to 18 year-olds on summer camps. They were international children from France, Spain and Italy.”

At the end of 2019, on his return to New Zealand, he coached five to 14-year-olds in the Ellesmere region including Prebbleton, Springston and Killinchy Tennis clubs.

Brosnahan is the youngest of the four main coaches at the Aoraki centre and will be coaching Hotshots, the under 12-year-olds.

“At their age it’s about fun and games and the basics. Movement is important,“ Brosnahan said.

Centre coach Murray Bradshaw said it was hard to find tennis coaches.

“They’re a rare breed and need to know the game. It’s a specialised sport and technical. They also need to be able to hit the ball at a reasonable level.”

He said he thinks Brosnahan will do well and bring plenty of experience to the position.

Author: Esther Ashby-Coventry

Read the full story here: New tennis coach appointed in Timaru