We are a small independent coaching team delivering high level coaching to players who are committed to tennis and are prepared to give their best. The level of player who trains with us varies from county level juniors to adults training full time ranked 250 in the world.
We want to help each player achieve their potential but we do not sell dreams or fantasies. We firmly believe in honesty from the start and throughout with players having realistic and attainable goals and parents having realistic expectations! Of course we want the players to dream…. and dream BIG! But no matter how good you want to be it is far more likely to happen if you are taking lots and lots of small steps. Rather than one giant and unrealistic leap………..
Our aim is to develop people who regardless of tennis level are honest, humble, hard working, resilient, self motivated, take responsibility and have a never give up attitude towards challenges. However good, very few players will ever go on to make a living playing tennis professionally so ultimately what we want is for their tennis journey to be a spring board too great things whatever they go on to do.
We offer 4 strands of training at the centre.
Our mini tennis program has a select number of players attending. We encourage players to start playing tennis at their local club and as such playing on our program is usually additional training to boost and compliment what the player is already doing elsewhere. We do not work off the basis that players under the age of 10 need to be the best already and winning all the time. We focus on potential and what we believe someone can achieve long term not if they can win on a small cort. We are looking for players to be athletic, enjoy working hard and love competing. Playing other sports, seeing friends at weekends and being a child is as important to their long term development as playing tennis. We do not want players to be burnt out by their teenage years.
Once out of mini tennis and on to yellow ball we start to look more at players results and rankings. We currently use WTN (World Tennis Number) to place them into training groups. At the younger age groups in particular we are still very much focussed on a players attitude, work rate and commitment to the sport. It is at this stage where we look for players to start to train more at the centre and less at their local club. We have coaching before school, after school and offer many opportunities for players to come out of school during the day to train (subject to the school agreeing).
Being based at Hills Road 6th Form College, many of the players who choose to attend the college as a great way of maximising their opportunities to train. We are able to offer bespoke programs to college aged students based around their study timetables and individual goals.
This is for those players training full time playing on the tour trying to gain and then improve an ATP or WTA ranking. The players train at least 2.5 hours per day on court in a group, have 1-1 sessions around this, have regular on court fitness sessions each week, a gym program, have 1-1 access to our team of fitness, nutrition and psychology experts if they should wish and have regular support at tournaments from the coaching team. Each players program and is individual to them and worked around their tournament schedules.
We have ALL IN players andACCESS players. It is what it says on the tin.
An ALL IN player is someone who plays all of their tennis with us and trusts us with all their tennis needs. We will help plan tournament schedules, meet anytime with parents if there are any concerns and go that extra mile for any player who is committed to what we do!
An ACCESS player is someone whose individual coach is not one of our team, and/or comes to some of the sessions with us to complement their existing training program elsewhere. We offer the same great coaching to them but do not take responsibility forfor their long rem development.
All In PlayersWhether your goal is to become an ATP/WTA tour player, reach a level to play university tennis or pursue a career in coaching, if you have the right attitude towards training and competing then Hills Road could be the right place for you.
We do not have unlimited places but if you would like to be considered for a place on our program please get in touch below.
Enquire NowHills Road Training Program – Block 3 2023
15 Weeks | 4th September – 22nd December 2023
No group coaching during October Half Term
Squads are based on Mini Ball Colour and then a player’s WTN however the coaches have the right to select the players for the groups as they see fit. These groups are set per term and rather than your child changing groups, the whole group WTN will go up. For any player excelling in their group, the coaches shall be in contact.
Book Hills Road Training Program - Block 3 2023The team of coaches working at Hills Road consists of Chris Little, Matt Taylor, James Morris and Hamid Hejazi. We are incredibly proud to work with such a talented and experienced group of coaches who are without doubt some of, if not the best around when it comes to working with players of this level. The constant improvements made by all the players they work with is proof of the qualities they have.
As individual coaches they have between 10 – 20 years coaching experience but what makes this team so great is the camaraderie and drive to achieve the same goals. Chris has the highest level LTA performance qualification, Matt was a former ATP ranked pro player (and one of Cambs finest) and James has experience in travelling to many Junior tournaments both in the UK and globally. To learn more about the coaches please see their individual coach profile page.
Meet The Coaching TeamTo create a training environment that allows players to maximise their tennis potential whilst ensuring they also develop as individuals. We want players to enjoy the challenge of training hard and competing regularly. Each player training with us will be valued and we hope to create a sense of belonging and team spirit across all the age ranges training at the centre.
Our coaching team strongly believe in:
