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A globally seasoned Canadian tennis coach will help Gore’s young tennis players fall in love with the game.
Simon Simsic, who has coached on his home patch and in Australia, has been appointed by Tennis Southland to give weekly tennis coaching to Eastern Southlanders, aged up to 18.
The former junior player, who touched down on Southern soil last Sunday will be based in Invercargill.
He said he wanted to inspire young people of all skill levels to pick up the racket.
“My goal is to make kids fall in love with tennis … spread tennis and hope it becomes a lifelong game and passion for them,” Mr Simsic, who got his his Tennis Canada Club Professional 1 (CP1) coaching certification in 2024, said.
The coaching, which began this week, would be held on Monday nights for eight weeks in term 4.
Interest for the $12 sessions could be expressed through an online form on Tapanui Tennis Club Facebook page, or by contacting Tapanui, Edendale or Citizens tennis clubs.
Mr Simsic’s coaching sessions would have a maximum of six players in each.
This season, alongside the coaching sessions, there would be inter-club games between Gore, Tapanui and Edendale clubs, starting in November.
Club players could also have the opportunity to play in five regional open, closed and satellite tournaments, set to take place from the end of October to February 2027.
Wilson Sporting Goods tennis vouchers worth $300 were up for grabs for players who attended all regional tournaments.
Mr Simsic, who had coached players as young as 3 and as old as 93, said he would take budding players under his wing.
“If there’s 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.”
Studies had shown tennis is one of the best sports to play to maintain a long lifespan, he said.
Last year, the Tapanui Tennis club had 33 school-aged members.