IT HAS been a smooth transition from player to mentor for newly appointed Nelson Bay Tennis Club coach Blake Denison, described by his peers as having "an old head on young shoulders".
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A talented player who first picked up a racquet at age 12, Denison left school at 16 to take on a traineeship under the highly qualified and experienced coach Keith Williams.
"I have always enjoyed playing tennis but financially I found it difficult to take my game to the next level so I decided on the next best thing - coaching," Denison said.
"I was lucky to get a traineeship under Keith Williams, who has taught me virtually everything from stringing racquets to junior development and coaching techniques."
After a short stint at Nelson Bay, Denison was offered a full-time coaching job at Raymond Terrace where for the past 12 months he has been mentoring up to 50 children aged between five and 18.
"When I heard about the job at Nelson Bay I jumped at the opportunity. With a lot more juniors Nelson Bay offers a new and exciting challenge for me," he said.
"I'm preparing to work 12-hour days, whatever it takes really to ensure that junior members can achieve their goals, regardless of their level."
Denison will kick off his employment at Nelson Bay with a school holiday tennis camp from September 22-24.
Contact the club on 4981 4090.
