MEET THE TEAM
Edward Large
​Edward created the Excel Tennis Academy to make tennis accessible for everyone and to create a pathway for school pupils to join their local tennis clubs.
Edward has always loved working with juniors and mentoring them to become future tennis coaches. Since 2004 he has mentored over 30 people many of which are now full time tennis coaches, have careers in sport or have gained access to careers and universities due to their experience.
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He is very proud of all his students achievements and the pupils who he has helped create a career for their future.
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His love of sport, fitness and especially tennis has driven him to create an Academy which currently has over 500 people a week in coaching, 7 Tennis programmes at clubs and local facilities, 7 tennis coaches and 19 primary schools in the 'Excel Tennis Academy Schools Partnership'
Edward’s current activities include:
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Managing the EXCEL TENNIS ACADEMY
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Managing the coaching programmes at all our 7 venues
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Organising the schools’ programme
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Organising the junior club teams and EXCEL matchplay events along with the Academy’s competition organisers.
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Coaching a variety of players from beginners through to junior county players and adult club first teams
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Working with beginners and players coming back to the game.
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Mentoring young and upcoming tennis coaches
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Working with local authorities to help promote sport in the local community
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Coach and Leadership Training
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Developing local facilities to help promote exercise and tennis to the wider community
Some of Edwards qualifications
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L.T.A LEVEL 4 Senior Club Coach Award
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L.T.A Club Coaches Award (CCA)
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L.T.A Development Coaches Award (DCA)
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Equity in coaching
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First aid
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Cardio Tennis Instructor
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FAA Level 3 Paediatric First Aid
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5 Facts about Edward
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Loves classic cars and bikes
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Played the drums since he was 5
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Is a keen fish keeper with a large marine fish tank and koi pond
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Was in a successful band playing gigs in london including the national NME competition
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Is happiest when gardening, doing DIY or building something
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What people have said about Edward Large
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'Ed and myself go back many years as both friends and professional coaches, Ed always creates the right coaching environment to learn and have fun in, in the pursuit of finding the winning formula. Ed comes highly recommended.
Chris Hampton, National Coach of the year
Edward created the Excel Tennis Academy in 2003 when he was 19 to provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds a chance to get involved and learn to play tennis.
Edward started assisting coaching tennis when he was 14 years old at his local club. He knew straight away he wanted this to be his career. At 16 years old he started his coaching qualifications and by the age of 21 was a level 4 tennis coach, one of the youngest in the country. Early on in his time as a coach he realised that there was a need to make tennis more accessible for everyone and he made this his focus when he created the Excel Tennis Academy.
He took on his first Head Coach’s role at 19 turning a small club programme with just 20 pupils on a Saturday into a thriving programme with over 200 people across 6 days a week.
About Ryan
Ryan has played tennis since he was 10 years old. He started by assisting sessions as a junior, taking his qualifications after he left school then went on to work full time for Excel. Ryan also works with many local schools, delivering curriculum time sessions as well as after school clubs, along side club sessions including adult, junior and cardio tennis and individual lessons
Some of Ryan’s interests and hobbies
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Playing hockey
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Eating out
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Watching films and series
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Going to car shows
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Qualifications and Training
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LTA Level 3 Tennis
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Level 2 multi skills in sport
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Level 3 paediatric first aid
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Emergency first aid at work
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Safeguarding and protection trained
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DBS enhanced checked
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About Gary
I started playing tennis in the 1970s, it was a different game back then, wooden rackets and whites were the order of the day. I did my first coaching course in the early 1980s when I started my career as an aircraft technician in the Royal Air Force. I went on to play competitively at interstation level at every unit I was posted to apart from RAF Leuchars (they didn’t have a team when I arrived and I had broken my leg playing football for the Squadron when they wanted to start one). After I left the RAF in 2005, being busy with working all hours, I hadn’t picked a racket up in over ten years before I joined Witney Tennis Club! That was in 2016, I am now a member of the club’s committee and I have adopted the philosophy of doing things for the fun of it, and that includes careers as well. I did some technical instructing in the RAF and enjoyed that, I love tennis, so an obvious choice was to teach tennis! I am obviously not as quick around the court these days, but I have plenty of knowledge and experience to impart as well as bags of enthusiasm! I started my coaching courses in 2019 and am now a level 2 coaching assistant and plan to reach level three in the very near future.
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Gary’s other interests include:
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Football – I am a member of Carterton Social Football Club.
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Running – I am a former member of Witney Roadrunners and have completed countless half marathons and finished three full ones too (London Marathon twice).
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Cycling – I love to get out on a bicycle when I can, longest ride was about 120 miles.
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Swimming – I completed a virtual cross channel swim in a swimming pool a couple of years ago. I had eight weeks to do it in, but did it in four, so I swam back, in three weeks!
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Triathlon – The three sports above naturally marry up to triathlon. I have done lots of sprint distance triathlons and finished three Olympic distance events (1500m swim, 40km bike and 10k run)
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Painting miniature figures – yeah, I bet that one got you? Well I have to do something sedentary!
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Qualifications and Training
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LTA Level 2 Coaching Qualification
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LTA Accredited Coach
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Safeguarding and Protection Trained
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Emergency First Aid at Work
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About Chris
Joining Witney Lawn Tennis Club in 1997, within a short time Chris started helping with junior coaching and was the Club Junior Coordinator. Whilst working, he completed a DCA Level 3 qualification in 2002 and has coached here and at Standlake since.
Apart from coaching, Chris is the present Chair of Witney Lawn Tennis Club and the Mens B Team Captain.
Some of Chris’ Other Interests and Hobbies
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He is a big Chelsea fan and season ticket holder.
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Golf takes a lot of his time. Knowing the value of good coaching, Chris is having lessons to help reduce his handicap.
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Other sports, cycling, yoga, skiing.
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Qualifications and Training
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LTA Level 3 Qualification
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LTA Accredited + Coach
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Tennis for Kids Qualification
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LTA Youth Qualification
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Cardio Tennis
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Safeguarding and Protection
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Emergency First Aid at Work
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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
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About Tom
I have a massive passion for tennis and love getting as many people playing and loving the game. I have coached in clubs and schools for over 15 years so have built up a huge client base along with experience of teaching a wide range of ages and abilities from tot beginners to 85 year olds.
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I joined the Excel tennis academy team in 2019 and have worked hard to build the numbers at KBS. We now have over 50 regularly playing juniors and the adult programmes are doing well with regular groups and teams competing in Oxford leagues.
I love watching all sports and like walking and swimming as leisure activities. I have a 3 year old daughter that keeps me busy and is very adventurous including sharing a love for tennis.
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I look forward to getting more people to LOVE THE GAME!
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Qualifications and Training
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LTA Licenced Level 3
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Under 10’s and Schools Specialist
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Lead Coach KBS Tennis Club
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About Dom
Dom started volunteering with the Excel Tennis Academy as a junior, helping coaches out with mini-red sessions and summer holiday courses. Completing his coaching qualifications at the age of 16, Dom continued to work with the academy as a part time coach while studying for his A-Levels. Dom now works with the academy full time running coaching sessions in Witney and Standlake, as well as helping Ed with the academy administrative work.
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Some of Dom's interests and hobbies include:​
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Long Distance Running
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Graphics Design
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Longboard riding
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Qualifications and Training
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LTA Level 2 Coaching Qualification
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LTA Accredited Coach
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Safeguarding and Protection Trained
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Emergency First Aid at Work
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Paediatric First Aid
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