Tennis & Children
Developing Tennis & Children Since 2000
Founder's Coaching & Playing History
Coach Gary Stanford began tennis at the age of 15 at the Horley LTC. He was introduced to the club by a friend from school and found that he had a talent for the game. The club was on the same road that he had lived for 3 years, regrettably he wished that he had played when he was younger. Gary stopped playing for one year but continued again aged 18. He took a few lessons with a coach, but is basically self taught.
His first tournaments outside of the club events were from aged 19 years and often struggled with nerves which had a very negative affect on his performances. One match Gary recalls was against a Surrey County tennis opponent when he was 19 years of age where he got hammered 6-0 6-0, he had never seen a topspin serve and could not manage the pace. His game was developing but unfortunately starting so late and with no real coaching hampered his progress. However one year later he met the same opponent in the surrey singles event, to his delight he won in 3 sets. This led to Gary being picked for the Surrey mens under 21 team where he had some good wins. He continues to play competitively with some good tournament wins, and of course some bad losses with some days just not having the energy or desire to play after coaching or looking after his own children. Always wanting to learn and improve his tennis and still at present able to take on the juniors.
Playing History
(Over 35’s ) Highest ITF World Ranking of 20 & Number 4 in GB
(Over 40's) Highest ITF World Ranking of 50 & Number 1 in GB
Highest LTA Rating of 3.1
Represented Surrey in under 21 teams
Represented Surrey at county week in the over 35's team
Tournament Wins & runner up/Singles & Doubles
Mens National grass court championships of GB @ Wimbledon
(Over 40's) Runner up
Cranleigh Open
Singles winner 3 times/Runner up 4 times
Ratings winner 2 times /Runner up 2 times
Doubles winner 2 times /Runner up 3 times
Bracknell Ratings
Singles Winner 5 times / Runner up 4 times
Aldershot & District Open
Singles winner 5 times /Runner up 2 times
Double's winner 5 times
South of England Championship ITF event
Over 35's Singles winner
Men's over 35's doubles runner up 2 times
Surrey Champs Postal
Singles over 35's runner up 2 times
Mens doubles runner up 2 times
Eugene Bann Ratings
Singles winner (Tableau)
Woking (ITF) Over 35s
Singles runner up
St Georges hill open
Singles mens ratings winner 2 times
Open Doubles winner once/ Runner up once
Nottingham over 40's
Mens Doubles winner
Aldershot Open
Mens open doubles winner once /Runner up once
Many other tournament wins in and around South-East
Coaching Present
Full time coach since 1987 / LTA (I.C.A) Qualified & CRB checked /Have participated on licensing scheme courses
Currently running a coaching business in Woking, ‘Tennis & Children’
Coach to Private schools & Freelance coach
Coaching Past
Surrey county coach & selector for the LTA
Coached various county & national junior
players
Head of junior under 11’s coaching program at
Chris Lane Tennis Centre
Coached Guildford grammar school to national schools title
Coach to Merrow LTC / Pirbright LTC / Woking LTC / Sutton Junior tennis centre / Wishel LTC / Chris lane tennis centre / Binfield LTC lady beginners in groups for 2 years / Wispers girls school /Sir William Perkins Girls School / Greenfield school / Wellington College /St Nicholas school