Founder's History

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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. Always wanting to learn and improve his tennis and still at present able to take on the juniors.

Playing History

Over 35’s ITF World Ranking of 20 in 2005 & Number 4 in GB

Highest LTA Rating of 3.1

Represented Surrey in under 21 team                                                                             Played For 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 twice & runner up twice/ Doubles winner 2 times & runner up 3 times

Bracknell Ratings

Singles ratings 4 times & runner up 3 times                                                       Aldershot & District Open                                                                                           Singles winner 4 times runner up twice / Double's winner 3 times

South of England Championship                                                                                ITF event over 35's Singles winner  & mens over 35's doubles  runner up 2 times

Surrey Postal    

Singles over 35's runner up 2 times

Mens doubles runner up 2 times

Eugene Bann

Singles ratings winner (Tableau)

Woking (ITF) Over 35s

Singles runner up

St Georges hill open

Singles ratings winner /Runner up once  & Open Doubles winner                        

Many other tournament wins in and around South-East

Coaching (Present)

Full time coach since 1987 /LTA Qualified & CRB checked

Currently running a coaching business in Woking, ‘Tennis & Children’ where 100 + children attend our weekly coaching classes.

Coach to Ripley Court & Hawley Place  Schools                                                   

Coaching History (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

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/

TENNIS A GAME FOR LIFE