Keith Reynolds wins Aegon Lifetime Achievement Award

Keith, co-owner and founder of The Watchorn Tennis Club in Derbyshire, has made an exceptional contribution to developing coaches and coach education over many years of his career.

He has consistently been an innovator in how to communicate with the player in a way that engages and empowers, he has helped coaches develop these skills in many ways.

Many of GBs leading coaches today would name Keith as a major part in their own development. Keith does not develop coaches as clones, he empowers them to find their own route to being their best.

Keith has been a top player throughout his career, playing to an international level as a junior and becoming the National 35+ Champion. From his expertise through coaching and playing, Keith has coached many top international and national players including Davis Cup player and top 200 ATP ranked Jamie Baker.

1. Three main tips for an aspiring coach? 

• Understand that all competitive tennis is a rehearsal in microcosm for the macrocosm of adult life
• Appreciate that Successful Tennis Coaching is a truly extraordinary life career
• Watch your players/customers compete and build your tennis lesson from that match reality

2. Coaching career highlight? 

• Co-authoring, with Paul Dent, The Tennis Coach's Toolkit - A Pathway to Super Coaching

3. Achievements? 

• Co-owner and founder of The Watchorn Tennis Club which is a former LTA 'Club of the Year'
• Working with the ITF to develop tennis and coaches in poorly resourced developing countries*
• Training a wonderful border collie sheepdog, Cassie, to round up tennis balls and place them in the appropriate baskets!

4. A hugely influential person? 

• Lenny Heppell, a genius who understood where Sport metamorphasised into Art

5. What motivates you most about your job? 

• There is no distinction between what I would want to do recreationally to what I do professionally. A journey of life discovery through tennis.

6. Your coaching career in one word? 

• Privileged