Prime Video LTA Youth Girls Coach talks motherhood, coaching & overall work-life balance
• 3 MINUTE READ
If you’re considering tennis coaching as a career path, you might be put off by the potentially long and unsociable hours that could impede on your quality time. However, mother and NET 360 coach, Emily James, shared how finding tennis, and the Prime Video LTA Youth Girls programme, has enabled her to achieve a better work-life balance by tailoring the hours to fit in with her lifestyle.
Juggling parenthood and a career can be a daunting prospect. Every parent, to varying extents, will be confronted with the day-to-day barriers that come with the full-time position. But Office of National Data statistics have shown that women carry out an overall average of 60% more unpaid work than men when it comes to cooking, childcare and housework. This can be a significant barrier for women when it comes to careers, such as coaching for example.
Emily James is a mother of two and had already achieved a very successful career to date, with more than 20 years of working in journalism and PR, but it was the pandemic that ultimately drove her decision to alter its trajectory.
“I was working for a large music venue at the time, which of course immediately shut during Covid. I’d always thought about going into teaching. My husband’s work travel stopped and he said ‘why don’t you just do it now?’ So, I retrained as a primary school teacher, and if I’m completely honest, it was just unsustainable. I loved working with children though and particularly enjoyed teaching P.E. as I was already an athletics coach volunteering at my local running club.
“My children were attending the local tennis club around the corner at the time, and I knew the head coach, Carlos; he also used to teach a while back. We got chatting about my predicament and he said he was always on the lookout for good coaches and would I be interested in helping him grow NET 360’s school’s programme? I was hesitant as I wasn’t really a tennis player, but he assured me they could train me and that you don’t have to be a high level tennis player to add value as a coach working in grass roots. He said the most important thing was the skills I could bring as a teacher. He was also keen to bring on board someone who could help grow the business through marketing and communications, which of course I knew I could help with.
“It was a bit of a leap of faith, but all of my family and friends said it sounded perfect for me. Carlos obviously had faith in me so I decided to just go for it. I began shadowing Carlos in schools and completed my Level 1 coaching course before going on to do my Level 2. Now most of my work is in schools, which I love and fits really well with having school-aged children.”
Not long into her stretch on the coaching scene, Emily became involved with Prime Video LTA Youth Girls programme – a project piloted by the LTA in partnership with Prime Video to inspire girls across the nation.
NET 360’s girl’s programme has been so successful that Emily was invited to join a selected group of coaches from across the UK to attend the WTA Tennis Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart this April. There she met like-minded coaches, both men and women from varying regions and backgrounds - some also mothers - who shared one overarching goal: encouraging young girls to feel confident on court while addressing concerns that contribute to girls losing their love for sport and exercise in their teenage years.
“It was the most incredible experience. I pinched myself every day we were there. We got to watch and meet the most inspirational players and coaches, but the best thing about it was the group I went with. We are still in touch now and I have learnt so much from them. They have given me so much confidence too.
“Growing up, I distinctly remember being the last girl on the tennis court playing with my male friends. I just remember thinking, ‘oh, why do these girls not want to play anymore?’
“Back then, there weren’t always many opportunities for girls, whereas now, the world’s their oyster. I love watching tennis now as there’s so many players of all different backgrounds, sizes, body shapes, and ethnicities. Everyone has someone they can now relate to and aspire to be.”
Not only has the Prime Video LTA Youth Girls programme focused upskilling coaches on the recruitment and retention of young girls in tennis, but it has also helped to grow the number of female coaches in the sport, making the field more accessible. As a result, Emily and her cohorts have been able to develop as players and coaches whilst also making it work for them personally.
“I feel like I have found my thing, which is the schools and the girls. It’s still hard trying to juggle everything but I’m very lucky that I have such a supportive head coach and family. I also have an amazing female tennis mentor, Jo Cunliffe,” said Emily.
“I've made this new career fit around my life, and my kids are so invested in it. My son is a tennis leader and Mary might as well be! She’s only 9 but they could both probably take their Level 1 tomorrow! They both come and help me every week with various LTA Youth sessions as well as tennis camps in the holidays. It’s great for their own development and is teaching them so many skills. I love that they’re part of it.”
Feeling inspired?
The LTA are committed to recruiting more female coaches, but also educating our existing coaches on how to best deliver tennis and padel for women and girls through our new CPD module. Find out more here: