Tennis Career & Coaching

Competing in Tennis and Teaching Tennis/Fitness

After ending his competitive tennis career in 2007, having represented his home country of Sierra Leone that year, (in the 9th All African Games in Algiers, in Algeria) Sam decided to take up tennis coaching. He was keen to pass on his experience to others who aspired to learn the game of tennis, in particular to the younger generations.

Since 2006, Sam achieved a professional coaching qualification with the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) and became a member. Then, in 2009, Sam gained his full licence and Level 3 Coaching Certificate with the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). For many years, before his tennis coaching career took him to Spain, Sam enjoyed his coaching in the North West of England as Head Coach at Rainford Tennis Club and as Assistance Head Coach at Sphynx Tennis Club, in Southport.

In 2013, Sam moved to Spain where he worked at the Global Tennis Team Academy in Mallorca for eight months and then at Tennis Academy Mallorca for one and a half years. During his time in Spain, he worked with many players from across the planet, gaining more valuable experience, including working with Jofre Porta who is regarded as one of Spain’s most genius teachers of tennis.

Sam began touring as a coach with former British junior player, Alex Sendegeya, from 2009, touring with him in Finland and Denmark on the Tennis Europe (TE) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) Juniors. From then on, Sam has worked and travelled with many players throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the United States.

  • Some players Sam has worked with

    • Christina Berchtold (GER)
    • Benjamin Niv (BUL)
    • Natalie Alexandra Wall (GBR)
    • Sofia Segui Edmondson (ESP)
    • Sachia Vickery (USA)
    • Albert Apreku Arthur (GHA)
    • Elijah Poritzky (USA)
    • Katrin Scaroni GER)

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Sam has also had the privilege to hit with many ATP/WTA players at the Liverpool International Tennis Tournament where he was appointed as Head Coach from 2012 to present day.

  • Hitting with the players below represents some of the highlights for Sam:

    • Alexandra Cadantu (ROU)
    • Corinna Dantoni (ITA)
    • Polona Hercog (SLO)
    • Melanie Stokke (NOR)
    • Michael Russell (USA)
    • Andrey Rublev (RUS)
    • Melanie Stokke (NOR)

  • Also, Sam has worked alongside past legends, such as:

    • Virginia Wade
    • Jan Michael Gambill
    • Barry Cowan
    • Peter McNamara
    • Mansour Bahrami
    • and many more…

tennis fitness

Sam is also a mental coach to many of the players he has worked with; this is an interest that Sam has developed over years of working with competitive players and seeing how they struggle to deal with adversities that occur on and off court. Sam uses a range of training techniques with the players to help them focus more on the most important things, to improve their self-belief and know how to deal with the harshness of what the game and life can throw at them.

There are four aspects which tennis can be divided into:

PHYSICAL
TECHNICAL
TACTICAL
MENTAL

Of these four, it is the mental aspect which Sam believes proves the hardest to master in the game, as a lot of tennis players, including ATP/WTA players, struggle in this area. This is why Sam spends a significant amount of coaching time helping younger players to develop the mental aspects of their game which he believes helps them to become more well-rounded, resilient and successful players on tour, through developing their mental stamina.

Sam is also a fitness coach and a black belt martial arts teacher, with over twenty-eight years of experience. He incorporates martial arts training into his fitness programs for his players to help them develop their speed, confidence, coordination and endurance. Sam estimated that the skills needed in martial arts are similar to those that tennis requires. Every technique and tactic depends on the individual’s concentration, speed, anticipation, reaction and good foundation which is based on stance. Just as martial arts demands all of this, tennis requires all of this too. In addition to his black belt in Tae Kwon Do, Sam also practices Kung Fu and other martial arts.