The Courtside Hubs team
Our management team comprises individuals who are fortunate to have enjoyed the benefits of professional sport as well as building a diverse skillset through tennis outreach and delivery. These skills of co-ordinating community programmes, attracting and retaining participants, and generating sustainable economics have proven highly transferable to other activities. It has been a privilege to see more people take part in entry level, informal recreation and it is now our mission to expand our local success into more areas.
We are indebted to our team of coaches, activators and volunteers who are just as passionate about the fun, fitness and friendship offered by physical activity in social settings. We are also supported behind the scenes by a host of experienced professionals covering architectural design, property construction, café operations, software development, financial control, marketing communications and customer service, which enable us to offer a turnkey solution for Councils.
Management team
Jeff Hunter
Managing director
Responsible for business growth and account management. 15+ years management consultancy, event operations and sports marketing experience. MBA (with Distinction), London Business School & BA Hons Modern Languages, Oxford University. Former u.18 & current 50’s national tennis champion; Surrey county player for 30+ years; OU Triple Blue.
Nick Elliott
Operations director
Responsible for delivery process and coach education. Former national tennis lead for GLL, UK’s largest leisure trust, overseeing all workforce, content and delivery. Level 5 Master Performance Coach, tutor & course designer for LTA qualifications (Level 3-5). Strong man management and team-building skills.
Ed Isard
General manager, Oxfordshire
Responsible for 20 coaches operating in 32 venues. Level 5 Master Performance Coach, Oxford University Women’s Blues Coach & County Training lead. Former tennis manager at White Horse Leisure Centre, Abingdon (team of 15). Former Tennis Oxfordshire Committee member. Excellent programme development and coach management/mentoring skills
James Auckland
Director of programmes
Responsible for programme design .Level 5 Master Performance Coach & ex LTA’s men’s touring coach: first-rate observation/motivation skills. Lead coach tutor for Premier Tennis workforce & David Lloyd Clubs (200+ coaches). Former ATP pro tennis player, British doubles No. 1 & Team GB Davis Cup squad member.
Customer service team
Kylie
Customer Service Advisor
Kylie is part of our customer service team, she enjoys working with the team to find solutions for customers. In her free time, Kylie enjoys taking part in theatre and reading.
Justin
Customer Service Advisor
Justin is part of our customer service team and enjoys helping people out with their enquiries. In his spare time, he enjoys playing football and relaxing with his family.
Marketing team
Charlotte
Marketing assistant
Charlotte is part of our marketing team and enjoys assisting people in getting in active. Charlotte spends her free time reading and working out with friends at the gym.
Kate
Marketing Manager
Kate works in our Marketing team, where she designs and implements both B2B and B2C content marketing strategies. Typically, you can find Kate writing and designing email and PR campaigns as well as crafting website copy and writing social content. Kate worked in publishing before joining Courtside, where she’s found the perfect blend of her passions for both creativity and sport
Coach education team
Mel Phillips
Coach education manager
Mel is the Courtsides Coach education manager and has been working in coach education for over 10 years now setting up and running all relevant LTA qualifications and courses pasted and present. Mel’s background is in publishing and advertising having worked for large magazine publishing houses for many years only leaving to have children. She has also worked as an artist having been employed in galleries working to exhibit other artists and as an exhibiting artist herself. Mel has two tennis playing children who have come through performance programmes with one playing county and University tennis and one playing club tennis.
Chris Holland
Tutor
Chris is a L5 LTA accredited coach and has been coaching full time since 1980. He is also an LTA tutor for LTA Assistant L1, LTA Instructor L2 and LTA Coach Professional Development courses. Chris is an External Quality Assurance assessor for the LTA Safeguarding and Protection in Tennis and Padel course and one of only three LTA safeguarding mentors. He also delivers the LTA teacher training courses for both primary and secondary school staff. Chris has written a safeguarding course specifically for 13–15-year-olds and is working with the LTA performance team to visit all LTA Performance development centre across the country to make sure they understand safeguarding in their environments. Chris has the Catalyst 14 mentoring diploma and is head coach at Godstowe school. Chris also played county tennis for Cheshire.
Nick Williams
Tutor
Nick is an LTA tutor across both tennis and padel and tutors LTA Assistant L1, LTA tennis and Padel Instructor L2 and LTA Coach L3 and the soon to be released LTA Padel L3. He is also an LTA assessor for readiness test and assessment. Nick has been commissioned by the LTA to write national coaching qualifications in both sports and was chosen to lead the LTA Director of Tennis Level 5 qualification. In padel, Nick has written and delivered tutor training for LTA Padel Tutors and was formerly Head of Coach Education for The Padel School, where he worked with players and coaches. Alongside his coach education work, he has developed and led large-scale coaching programmes, mentored coaches at all stages of their careers, and represented Wales as a padel player.
Patrick Lodge
Tutor
Patrick is an LTA level 4 tennis coach and has been coaching for over 25 years. He has coached and mentored all levels of players and runs a successful centre and coaching programme near Bath. He is an LTA Tutor for LTA Assistant L1 and LTA Instructor L2 in both tennis and padel and delivers LTA Coach Professional Development courses. He is also an LTA Youth Schools Tutor, LTA Youth content developer and LTA Assessor for both readiness tests and assessments.
Lorraine Ristic
Tutor
Lorraine is an LTA Level 5 Performance Coach (PCA) and a coach Education Master Tutor. Se has been tutored on all levels since 1998 and for Courtside for over 15 years. Lorraine currently tutors LTA Assistant L1, LTA Instructor L2 and LTA Coach L3. She is an LTA Assessor for LTA Readiness Tests and Summative Assessments at all levels. Lorraine is an LTA External Quality Assurance Assessor and Courtside’s Internal quality assurance assessor. She has been a Head Coach at two prestigious clubs in Gloucestershire over the last 35 years. She is currently coaching at Painswick LTC and Cheltenham Ladies College.
Vicki Hodgetts
Tutor
Vicki is an LTA L 5 tennis coach and an LTA tutor delivering LTA Assistant L1, LTA Instructor L2 and LTA Coach Professional Development courses. She currently coaches at East Glos Club in Cheltenham and at Dean Close School. She has been coaching tennis for over 30 years in schools and clubs in Southern England.
Bury Knowle Hub team
Tom Lambert
Activity Manager
Before becoming the Activity Manager at Courtside Bury Knowle, Tom was a tennis coach. He is a huge fan of sport and really values how it can be used to improve peoples lives. His own sporting life has seen success in both tennis and hockey, and now enjoys a round of golf or heading out for a cycle.
Jamie Wolfenden
Café Supervisor
Jamie is part of the Bury Knowle café team. Having spent the last three years in local hospitality, Jamie loves a community space and is enjoying getting to know the people and pets of Bury Knowle!
Jose Oliveira Costa
Tennis Coach
Jose is a qualified tennis professional with the LTA, the Portuguese Tennis Federation, the United States Professional Tennis Association and RPT Spain. Jose graduated in Sport and Physical Education with a specialisation in High-Performance Training from the University of Porto. For the past seven years, Jose has been based in Oxford working with Courtside. He is helping adults improve their game and getting some juniors to compete in national and international tennis tournaments.
Ashley Robinson
Tennis Coach
Ashley is a Level 3 Accredited+ Coach with over 5 years of experience coaching within varied club programmes in Cornwall, Gloucestershire and now in the parks/tennis centres around Oxford. He currently works with mini/ junior beginners all the way to squad players plus plenty of adults of different levels. Ashley has been passionate about the sport of tennis since a young age and loves seeing players progress in the sport. His other interests include cricket and enjoying local food and coffee spots. Please email him on ashlrob97@gmail.com if you're interested in 1-1 lessons.
Simon Jeacock
Tennis Coach
Simon is a Level 3 Accredited coach with 5 years of full time coaching experience including: Adults (all levels), Juniors, Beginners & Performance, Cardio tennis and Disability sessions. He started playing tennis when he was 8 and has been in love with it ever since. Other qualifications: BSc degree in Sports coaching 2:1, Level 3 personal training (CIMSPA), RPT level 3 tennis instructor. Other interests & passions: The gym and training, cooking nutritious meals and following boxing. Simon also offers individual coaching, contact him for more details: Telephone: 07714027740 Email: Sijeacock@hotmail.com
Clive Crichton
Tennis Coach
Clive is an LTA Level 2, LTA DBS, First Aid trained and LTA accredited coach. He started playing tennis at 7 years old and went on to play high level ITF and junior tournaments. At 18 years old he spent a year touring Germany and competing at a high level of various senior tournaments. He has now been coaching for 3 years in the UK. Clive brings a world of knowledge and experience to each coaching session with a high energy and supportive approach. Mobile: 07368179732
David Canning
Tennis Coach
After nearly 40 years in the construction industry David decided it was time for a change of career. David is now a level 2 assistant coach (looking to take the level 3 qualification in the near future) has been coaching and working for Courtside for nearly a year, assisting senior coaches, running group coaching from red ball group juniors to experienced adults and individuals. He also a Free Parks Tennis activator allowing anyone to access local courts and play for free. He is passionate about helping everyone achieve their full potential on court, but most of all making sure that everyone has a fun, engaging and safe time that will hopefully see them playing for a lifetime. When he is not working or playing he enjoys riding his 1000cc motorbike in the summer or relaxing at home playing guitar.
The Leys Hub team
Saphron Driskell
The Leys Hub Manager
Saph started working with us as Deputy Café Manager of The Coffee Shed before becoming the Activity Manager of Courtside at The Leys. She is enthusiastic about getting people involved in exercise and enjoys catching up with the locals over a latté (or two).
Vonnie Whalley
Café Supervisor
Vonnie was the Café Manger of our first ever café, The Coffee Shed, and she is one of the reasons that the Shed became so popular that it outgrew its home in the old cricket pavilion. She is a campaigner for customer care, the chief architect of our cheeriness and keeps sincerity in our smiles!
Hillsborough Hub team
Charlie Parfett
Tennis Coach
Hi I’m Charlie and I am an LTA Level 2 coach. I have been playing tennis since I was 7 years old and have always had a passion for the sport which I would love to share with you. I work with both adults and kids and have assisted in coaching groups of visually impaired and autistic players. I always try to make my sessions as engaging and fun as possible. I coach a wide range of abilities and welcome anyone who wants to improve their game or just have some fun learning new techniques. If you are interested in private coaching, contact me on charlieparfett@gmail.com.
Mal Ward
Tennis Coach
Hi, i'm Mal. I have been working as an LTA accredited development coach since 2006, originally based in North Nottinghamshire. Having trained as an independent financial advisor, I balance coaching with the world of finance; though very different, both roles enable me to help players and customers to realise their respective goals. I'm pleased to be on the Courtside team bringing tennis to the community through delivering sessions in parks and local schools. For private lessons, contact me on wardbond42@gmail.com.
Lottie Moss
General Manager
Hi I'm Lottie, I come from a rich hospitality background, starting from when I was 14 as a potwash all the way to operations and events manager! After graduating from Sheffield Hallam University with a sport development with coaching degree, I continued with hospitality and then found Courtside! I'll be here to greet everyone with a warm smile and always here to help!
Ellie Suter
Head Chef
Hi I’m Ellie and I’m the head chef! I have worked within the Catering and Hospitality industry for 11 years. After previously working as a head chef at a brunch café/event space I have started this new adventure opening a brand new kitchen! I also love being out front and customer facing, helping to serve the community with a smile! My main goal is to provide fresh and tasty food using as many local suppliers as possible to ensure the best quality possible.
Laura Barker
Supervisor
Laura is part of the Hillsborough café team. Looking after the café and spreading the word about what we’re up to— Laura serves great coffee, supports our community, and makes sure everyone feels welcome
Toby Smith
Supervisor
Toby has over 5 years experience in hospitality and is very passionate about food, drinks and comfortable places to enjoy them in. When not at work Toby loves to cook, hike in the peaks (often to find things to cook with) and on rainy days works on his Warhammer collection or wire tree sculptures.