At Stockton Heath Lawn Tennis Club all our coaches are highly qualified, and LTA Accredited with experience in a wide range of coaching abilities for adults and juniors. Our friendly coaches are available for individual lessons as well as running group sessions. Please contact Head Coach Nick for more details via text: 07464938383, or via email: coaching@shltc.co.uk

Nick Fance – Head Coach

“I am Head Coach of Stockton Heath LTC and have been at the club since 2018. Since starting my coaching journey over seven years ago, I have been fortunate enough to coach a diverse range of individuals with a range of abilities, from beginner juniors to national standard adults, and everything in between. On a weekly basis, I deliver group and private sessions, helping individuals to strive towards their goals and realise their potential. Having lived in Stockton Heath for the entirety of my life, this makes me incredibly passionate about the club and to help create an impact within the club and the wider community. I have competed for the last twelve years, becoming one of the highest ranked players in Cheshire, recently achieving county silverware in the last County Championships. My playing career highlight was being the number one player for Liverpool John Moores University. I am also involved with Cheshire LTA as a committee member as I aim to learn from and share knowledge beyond SHLTC. Off the court, I have a MSc Sport Coaching and BSc Sport Psychology, which I use to help shape my coaching philosophy.”

Iain Warburton – Assistant Coach

“I have over twelve years’ experience as a tennis coach as well as over thirty years’ experience as a trainer and massage therapy for eighteen years. During this time, I have trained athletes, professional football officials and the odd celebrity. I first came to Stockton Heath LTC 14/15 years ago and I was primarily responsible for the physical training of the junior players. After a few years I became a member of a team of coaches training junior players where we built a programme aimed at taking them to the next level. My coaching experiences have taken me around the world, where I spent time with a professional coach and travelled with him to Spain, Australia, and the US. I was able to shadow and learn from him, where I was introduced to many professional players and coaches. I returned to SHLTC in 2017, where I worked to develop and grow a tennis programme for both juniors and adults, something which I am driven to continue and progress our programme even further. I coach people of all ages, from those that want to play for fun or exercise, to those who compete and are more serious about developing their game. I am focused on helping each and every player achieve their goals and improve their game. As a junior I was a sprinter and competed all over the country. I also competed as a swimmer. I competed in many other sports such as rugby, basketball, volleyball, and football. During my spare time I played tennis, golf, and badminton. As you can guess, I love sports.”

Ollie Horsfield – Assistant Coach

“I have been a member of Stockton Heath LTC since 2004 and began my coaching journey at the club in 2018. I have over seven years of coaching experience where I have had the chance to coach a variety of ages and abilities. On a weekly basis, I deliver both group and individual lessons, working on players aspirations and helping them to reach their potential. During my competitive career, I competed in county-level tournaments all across the North of England. I was fortunate enough to be invited to events such as ‘Talent ID Days,’ where I played alongside some extremely talented players, not to mention the talent of players at the club too, where I have met great people and made close friendships. It is a wholesome feeling to think back to 2004 when l first picked up a racket, to now being a qualified coach, where I get to share my knowledge, skills, and personality to players. P.S. My ears start to pick up if you talk about Manchester City!”

Adam Lewis – Assistant Coach

“I have been a member at Stockton Heath LTC since 2011 and began coaching in 2021. My primary coaching focus is on junior players where I deliver group sessions. I help juniors to become more involved with tennis by beginning their competitive career and most importantly help many juniors to enjoy tennis. I regularly represent the club for the men’s summer teams and frequently feature in the first team.”

Callum Sheahan – Assistant Coach

“I have been a member at Stockton Heath LTC since 2021 and have recently started playing for the club’s men’s summer teams. I attend the junior performance squads’ multiple times a week as I continue to develop as a player. I qualified as a Level 1 coach in summer 2024 and have really enjoyed the sessions I have assisted since beginning my coaching journey. I look to further my personal development with future coaching qualifications.”

Joe Cooper – Assistant Coach

“I have been a member at Stockton Heath LTC for the last nine years and regularly compete in tournaments as well as playing the club for the men’s teams. I attend both adult and junior performance squads’ multiple times a week as I continue to develop my knowledge of the game. I qualified as a Level 1 coach last summer and I am looking forward to the opportunities that coaching provides. I am hoping to continue with coaching qualifications by taking my Level 2 qualification in the near future.”

Steven Fathers – Club Associate Coach

“I am an LTA Level 5 Performance Coach and have been involved with tennis for 30 years. My passion for performance tennis and helping players reach their potential is what drives me daily. My experience has taken me around the world watching my players compete and build up an extensive network of world class coaches to learn and share ideas from, something I can use to help Stockton Heath as a club. I pride myself on building relationships with my players and parents, creating the trust required to embark on the long-term development of producing international level players. As a Level 5 Performance Coach & ILM Level 5 in Leadership, I have always been passionate about my own professional development and the professional development of my fellow coaches, I thoroughly enjoy being a mentor and seeing their progress. As the previous Director of Tennis at Bolton Arena Tennis Academy, I set a high bar for the team’s delivery and expect this from all the players I work with. Over the past 30 years of coaching, I have produced many national and international winners, and this still drives me day-in, day-out.”