CHARLOTTE POULTON (LTA Level 3 Coach)

email: charlottetenniscoaching@gmail.com

Charlotte has 6 years’ experience coaching juniors, from as young as 3 through to adults. In 2023 she took on the role of Assistant Head Coach at Vicars Moor Tennis Club.

She’s been coaching with Tennis Rocks since 2017, but also works at a second club and a large number of schools in Hertfordshire and the greater London area. During this time, she’s gained a wealth of experience, successfully developing players’ confidence, understanding, gamesmanship, vital agility and mental skills. As a coach, she strives to inspire players to work hard, but also to have as much fun as possible!

She works closely with the thriving Junior section, with an emphasis on girls’ tennis, believing it is incredibly important to give girls opportunities in a supported environment. In 2022 she started ‘Grand Slam Girls’, an initiative to encourage and engage girls aged 8+ to stay in tennis, which has been very successful.

Her love for tennis extends beyond coaching, as she actively participates in the Hertfordshire and Middlesex summer and winter leagues for mixed doubles, ladies’ doubles and singles. This allows her to stay connected to competition in the sport, and continually develop her own skills and understanding of the game. 

Charlotte says: “I specifically love being able to help players set their foundation in tennis, and watch them progress through the coaching programme. It’s incredibly rewarding to see their hard work pay off when they begin playing for our club teams.”

When she’s not coaching, she’s trying new sports or baking, running a small business called ‘Charlotte’s Cakery’, and has contributed many bakes to multiple clubs and coaching events.

Favourite tennis players: Carlos Alcaraz and Katie Boulter

Favourite shot: Forehand down the line, especially when it goes in…!

Qualifications: LTA Level 3 Coach, DBS checked, Safeguarding trained, First aid qualified, Youth tennis provider.

VIC DE MAIO (LTA Level 3 Coach)

mobile: 07831 187 507 | email: vld92@hotmail.com

Vic has been coaching for over 18 years, and started by assisting other coaches when he was still at school. 

A passionate tennis fan and player, he finds it a real joy to now teach the sport he loves to others. His goal as a coach is to provide technical advice, drills, and inspiration to help his students progress their game and understanding of the sport – as he believes the better they get, the more they enjoy tennis. Alongside this, he aims to instill important values in children early on such as being honest and learning to be graceful in defeat. 

Vic says: “I've had the privilege to work alongside lots of great coaches which has really helped me develop. I always enjoyed learning about the technical side of the game and spent a lot of time studying this, so when I learn new things I feel excited to share them with others”.

Off court, he enjoys catching up with friends and family, going for walks in nature, watching football and playing other sports.

Favourite tennis players: Roger Federer and Iga Swiatek

Favourite shot: Drop shot

Qualifications: Level 3 tennis coach, Lta Safeguarding trained, First Aid trained, DBS checked

JAYNIE AWCOCK (LTA Level 1 Coach)

Having started as a player with Tennis Rocks at the age of 5, Jaynie played competitive tennis to a high level as a junior, and then joined the coaching team in 2019. She has been working part-time at Vicars Moor LTC since then, whilst also studying for a degree at Oxford Brookes University (she studied Biological Science Zoology). During my career with Tennis Rocks, she’s developed a lot of experience coaching both at the club and also in a variety of school settings across Greater London.

Working with all of the juniors at Vicars Moor is something she really enjoys. It's fantastic to see them develop not only as tennis players but also as people. It’s really rewarding to watch my players advance through the game and gain more confidence when on court.

Her area of expertise is teaching the technical foundations of tennis, specifically focussing on footwork and racket pathway. Her goal is to help improve the ability of  players, while also advancing their overall understanding of the game. 

Jaynie says: “Having played for my County at National level, I strive to ensure that all of my players are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and mental fortitude needed to excel on and off the court. When coaching, I always guarantee that my players are performing to the best of their ability but also, most importantly, having fun while doing so!”

Outside of tennis, she enjoys singing – in fact, you can find all of her songs on Spotify! (Jaynie Jade).  Jaynie is also training to be a secondary school teacher.

Favourite tennis players: Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff

Favourite shot: Backhand down the line, especially during a game of doubles!

Qualifications: LTA Level 1 Coach, DBS checked, LTA Safeguarding trained, First aid trained

IGNACIO TORRES (LTA Level 4 Coach)

Ignacio is an accomplished teaching professional, whose profound understanding of tennis is a testament to his extensive experience in the field. He has trained nationally ranked juniors and top-50 professional players in Spain, demonstrating his ability to cultivate talent at the highest levels of the sport. His blend of professional expertise, passion for the game, and commitment to comprehensive player development, makes him an invaluable guide for any player seeking to rise to the next level.

His career has included a stint as a National Tennis Coach at the Riojana Tennis Federation High Performance Centre (Spain) and over eight years of professional experience in tennis clubs across London. 

Ignacio says: “Today’s game demands a blend of technical skill and physical agility. I tailor my coaching to emphasise not only racket technique but also player's movement and footwork.”

Away from the tennis court, he loves to travel and be in the Great Outdoors.

Favourite players: Grigor Dimitrov and Justine Henin

Favourite shot: One-handed backhand, for its balance of power, precision, and finesse.

Qualifications: LTA Level 4 coach, Spanish level 3 national coach, DBS checked, LTA Safeguarding trained, First aid trained, BA Hons Degree in Physical Education 

CARLA GIACONE (LTA Level 2 Coach)

Her journey with tennis began at the age of 4, guided by her dad, who was a tennis coach. She spent her teenage years helping him with tennis lessons and training with the youth team until she unfortunately suffered a significant injury to her cruciate ligament, which stopped her from playing for more than a year.  But her passion for tennis and sport has not stopped. In fact, she graduated in Sport Science and Rehabilitation Activities. In 2020, she moved to England, where she became a tennis coach and expanded her skills to become a swimming teacher for babies, after gaining a year of experience as an assistant.

Carla now enjoys working as a coach with Tennis Rocks, where she works with both children and adults. She takes a personalized approach to her coaching, carefully observing her players to tailor lessons that focus on perfecting their techniques and improving their strategic skills.

Carla says: "Being a tennis coach allows me to covey my passion for this sport to other players, helping them acquire the skills and abilities they need to reach their goals."

Outside of the tennis court, Carla loves exploring new places in England.

Favourite players: Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka

Favourite shot: Forehand down the line 

Qualifications: LTA Level 2 Tennis Coach, LTA Safeguarding trained, First Aid trained, DBS checked