PLAYERS INTO TENNIS LEADERS

A local pathway that turns participation into delivery

Newham Parks Tennis park programme doesn’t just grow participation. It creates a clear route from volunteer coach to qualified coach.

Salah Ahmed represents how the Newham Parks Tennis supports local people to pursue and grow a career in tennis. He came to Newham Parks Tennis like many locals through the affordable annual pass, which gives a household unlimited court access to 9 park tennis venues across Newham for only £35 per year. This allowed him to get on court with friends and family and hit socially with little to no barriers. Salah took up his passion and quickly turned into a good level player, being involved in local competitions.

When Barclays Free Park Tennis (FPT), a national initiative aimed at giving people a free opportunity to play in their nearby park, needed local volunteers at Plashet Park, he stepped in as a Tennis Activator. This allowed Salah to start helping out on the weekend at the FPT session, where he was supported by one of the senior NTA coaches to set up courts, welcome first-timers, and keep tennis drills moving. 

With guidance from National Tennis Association (NTA), Salah followed a clear pathway to develop his skills. Following his involvement with the FPT initiative in early 2025, Salah completed his Adult Tennis Leaders at Stratford Park in June, which is the first course which a player will take on their coach development journey. Shortly after this he quickly completed and passed his first official tennis qualification, the LTA Level 1 Assistant in July which is recognised nationally. Each stage he completed added real responsibility: planning a warm-up, managing flow, giving clear cues, signposting to the next step. And by summer, he was helping on our weekly coaching programme, delivering alongside our LTA professional coaches at Stratford Park.

But he didn’t stop there. In fact, he’s pushing even further. This August to September, Salah is working through Level 2 Instructor, which is the first qualification which allows a tennis coach to deliver independently. This represents the next step into Salah getting full-time paid work as a tennis coach in Newham. This is supported by a hand-tailored NTA onboarding plan, providing assistance with session planning, safeguarding refreshers, mentoring and funding—so the moment he finishes he can already deliver coaching independently on weekends at local parks such as Little Ilford Park.

The impact is already clear. Parents and players who only came to watch are now joining in with tennis. Previous players are returning. New starters feel welcome because Salah makes sure everyone is included, regardless of ability.

Salah’s story shows how local people can move from playing in the park to becoming qualified coaches in paid work. The NTA pathway not only grows tennis but also creates role models in the community – people like Salah, who bring energy, inclusivity, and lasting change to their local area.