High Performance improvement is a goal of Tennis New Zealand and each of the regions. Tennis Southern’s Regional Performance Coach is Lan Bale who’s experience as a high level ATP Tour player, international coach and personal qualities have been instrumental in the development of a number of players in the region. Most notable of those are top Southern players Ben & Riki McLachlan.
Based in Queenstown, Lan works closely with other Coaches throughout the region to improve the quality of players at all levels with a specific focus on those within the High Performance Group. The 2008/09 season High Performance Group players are:
Elliot Darling, Cave
Gabrielle Grady, Timaru
Emily Fanning (Bio), Timaru
Harry James (Bio), Arrowtown
Ben McLachlan (Bio), Queenstown
Riki McLachlan (Bio), Queenstown
Geraldine Prisk, Timaru
Selection as part of the Group is recognition of the high standard they have reached so far as well as their potential for future improvement. Here are the criteria for selection (PDF)
Training Camps. A series of High Performance Training Camps will be held throughout the region from Feb- April 2009. Here are the details (PDF)
When announcing the High Performance Programme in July 2008, Tennis Southern Region CEO John Crawford-Smith said:
The introduction of a High Performance Programme is seen as integral to the establishment of Tennis Southern. We are fortunate to have some of New Zealand’s most promising players within the region and the coaches here to develop them further. We have recognised we have challenges other areas don’t and intend to provide a programme that is top class but specific to our situation. I am confident we can do that by delivering a programme in the player’s local environment that addresses their individual needs. We see Tennis Southern working with the players, their family and their individual coach to improve performance. This is part of an overall strategy to improve the level of representative play from the region and those included should be extremely proud of themselves. |