MARSHFIELD Tennis club’s head coach Sam Hull has won the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA’s) Wiltshire Coach of the Year Award.

Hull has been a coach at the club since 2011 during which numbers have swelled to around 300 members, with a second coach being taken on.

Last year, the club was also awarded LTA’s Wiltshire Tennis Club of the Year.

Hull said: “I was delighted to receive the Wiltshire Coach of the Year award as recognition for the effort I have put in to building a successful tennis programme at Marshfield Tennis Club.

“I am proud to be able to offer so many opportunities for the local community and even for those further afield in Wiltshire.

“Thanks to the support of the tennis club committee we have been able to engage lots of children and adults providing them chances to learn, play and compete.

“It is great for me to see so many players on court whatever the weather.”

Hull runs a full coaching programme for all ages and abilities and trains the adult teams who play in the Chippenham and District League – helping three to gain promotion this year.

Marshfield also had the biggest representation in the junior Summer and Winter Leagues in Wiltshire for the second year running and Hull has encouraged new juniors to join via the free ‘Tennis for Kids’ programme.

A number of juniors have also gone on to play for Wiltshire County Tennis squads and competed in the annual ‘Road to Wimbledon’ competition.

He has also offered all-girl classes and successfully encouraged them to keep playing.

Having won Wiltshire award, Hull now goes through to the next stage to be considered for the South West Coach of the Year, to be decided in March.