Tennis West

Tennis West Academy

The Tennis West Academy (TWA) is a program that assists in the development of elite juniors, aligned closely with the National Academy (NA). This program plays several important roles with respect to the athlete development pathway. The primary goal of the TWA is to transition players into the NA by fulfilling the necessary criteria. It also acts as the next progression for athletes graduating from the Talent Development Squad (TDS).

Athletes up to the age of 16 can transition into the NA; however the TWA still provides a training environment for those athletes beyond this age who may continue to pursue a professional tennis career or endeavour to play college tennis in the US. In the past twelve months 4 athletes have transitioned from the TWA to NA, and 3 athletes have moved into the TWA from the Talent Development Squad program.

The TWA is headed by Len Cannell, who is also the strength and conditioning coach for all three academies. This ensures a seamless transition from one academy to the next with respect to the athlete�s physical development. Len is assisted by Andrew Roberts, who is head of the TDS, both in on-court skill training and physical development. Both Len and Andrew also travel numerous times each year to national tournaments assisting athletes in match preparation and analysis.

The TWA trains four times a week concurrently with the NA and TDS for a total of 12 hours a week. The 12 hours is comprised of 8 hours of court time and 4 hours of strength and conditioning. Each athlete has a periodical plan; musculoskeletal screening and meetings are held every six months with the coach and athlete to discuss past progress and future direction. The TWA also has a close relationship with the private coach to assist further development.

2011 State Academy Scholarship Criteria