CHRISTIAN Coelho Bayne-Jardine has joined the Totally Tennis coaching team after successfully passing his Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Level Three coaching qualification.

Bayne-Jardine, 20, was born and grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and took the Level three course at the indoor centre taught by Tennis Director and LTA Master Tutor Nigel Long.

He gained his practical coaching experience as an assistant coach at both Totally Tennis, working with juniors and adults, and at Winchester Tennis and Squash Club. He was mentored by senior coach James McIntosh and now works alongside him, assisting in squad sessions at the club.

The level three qualification covers the key coaching skills required to be an effective coach as well as the tactical, technical, physical and mental information a coach needs to work with beginners and improvers. The key skills provide a full-time professional coach with rounded training in on court skills and in how to work as a coach in a professional setting.

Bayne-Jardine completed four three day modules followed by a assessment day with coaching experience between each module as well as a First Aid at work course, which is approved by the Health and Safety Executive.

Alongside the tennis coaching, he is studying sports management and contemporary performance degree at the University of Winchester, where he also plays for the University’s tennis first team in the University Tennis League.

Multi-lingual Bayne-Jardine, who is fluent in Portuguese and English, started playing tennis when he was five years old at Leme Tenis Clube in Brazil. He was ranked second in the Rio de Janeiro State Federation in 2002 and has been registered with the Brazilian Tennis Confederation since 2001.

With an English father, Bayne-Jardine spent childhood holidays in Britain with his relatives and attended tennis courses in Dorset and Oxford as well as in Spain at the Sanchez Casal Tennis Academy.

He also attended Sports Showcases organized by International Doorways and Donovan Tennis Strategy and was offered 15 tennis and academic scholarships at universities and colleges in the United States.

Outside of tennis, Bayne-Jardine has acted in many professional theatre plays, musicals and also on Brazilian television, being nominated as best actor for the 2009 Zilka Salaberry Theatre Award. He was also a dancer for the Paralympics Opening Ceremony.

Bayne-Jardine said about joining the team: “For me coaching tennis is about showing enthusiasm for the game and interest in the player, understanding each and every individual need.

“As a coach I aim to learn as much as possible about the player in order to create a true learning environment where they will feel motivated to participate and improve their performance.”

He added: “Working as an actor also taught me valuable social skills, enabling me to interact and communicate with a variety of individuals, a skill that will undoubtedly stay with me and that I hope to bring into the club environment.

“I am very grateful for all the support Totally Tennis gave me to complete the course. I hope a Latin from Rio de Janeiro will only add to the great team that TT is.”