Woodbridge's shooting star ...
A tennis coach from Woodbridge is heading to his garden each day to film quick online tennis tips and tricks to help local players improve their game and stay fit during lockdown.
Jon Mansfield, Head Coach at Woodbridge Tennis Club, has taken over the club’s YouTube channel to upload daily shots and exercises that are performed and filmed in the back garden of his home in Bredfield, near Woodbridge.
With the club closed for the foreseeable future, Jon has enrolled the help of his wife, Michelle, and son, Tom, a final year A-Level student at Farlingaye High School to film a wide range of challenging trick shots such as ‘The Balancing Game’, ‘Edgie Uppies’, ‘Roof Volley Rally’ and ‘Bump Up Volley’. Some of the shots are performed with just a tennis racket and ball, while others utilise garden tools, such as rakes and spades, and flower pots and rubbish bins.
Jon said, “It’s really important to keep exercising and challenging yourself during lockdown to improve your game, help with mental health and have a little fun while staying at home. I’m uploading new shots and exercises every day and it’s great to see the comments from club members, even though I can’t be with them at the moment. I also enjoy doing the videos as it gives me a focus to at least achieve one thing each day.”
Steve Lemon, chairman of Woodbridge Tennis Club, commented, “Jon’s films offer some great ideas to keep practising tennis even when the courts are all closed. He’s taken on the role of virtual coach and film producer with some entertaining results.”
Picture by Tom Mansfield
