About Us

James Goodchild

James started coaching at 16 and has coached all levels of players from beginners to performance players. He specialises in coaching U12 performance players. James role as a Director sees him playing an active role in every aspect of the Challenge-Tennis coaching programme.

Huw Phillips

Pro Tour Stringer and Master Racquet Technician (ERSA)

Our resident racket stringer also works for the stringing teams at ATP/WTA events in the UK and has been part of the Wimbledon stringing team since 2016. Huw founded and runs a Racket Technician business, racketspec, and provides a stringing and customisation service for several clubs and academies in the local area including several Buckinghamshire based Tour players. As a UK Manager for the European Racket Stringers Association (ERSA), regularly runs workshops to train others how to string their rackets to a professional standard. Huw also has solid experience of running junior and adult group sessions as well as working with academy players at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre and David Lloyd Leisure. Thoroughly enjoys playing the game and has represented Buckinghamshire and South Wales in over 35s competition.

Sarah Yalden

Sarah has a wealth of experience working with small and large businesses. Sarah brings knowledge from working with different companies from financial institutes to PR agencies.Sarah brings the whole business together and is responsible for all the day to day running of Challenge Tennis, looking after the coaches, supporting the management team and the GMLTC committee.  Sarah has recently passed her Level 1 Coaching Assistant qualification and can be seen assisting during camps.

Phil Fowler

Phil is a level 5 LTA Performance Coach and has worked with a number of performance players over his years in the game. He has been a national coach and national team captain in his time at the LTA at Bisham Abbey and Cambridge as well as a Fed Cup coach based at Wimbledon. More recently he was the Head Pro at the prestigious Stoke Park Tennis Club. Phil has worked with and produced numerous National/International Champions as well as coaching ITF, WTA, ATP Players. In his playing career Phil has represented GB in various tennis events and currently competes on the ITF senior tour where he has a ranking of 25 in the world.

Scott Paxton

Scott fell in love and started playing with tennis at the age of four. Unfortunately a knee injury in his early teens prevented him from continuing to playing competitive tennis at the highest level. Since then Scott has grown a strong passion for teaching the sport to others and is currently pending his level 5 LTA coach qualification. Scott took his first tennis qualification at the age of 17 and has continued to develop his technical/tactical knowledge and skills through throughout his 14 years of full time coaching. Scott has developed his own unique style of coaching which he adapts to fully support players of all ages and abilities.  Scott has been involved with coaching and training club, performance and u12 and u18 Hertfordshire County tennis throughout his career. He also has a strong background for teaching in Primary Schools and Mini Tennis with a track record for producing u9 and u10 county players. Scott still has a strong passion for playing competitive doubles and takes any opportunity he can to play.

Matt Branton

Matt started coaching in early 2008 as an unqualified coach looking for something more. In 08' he took Level 3 Club Coach Qualification. He approaches every lesson with the attitude of "Fun comes first" Why play something if you don't enjoy it? Matt is a strong all rounder coaching all sessions from Tots to Adult beginners. His passion and enthusiasm for the game shines through in his sessions.

Louise Edwards

Louise joined Challenge Tennis in July 2018 after being a receptionist at the Bucks Indoor Tennis Centre for 15 years. Louise has a huge passion for tennis and loves everything about the game.