The winner of the ‘Coach of the Year’ category in the 2024 Sport Pembrokeshire Awards was Tom Richards, who is the head coach at Haverfordwest Tennis Club, and who has been involved at a range of clubs since he took up coaching on a voluntary basis when he was 16 and has been totally involved ever since. 
 
PembrokeshireSport.co.uk has heard nothing but high praise about Tom and so we decided it was about time we popped along for a chat – and we certainly weren’t disappointed with Tom’s positive approach to enhancing the profile of his chosen sport, or his total commitment to members of his club. 
 
Club chairman Dean Richards told us, 
“Tom has enhanced the tennis club since his appointment as head coach and he has provided numerous coaching opportunities for members He is much loved by all at the club, has a wonderful manner about him, on and off the tennis court.  
 
“Tom has especially worked hard with junior members, providing not only coaching but also to experience match play against other clubs, and it is no coincidence that since Tom’s arrival membership has increased considerably.” 
 
High praise indeed! 
 

Playing success at an early age 

 
Tom hails from Wiston and his tennis started out when he was a pupil at St Aidan’s VA School in the village, where a Mr Davies organised a tennis tournament and Tom won it, causing Mr Davies to suggest he enter the county tennis tournament in Haverfordwest. 
 
Tom won that too and started his involvement where he moved through the age group levels at under 12, 14, 16 and 18 - and was playing for the club’s first team on a regular basis by the time he was 16 alongside the likes of Luke Dixon, Mark Thompson, Karl Smith, Steve Jarvis and John McQuaker, to name but a few, with John Deason and John Royles as his first coaches. 
 
“In terms of trophies, which I look back on with pride, but not in quite the same way as my coaching work, I have won the county singles and doubles seven times, as well as my fair share of other trophies, which was nice – and I owe a great debt of thanks to my mum and dad for all the support they’ve given me over the years.  
 

Tom J set Tom R on the road in coaching 

 
“Tom James was the head coach after John and he invited me to give him a hand coaching some of the younger players - and I loved it from the start - and at 34 years of age I still get great job satisfaction from my work. 
 
“In the intervening years I have coached at Rhiwbina and Radyr, in Cardiff, plus Creigiau, a little outside the capital city, and three years ago I was thrilled to become head coach at Haverfordwest because my partner (who hails from Narberth) and I wanted to return to our home county.” 
 

University in Treforest – and coaching at Rhiwbina 

 
So how did Tom start out on his adventure/work after leaving the county to study Business Management & Leisure at the then University of Glamorgan, in Treforest, near Pontypridd, now the University of South Wales? 
 
“I was keen to continue playing, and perhaps do some coaching, but there was no organised tennis in college - but at just the right time for me Tom James became head coach at Rhiwbina Tennis Club, on the outskirts of Cardiff, and offered me the chance to continue coaching and at the same time play for the club’s first team. 
 
“We moved up to playing in terms of overall strength in the higher echelons of Welsh Tennis, just below the Cardiff Castle Club in the top three - and we played regularly in the British League against strong Midland-based clubs like Malvern and Edgbaston. 
 
“They had great facilities there and I remember looking across and just three courts down Judy Murray, Andy Murray’s mother, was giving a coaching lesson - and I thought - wow! 
 
 

Success in coaching awards – and a job offer from Radyr 

 
“I had already taken my Level One coaching award when I was 16,” Tom told us, “taking it over a weekend at The Dome in Haverfordwest - and I followed it up with my Level Two award in Cardiff, which was far more intensive over two full weekends. 
 
“When I decided to take my Level Three award it came about the time I had a job offer from Drew Lumb at Radyr, which was perfect for me because it meant four days a week with the club and still two days at Rhiwbina, with both clubs offering a whole range of coaching, from very small children through to old-timers just starting out, as well groups from different organisations. 
 
“The Level Three award sessions took place over three full days over three months and when I moved up again to Level Four it was on a similar basis but over three days a month for five months. There is a Level Five, which has been achieved by four or five Welsh coaches - but at the moment I am delighted to be where I am. 



 

Covid came – and then a promotional move to Creigiau 

 
“After ten years art Radyr, Covid intervened and when it was over I was delighted to be offered the role of Head Coach at Creigiau by Trudi Evans, which was suffering a little in terms of numbers after the pandemic.  
 
“But it soon got off the ground so that we were open five days a week, had floodlights on three courts and started a men’s team, where I played. 
 

Full circle – back to Haverfordwest! 

 
“It was brilliant to be involved but my partner and I were looking to move closer to home and so when the chance came, I jumped at it because it meant my playing and coaching had come full circle towards the latter stages of 2022. 
 
“At Haverfordwest we now have floodlights on two courts and have recently heard the great news that we have had planning and funding for our other two courts to be illuminated properly, which will be good for coaching and frees up playing chances for members. 
 
“I am lucky to have Nathan Jones as an excellent assistant coach and we have already doubled our participation from 60 to 120 - and started a junior team which is now playing in the South Wales Junior League. 

 

Widening horizons all the time 

 
“At senior level we not only have a men’s team but others like the ladies’ team and two veterans’ teams (ladies’ and men’s) so things are going very well at the moment, 
 
“As a club we have also linked with Bruce Evans (St Davids), plus Alison Lewis and Ian Morris at Tenby to start a Pembrokeshire Junior League” 
 
“Another recent initiative has been the increase in the number of young girls playing at the club as a result of sponsorship from the Amazon Prime Girls’ Tennis Scheme under the auspices of the LTA - with 25 now involved from age 5 to 12. 
 
” We have also been in contact to encourage participation from schools and ‘walking tennis’, which allows double bounces of the ball but no running!” 
 

And finally . . . 

 
‘So, at the moment all seems to be going well but we are not complacent and will continue to build on what we have as a club that is very much family-based, with lots of help always available and freely given. 

 
“This social aspect is something that I have tried to grow at every club where I have been involved and we will continue to encourage participation at Haverfordwest Tennis Club, irrespective of age or ability.” 

  
We at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk have spoken to playing members from 14 to 80 and they all say the same: 
That Haverfordwest Tennis Club is brilliant to be involved in and much of the credit for its diversity is down to Tom Richards - so long may he continue to be head coach there, with Nathan as his side-kick!