‘I tried every sport and hated them all’
10th Anniversary Graduate of the Month: August - James Jennings
Watch the videoTo celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Coach Core, we’re highlighting the story of a different Coach Core graduate every month
We want to recognise the hard work our apprentices put into their course and follow their journey to see what they achieve next.
Learn more about our 10th Anniversary celebrations.
It is with great pleasure that we can announce James Jennings as our August graduate of the month – this is his story:
Back in the early days, James couldn’t stomach sport. He disliked every one he tried and never thought that he’d one day become a coach. That was until he found tennis. His love for it quickly grew and only a few years later, James was competing in the Special Olympics, completing his Tennis Leadership Course and helping people with disabilities to access the sport.
However, despite this momentum, James found himself asking ‘what next?’. There wasn’t a clear direction in which to go, he didn’t have any work experience and was a little lost.
Thankfully, James found Coach Core, joining our 2017 Devon programme, employed by Ivybridge Tennis Centre. Throughout the apprenticeship, he was able to learn whilst doing something he loved. Coaching became an incredible aid for him, in that it boosted his confidence and gave him a career.
"I think the whole apprenticeship as a big block for me was really, really impactful"
After graduating, James was able to land a job as a tennis coach in Plymouth. He loves what he does and seeing the improvement of the groups he’s coaching. Since stepping into the role, James has continued to work towards bigger things and is training to be able to coach independently one day. He says that seeing his coach from his younger years overcome setbacks that come with his disability motivates him to continue coaching.
When reflecting on the apprenticeship, James described it as an ‘amazing experience’ and ‘impactful’. It’s clear that he has worked hard to use the skills he learned in his apprenticeship and work towards being the best coach he can be.
Coach Core was able to give James direction but since then, he has continued to excel. We are so proud of the skills he has gained and impressed by his motivation. We can’t wait to see what he does next!
Listen to his story here: