About Us

Caroline Murphy

I had my first tennis lesson when I was 10 years old, I can still remember the instructions my coach gave me and the thrill of swinging for the ball and seeing it sail over the net. There was a bond with my fellow classmates, as we worked our way through learning various strokes; and experienced the highs and lows of trying to master a shot. It became all-consuming, every evening after dinner I’d be out the back hitting the ball against the wall and more often than not against the window.

This is what I want for the kids I coach; I want them to leave their tennis session and go home and want to hit more balls, preferably against a wall and not a window. 

For the last 6 years I have been coaching children in sport and this is where my passion lies. I love to see children learn a new skill, test themselves to see just how far they can go and watch them forge new friendships on a tennis court or other sports field.

Last year I provided lessons to over 100 children a week ranging in ages from 5-14. Being a parent myself, means I have a greater understanding of how children tick. I understand when a child is reluctant to participate due to shyness or wanting to be with their parent. 9 times out of 10 I can cajole them to come onto the court and give tennis a go they nearly always enjoy themselves and are keen to return the following week.

I mainly coach on school playgrounds and on public courts, in Dun Laoghaire or UCD. I can provide 1 to 1 coaching or group sessions. For adults I take no more than 4 in a group as this works best to ensure everyone gets plenty of ball time and individual coaching. For children I typically take groups of up to 12 and combine tennis drills with games, I find it is important to factor in a number of games to each session as most kids like the fun aspect. For those that are

uber competitive we switch it up a bit. Once I get to know the kids I’m coaching I can adapt the sessions accordingly.

While my main aim is for the kids to have fun I also believe it is important to instil core values such as sportsmanship, discipline, and teamwork. I want them to respect their classmates and their coach and to understand the meaning of being on a team.

Whether you’re a school looking for a tennis program, a group of friends eager to learn together, or an individual looking to learn the basics or improve your game you can get in touch with me  at skillndrills23@yahoo.com