Newmarket Tennis Club head coach Bruce Tarran to retire after 40 years of coaching

Bruce Tarran will bring the curtain down on a 40-year coaching career later this month.

Having previously held the role of head coach at Leicestershire Lawn LTC, Penzance LTC and Totteridge LTC, Tarran has spent the previous seven years in the same role at Newmarket Tennis Club.

The Hamilton Road-based club was at somewhat of a low ebb when Tarran arrived in 2017. Membership numbers had dwindled over the years and the facility was in need of an upgrade.

However, spearheaded by Tarran’s expertise, he will step down on December 20 with the club in a much healthier position – particularly with a thriving junior section.

Explaining his reasons for retiring, Tarran said: “If I look back over the seven years, I’m really pleased with the progress that the club has been able to make.

“But now feels like it’s the right time to step aside. There’s lots of great young coaches out there and it’s time to pass it on.

“I’d been coaching seven days a week for quite a while and at my age that was becoming tougher.

“The club is in a great place – especially with the junior section – and I know it will continue to grow.”

But while Tarran has opted to part with his coaching responsibilities, he will not be a stranger at the club.

Last year he reached a world ranking of 70 in the ITF Masters Tour Age 65+ Singles category – and he is eager to build on that.

“I managed to play a bit more tennis last year and hopefully I can play a bit more now,” he added. “I’m going to remain very much a part of the club. I love living in Newmarket and I love the tennis club.”

Meanwhile, paying tribute to Tarran’s contribution on the club’s Facebook page, chair Carol Downs said: “As important as his work on court with juniors and adults has been. so has Bruce's contribution off it.

“I've been on the committee all through that time – chair apart from the first year – and I can't stress this enough. Bruce has been much more than just a coach at Newmarket, he has been a huge part of the club and its success, volunteering untold hours of time and effort at his own initiative.

“Bruce has been on the committee from the start and we are going to miss him so much.”

The club will announce their new head coach in due course.