Brad Boynton, from the Kingaroy Tennis Club in rural Queensland, reflects on his coaching journey and shares why he thinks it’s the best job.
Kingaroy, Australia , 24 April 2024 | Leigh Rogers
For the past 26 years, Brad Boynton has been the local coach at the Kingaroy Tennis Club in Queensland.
Having experienced first-hand how sport can unite rural communities, it’s a role he feels privileged to hold.
“I work in a local rural community where I know most of the people,” Boynton told tennis.com.au.
“Kingaroy is where I was born and bred. Some of the kids I’m coaching now, their parents are students I had when I started. I’ve seen a whole generation come around, which reminds me of how old I’m getting.
“Where did the time go?!” he added with laugh.
From coaching sessions to competitive fixtures, there’s always plenty of action at the thriving Kingaroy Tennis Club.
“We’ve got 10 courts, which is not bad for our area and where we are,” Boynton said.
“I love running the local tournaments that bring everyone together for a weekend. Everyone has a bit of fun and lets their hair down.”
Although Boynton played tennis as a junior, he initially didn’t consider a career in the sport.
“I enjoyed track and field the most,” he related.
“High jump was my pet event. I ended up going to state and national championships for that many times.”
After completing high school, he was accepted into a human movement course at university.
“But I wanted to have 12 months off,” he said of his plans.
“So, I asked if I could get a deferment and the university said ‘no, take your spot or leave it’. I didn’t want to be pushed into it, so I decided not to take it.
“I didn’t know what to do, so I thought I’d try tennis coaching. It turned out to be fun and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
He now runs his own business, “Mr B’s” Professional Tennis, and couldn’t be happier.
“I enjoy everything about it,” he said. “It’s outdoors, it’s in the fresh air, it’s a healthy sport, you’re not confined to a desk. The kids, the adults, the game, the fitness side of it. I just enjoy the lot.
“Most of what I do is grassroots and I just love working with the kids. I have a big family myself and I love seeing the kids progress and come through.”
Since 2010, Boynton has been taking time out from his coaching commitments each summer to assist at the Brisbane International.
He makes…
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