Tennis coach Mark leaves legacy

Nov 12 2008 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

WIRRAL bids farewell to one of its favourite sporting sons this week when wheelchair tennis legend Mark Eccleston leaves to take up a new post in Halton.

Mark has been involved with wheelchair tennis in Wirral for 12 years – first as a player, where he developed from beginner to Britain’s first-ever world No.1 and Paralympic medallist in the space of just a few years, then as a coach overseeing the development of current and future Paralympians at Wirral Tennis and Sports Centre.

He leaves on Thursday to take up a fresh challenge as disability sports officer at Halton Council, but can look back with some pride at the way wheelchair tennis has developed at the Bidston centre and be confident of a long-lasting legacy.

He said: “It has been my best achievement as a coach to help set up the biggest and best wheelchair tennis programme in the country without any assistance from the governing body, and also overseeing the rapid rise and improvement of the Great Britain players we have, especially Antony Cotterill.

“All my achievements have only been possible with the help and encouragement of everyone at the tennis centre and I would like to thank everyone who has helped along the way.”

Wirral’s tennis development officer, Chris Thelwall, said: “Mark is a remarkable, inspirational person who was a professional wheelchair rugby player, before he turned to tennis.

“He joined us here at Wirral Tennis and Sports Centre in 1996 under the watchful eye of Craig Jones, who was tennis development officer at the time. Under various coaches, a wheelchair tennis programme was set up, which developed Mark from a novice to world No.1 in the quad division. Having retired from playing tennis after the Athens Paralympics in 2004, where he won the silver medal in doubles, Mark took his coaching qualifications and further developed the wheelchair tennis squads here with fellow coach David McIndoe.

“Together, they have increased the numbers on the squads to include upwards of 10 nationally and internationally competing wheelchair players, three of whom are in the current Great Britain squad. Though Mark leaving us is a great loss, the squad will continue to thrive under the stewardship of David McIndoe.”