IWTA Awards Coach of the Year to Geraint Richards

Geraint Richards from Great Britain has been awarded as the 2009 International Wheelchair Tennis Association (IWTA) Coach of the Year.

The official announcement occurred this week from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the IWTA and is a testament of the hard work and dedication that Mr. Richards has had in the Paralympic Sport. Mr. Richards' enthusiasm and commitment to Wheelchair Tennis development has helped encourage the participation of numerous Wheelchair Tennis athletes, and his on court expertise has ensured the success of British players throughout 2009.

Mr. Richards became increasingly involved in sport for athletes with a disability whilst also fulfilling his managerial role at the Welsh National Tennis Centre in Cardiff towards the end of the 1990s. He had started coaching at that time both athletes using wheelchairs and players with an intellectual disability.

In 2006, he became Great Britain National Junior Coach and in 2007, he coached the Junior Team that won the Junior event at the Invacare World Team Cup which was the first and only time that Great Britain have won the title. That same year the Sports Council for Wales named him Disability Sport Performance Coach of the Year, as well as Tennis Wales Coach of the Year.

Mr. Richards has not only delivered excellent results in coaching Great Britain’s elite players and teams, but has also contributed significant time to development projects in a number of countries.