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Simon has been playing tennis
since he was about six - year in, year out.
At 21 years of age, he is now a mainstay of
the coaching team for Elmwood junior players.
Simon was born in Christchurch
in 1986, but moved to Auckland at an early age.
When he was about six, family friends encouraged
Simon to join them at a holiday tennis program
at Eastern Beach, near Howick.
From about 1995 he played for
Pakuranga Lawn Tennis Club, under coach John
Sutton. Simon played Auckland interclub for
about four seasons - their team was virtually
unbeatable, winning the before- and after-Christmas
rounds, year after year.
His family moved back to Christchurch
in 1999 and chose Elmwood as a tennis club,
largely on the strength of
Terry Mooney's
reputation. He again played Junior Interclub,
winning most of his matches and leading several
teams to championship status. During this period
he dominated Elmwood Club championships.
Simon also played regular school
tennis. At Cobham Intermediate, for example
he was in the Boys A team, where he lost only
one out of 10 singles matches, two out of 10
doubles. He was school singles champion and
mixed doubles champion (partnering Julia Averil).
He played at number 1 for the
Burnside High School (mixed) team, which won
the South Island Secondary school champs in
2002 and 03.
From about 2001, Simon started
helping Terry with Junior coaching. He completed
his Coaching NZ Level One course (Sports Canterbury).
In his seventh form year at Burnside High School,
Simon continued his love of sports in the Outdoor
Pursuits course.
Simon studied Aeronautical
Engineering at the Air NZ training school at
Christchurch Airport, and is recently finished an
apprentice at the Pratt
and Whitney Engine Centre.
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