Athletic Development

Head of Athletic Development

Josh joined Dukes in 2021 as a Senior Athletic Development Coach and quickly advanced to Head of Athletic Development in 2022. With over a decade of coaching experience, including nine years dedicated to tennis, Josh offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coaching practice.

Previously, Josh served as the Head of Strength & Conditioning at Swansea Tennis Academy, where he had the privilege of working with some of the UK’s top junior tennis players, including three who achieved the No. 1 ranking in their respective age groups (Under 11s & 12s). His collaboration with Tennis Wales involved providing crucial strength and conditioning support during national camps and creating educational resources for players, parents, and coaches.

Beyond tennis, Josh has made significant contributions to football, being part of the coaching staff for Cardiff City’s first team and Swansea City’s academy. He has also served as an Athletic Development Advisor for Snowsports Wales, further enriching his diverse coaching portfolio.

Josh adheres to the mantra: “Don’t expect anything from anybody. Work hard, put your head down, be good at what you do and good stuff will happen,” a quote by Deborah Meaden that reflects his unwavering work ethic and commitment to excellence in coaching.

Thanos is an Athletic Development Coach with a BSc in Sports Science and a MSc in Strength and Conditioning. He has extensive experience working with RPDC level players, as well as junior and senior ITF players. He provides world class sports science support, expertise in movement biomechanics and injury rehabilitation.

Before joining Dukes, Thanos was a Senior Strength and Conditioning Coach at Gosling Tennis Centre where he led the athletic development programmes for the RPDC, full time and ITF players for 3 years. He then had the opportunity to travel full time with a top 50 junior tennis player, competing in Junior Grand Slams and WTA events.

I am currently working as an Athletic Development Coach at Dukes Meadows, supporting the physical development of youth tennis players including ITF, Tennis Europe and RPDC level, contributing to athlete monitoring, testing, and performance support. I hold an MSc in Strength & Conditioning from St Mary’s University and also, gained a BSc in Sports Rehab and Strength & Conditioning at Plymouth University in 2019.

I have a strong interest in youth athletic development and long-term athlete performance and guiding my athletes to future success.

I am an Athletic Development Coach at Dukes Meadows. 3 years ago I graduated from Coventry University in Sport and Exercise Science BSc and a year later graduated from St Mary’s University Twickenham with an MSc in Applied Strength and Conditioning Science. During my time there I began an internship here at Dukes, and since then have gone on to work with ITF, TE, RPDC, and U10 players. I aim to help support my athletes in their long term athletic development by making them stronger, faster, and more explosive, all while moving with good proficiency and keeping enjoyment levels high!