Coach Profiles
Meet our fabulous team of coaches from Sparta Tennis Academy! Full profiles are on the noticeboard in the clubhouse lobby.
Head Coach: Dwayne Cleugh
Country of origin: New Zealand
Years coaching: Coaching for 20 years now! Sparta began 9 years ago and I’ve been here since the start.
Qualifications: Professional Tennis Registry Certified Pro, ITF Level 2, Academy Sanchez-Casal Certified Professional Instructor
What I love about coaching tennis: I find it enjoyable and satisfying to watch young athletes develop into the best players and competitors they can be. The relationship side of coaching and the extended family feel at CPTC is also highly rewarding.
Coach: Aaron Hicks
Country of origin: New Zealand
Years coaching: 14 years total, 8 years full time + 1 year at Sparta
Qualifications: ITF Level 1 JDC, Bachelor of Physical Education major in Exercise and Sport Science, Graduate Diploma in Applied Science, Physical Conditioning
What I love about coaching tennis: I love helping players to achieve their goals but also see them grow in confidence and learn new skills
Coach: Casyn Buchman
Country of origin: USA
Years coaching: Too many to count! 8 years with Sparta
Qualifications: JDC Level 1 ITF Coach, Bachelor's Kinesiology - Exercise Physiology
What I love about coaching tennis: Keeps me active and outdoors, working with and developing the athletic abilities of kids and adults, seeing their game grow
Coach: Carlos Reid
Country of origin: New Zealand
Years coaching: 12 years, 4 with Sparta
Qualifications: Professional Tennis Registry Certification, Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) and Commerce (BCom), Admission to the Bar 2022. Current member of the New Zealand Bar Association (NZBA)
What I love about coaching tennis: It is a very rewarding job. I love being in the outdoors and helping people achieve their goals
Coach: Finn Hudson
Country of origin: UK
Years coaching: I’ve been coaching for 5 years and have been with Sparta for the last 6 months
Qualifications: RPT National Professional - European registry of tennis professionals
What I love about coaching tennis: It’s a very rewarding job, watching players of all ages and abilities picking up a racket and having fun whilst also becoming a better tennis player
Coach: Grace Chen
Country of origin: China
Years coaching: I have been coaching for about 14 years, and with Sparta for 5 years
Qualifications: JDC level 1
What I love about coaching tennis: I love sharing my experience on court or off court, as I grew up with tennis almost every day in my life. I find it enjoyable and rewarding coaching people of all ages
Coach: Jacob Verhoeven
Country of origin: New Zealand
Years coaching: I’ve been coaching for 8 years and have been with Sparta for the last 2
Qualifications: JDC Level 1 ITF Coach, Professional Tennis Registry Certification
What I love about coaching tennis: It combines my passion for the game with the joy of helping others improve. Watching players develop their skills, overcome challenges, and grow in confidence is incredibly rewarding
Coach: Junior Fanguna
Junior first joined us assisting with squads and as a hitting partner for several of our top players.
Since then, he has focused on his development as a coach. Junior now coaches a wide range of players from beginners to nationally ranked juniors, as well taking adult classes.
Coach: Renee Tsai
Country of origin: New Zealand
Years coaching: I’ve been coaching for 6 years and have been with Sparta for one
Qualifications: Professional coach, Tennis Association of the Republic of China, Bachelor of Physical Education majoring in Physical Education and Tennis Training
What I love about coaching tennis: I love tennis. It’s very meaningful to be able to do what I love and help others
Coach: Ryan Eggers
Country of origin: New Zealand
Years coaching: I have been coaching tennis since 2015 and joined Campbell Park and Sparta Tennis in April 2019
Qualifications: ITF Level 1 JDC, Diploma in Applied Sport and Exercise Leadership
What I love about coaching tennis: It gives me a chance to share my passion of tennis and each new session brings new challenges for players to conquer
Coach: Tina Tsai
Country of origin: New Zealand
Years coaching: 7 years, 1 with Sparta
Qualifications: ITF Level 1 JDC, Sport and Recreation Certificate
What I love about coaching tennis: I love seeing both children and adults experiencing the joy of playing tennis and reaching their potential