Recruitment
Come join a triple Newcombe Medalist at the Australian Tennis Awards winning team. Futures Tennis Academy is always searching for the best quality professional coaches. If you are interested in coaching on our team send your C.V. to our address. Please note you must be a Qualified Tennis Australia Developmental Coach or higher [or have the equivalent qualification from the I.T.F. – International Tennis Federation]. We have a pathway for all coaches from TA Junior Developmental coaches to Head Coaches who run their own clubs with Futures administration/marketing staff resources and assistance. If you are highly motivated to want to learn how to become a coach please call our office, or look up the Tennis Australia website, for more information.
Futures Staff
Futures Tennis is a full-time tennis academy which has been in operation for over 40 years. Our team, including international high performance coaches and previously world ranked pro's are dedicated, committed and passionate about providing all pupils with a successful coaching experience.
Leadership Team: Director: Wes Horskins Operations Manager: Jake Zerman Office Manager: David Wildsmith
Importantly, all our staff have also been trained to "Play by the Rules " for Child Safety Standards. Our coaches have working with children checks, first aid training, insurance and regularly update their professional development and knowledge to stay coach accredited with Tennis Australia.
![Wes Horskins [FTA Director / Tennis Australia Master Club Professional]](https://www.futurestennis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wes-scaled.jpg "Wes Horskins [FTA Director / Tennis Australia Master Club Professional]")
Wes Horskins
AWARDS: 2010 Winner TCAV Club Coach of the Year; 2011 Winner Victorian Tennis Awards Coaching Excellence Hot Shots; 2011 Winner Australian Tennis Awards: Hot Shots Coach of the Year; 2012 Winner Australian Tennis Awards: Club Coach of the Year; 2013 Finalist Victorian "All Sports" Awards; 2016 Winner Australian Tennis Awards: Most Outstanding Club/Centre [East Malvern TC]. 2022 Inducted into the TCAV "Hall of Fame". Wes was an outstanding junior player. His results included twice reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Junior Championships & winning numerous junior tournaments in Melbourne. Overseas he won prestigious World Level 2 tier National Titles such as the Czechoslovakian Junior Championships [Slovakia] & the Swiss National Junior Title [Landquart]. Wes represented Australia in the World Junior Esso Challenge & Victoria in both the Wayne Reid & Linton Cup teams. In 1980 Wes was ranked the number one junior in Victoria & four in Australia for juniors his age group. At just seventeen years of age Wes played State Grade number one [the highest open grade in Victoria] and won six of his seven singles matches. Wes played the Men’s ATP circuit for six years, playing in many of the worlds largest tournaments including Grand Slam events such as the main draw of the Australian Open singles and doubles [1982] and the qualifying event of the French & Wimbledon Championships. Wes’ highest Australian Singles Ranking was #35, World Singles Ranking of #398 & World Doubles Ranking of #252. Wes also represented Oklahoma State University in the NCAA with a full scholarship before starting his career in tennis coaching at the prestigious Haza Del Algarobbo Tennis Centre in Fuengirola, Spain coaching many of the top Andalucian juniors. Wes eventually settled back into Melbourne coaching & managing at numerous private clubs, private schools and commercial centre [Malvern Tennis Centre] while returning to play Tennis Victoria State Grade number one pennant. During this period he also completed his Diploma of Education. In 2008 he became one of fifteen national Tennis Australia Hot Shots mentors to assist in developing Hot Shots coach education. Wes has also served a period of ten years as a Board Member with Tennis Coaches Association of Victoria [TCAV] assisting in the development of coach related issues, education and being a coach assessor at the training school. He was also elected by his peers to represent all coaches on the National Coaching Advisory Group to Tennis Australia advocating for coaching related issues as the chairperson from 2009-2014. Wes has made a living from either playing, or coaching, tennis for his entire life. This knowledge & over 40 years of experience Wes has now passed onto his coaching academy and his numerous coaches. Wes continues to play tennis representing Australia twice in the over 35 World Team Championships. In 2000 he reached the quarter finals of the over 35 World Singles and Doubles Championships in Amsterdam, Holland. The same year he also won the Australian 35 and over Clay Court Championships. In 2000 Wes was ranked in the top ten players in the world 35’s I.T.F. rankings. Wes still plays V.T.A. Pennant Men’s Open Doubles winning the flag in 09, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19. He has coached top 200 WTA players through to raw Hot Shots red ball beginners and simply loves coaching all levels. In 2022 Wes was inducted into the "TCAV Hall of Fame" for lifetime services to tennis.
Jake Zerman
Jake is a qualified TA HEAD Coach at EMTC. He is our coach prodigy, yet, he is much more than just a tennis coach! He is also our Operations Manager and works tirelessly on all things administrative / marketing and manages the day to day business of Futures Tennis. He has played all his life from 3 years old and comes from a family of well known tennis players. His Aunty, Kerryn Pratt and Grand Mother, Maureen Pratt, both played in Grand Slam tournaments around the world. Jake played for Wesley College's firsts as number 1 in his team. He is great with kids and organises our Friday Night Hot Shot / Teenage Leagues. Jake also operates all our marketing, social media and acts as our IT expert. Jake is phenomenal at most things, thats why he was awarded the "TCAV Rising Star - Coach of the Year 2022".
David Wildsmith
David is a qualified TA Club Coach Professional and HEAD Coach at EMTC. He commenced coaching at the age of 16 and has continued coaching for 37 years. He has a deep passion for the game. His playing experience includes 10 years of playing Victoria’s most elite grade of pennant, State grade, which would place him in the top 100 players in Australia. He has coached beginners through to Nationally ranked players including his own two sons. He joined Futures as our full time Office Manager Monday to Friday in 2016 answering all enquiries and managing all accounts. He is a close friends of Wes’ and has been a great addition to our qualified coaching and admin staff. David also has a Bachelor of Business/Marketing Degree at Deakin University.
Blake Brunne
Blake has coached for over twenty years and is a qualified Tennis Australia Club Coach Professional. He was born and raised in Queensland where he did most of his coaching. He then moved to Melbourne where he has been coaching for Futures for 12 months now. Blake takes many of our junior squads and tournament players. He is much liked, well respected and highly knowledgeable.
Himakesh Sankineni
Himakesh's is a Tennis India Club Coach professional and HEAD Coach at EMTC. During the 2021 Australian Open he acted as a hitting partner for players such as number 4 in the world, Stefanos Tsitsipas, among many others. He has been playing tennis since he was 8 years and started competition at just 9 years of age. He is an outstanding player and achieved a career high singles ranking of 19 in juniors and 38 in Mens Open Singles in India with its 1.4 billion population. He currently plays grade 1 VTA pennant. After playing the ATP circuit for two years he decided to move to Australia to pursue a tennis coaching career. Himakesh is a master technician with his wide range of tennis knowledge. He also coaches/hits with top Indian female player, Pranjala Yadlapalli, who recently had a win over Daria Gavrilova [Saville] former top 30 WTA player from Australia. Himakesh coaches many of our tournament and adult pennant players.
Damon Bernard
Damon is a TA coach member and full time HEAD Coach at EMTC. He has been coaching for 5 years and is great with all standards and ages. He is a another former student of Futures Tennis. He was an A grade junior before playing grade 4 V.T.A. adult pennant. He now devotes all his time to his coaching. He is committed to teaching all pupils the basics from our red ballers through to the most advanced pupils. As Head Coach he also runs many of our Cardio classes. He has a likeable, laid back personally, is friends with everyone and is great with all players and ages. We have many recommendations from parents for Damon based on his pleasant personality and expertise at getting the best out of all his pupils.
Sam Dinneen
Sam is the HEAD Coach at Ardrie Park TC and is a TA Coach member. He has been coaching full time for Futures for two years. Sam is the number one player in his VTA Grade 2 pennant team for Kooyong. In 2018 Sam was recognised for his tennis skills and was awarded a full tennis scholarship at Kooyong. Prior to this he played in the Wesley College first team from year 9 and was their number 1 player in year 12. His highest senior national ranking is 390 which he hopes to improve upon. He has played for eleven years and is another outstanding Futures coach great with all levels.
Declan Sullivan
Declan started his tennis coaching two years ago, is a TA coach member and coaches full time for Futures. As many of our coaches his playing pathway started in our Friday Night comp. He then went onto be a A grade junior playing for East Malvern TC, then played in the St Kevin's First Open School Tennis team and is currently playing grade 4 TV pennant. He is experienced dealing with kids of all ages being a tutor and having been in many Leadership programs as an "OAP" in Year 1 1 & "Officer" in Year 12 and attended the Lord Somers "Big Camp" Leadership Program in 2020. Declan, as a person, is clever [ATAR score of 96.95], dedicated, conscientious and has a caring nature with his pupils. He was also the Dux of his class at the TA Junior Developmental coaching course. Needless to say Declan is one of our rising stars and in 2022 was recognised by Futures by making him one of our HEAD Coaches responsible for assistant coaches.
Neel Mohan
Neel is a Wesley old boy who played in their first tennis team. He plays grade 2 VTA pennant. Neel coaches many of our squad players and competition players. He has coached for a period of two years. He is extremely good technically and has a wonderful rapport with all his players. He is one of many of our young guns.
James Roach
James is another Wesley old boy who played in their first tennis team. He plays grade 3 VTA pennant. James is Head Coach at St John's TC but also coaches at St Joseph's Primary School and East Malvern TC. He is an exceptional person, mild mannered and extremely conscientious. James coaches all levels from Red ball to advanced junior and adult privates.
Marcel Meltzer
Marcel joined our team last year and is currently completing the TA Junior Developmental Coaching course. He has played tennis for over 10 years. Marcel competed in the APS competition representing Caulfield Grammar. He has achieved excellence in many sports, but specifically tennis, where his love and passion lies. Marcel started his tennis journey from player to coach at Ardrie Park Tennis Club with Futures Tennis. He showed excellent promise and started playing junior comp for the club achieving A grade level. Marcel has a warm and engaging personality with all his pupils and is particularly good with our Hot Shot kids. He is also currently studying a Bachelor of Business Marketing.
Danial Zhang
Danial played for Wesley first team and then went on to play grade 3 VTA pennant. He is friends with the rest of the Wesley old boy crew. He has been coachjng for Wesley School tennis teams and now Futures for two years. He is an exceptionally good private coach.
Ian Fuelscher
Ian’s is a qualified TA Club Coach and also a Tennis Germany qualified coach. His full time job is lecturing on the subject of Neuropsychology in the area of movement and motor skill at Deakin University. His passion, though, is the game of tennis! His father was a well known media commentator in Germany who got him into the game at a young age. Ian is heaps of fun with juniors and adults alike and volunteers to be coordinator for the junior teams at East Malvern Tennis Club. If you attend the club you will inevitably bump into Ian working voluntarily around the place. Although German, Ian, is a fair dinkum “Aussie”!
Rob Mescher
Rob is a TA Club Coach Professional, but just as importantly, is a much loved and respected person. He was a former Head Coach for Futures for 21 years and has been one of our best coaches among the hundreds that have worked for us. Some years ago he changed professions starting with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade but still coaches casually. He has coached all levels and ages. He is a grade 1 TV pennant player and former Club Champion at East Malvern Tennis Club. Together with David Philpott they form a "dynamic duo".
David Philpott
David is a TA Club Coach Professional. He was our Head Coach Manager for 24 years and is the longest serving coach for Futures. He has coached all ages and standards. A few years ago, unfortunately, David started a new profession with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and now coaches casually. David is an exceptional technical and tactical coach and has a great rapport with all his pupils. He also played grade 1 TV pennant with Rob and together formed a "dynamic duo" as FTA Head Coaches.
Lucette Horskins
Lucette is a qualified TA Junior Development coach. She is also the Head Coach at Solway Primary School. Her main role ,though, is acting as the Accounts Manager for Futures Tennis. She is a keen tennis player listing her greatest on court achievement as winning the Kooyong Singles Title in her grade in 2019. Lucette has a Diploma of Hospitality & Management, but, her greatest skill is being a professionally trained soprano singer! You will usually hear Lucy -before you see her!- enthusiastically talking to parents and assisting the Hot Shots players coaching & competition. She is also Wes' wife of 16 years with three young tennis playing kids.