Merlin van de Braam

Merlin Van de Braam has a diverse work experience in the field of tennis coaching. Merlin started their career in 2005 as a Club Tennis Coach at David Lloyd Leisure, where they worked with children and adults and trained national juniors. Merlin then worked as a Resort Tennis Coach at Mark Warner, delivering coaching programs for juniors and adults at a holiday resort in Greece. In 2007, they became a Development Tennis Coach at Get a Grip Tennis, followed by a role as a Development Tennis Coach at INSIDE OUT TENNIS LTD, where they focused on junior coaching.

In 2010, Merlin joined the International Tennis Federation as an Assistant Research Officer in Tennis Development. Merlin also served as a Development Project Coordinator for the Tennis iCoach platform, providing cutting-edge coaching resources and sport science content. Merlin was involved in coaching the ITF international touring team and served as an Associate Editor of the ITF Coaching & Sport Science Review.

Since 2015, they have been working at the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). Merlin initially held the position of Coach Engagement Manager, overseeing coach support and communication initiatives. Currently, they serve as the Head of Coach Development & Support, responsible for developing and supporting coaches across the UK, focusing on increasing the number of adults and children playing tennis. In this role, they lead projects related to LTA Coach Qualifications and LTA Coach Accreditation.

Overall, Merlin Van de Braam has gained extensive experience in tennis coaching, with a focus on coach development and support, as well as providing high-quality on-court experiences for players in the UK.

Merlin Van de Braam earned a Master's Degree in Psychology of Sport and Exercise from Loughborough University in 2009-2010. Prior to that, they completed a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at University College Dublin from 2005 to 2008. In addition to their academic accomplishments, Merlin has obtained various certifications such as LTA Senior Performance Coach from the Lawn Tennis Association in 2017, Group Training Certificate from People 1st International in 2016, WADA Coach True Anti-Doping Certification from the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2011, ITF Coach of Advanced Players from the International Tennis Federation in 2011, and Level 1 Coach Qualification from the Professional Tennis Registry - PTR in 2004.