Elahn Andrew knew how to get the attention of his tennis coach. He unleashed a backhand into the head of long-time mentor Alastair Cotterill. And Elahn is only four years old!
He is the youngest in the current crop that Alastair is instructing and his eyes light up when he starts talking about him.
“I have coached some young kids over the years and he’s one of the more interesting ones. Elahn has already got some skills, and he has a bit of spark in his eyes too,” declares the 61-year-old before a coaching session at the tennis courts of his beloved Nelson College.
“You need to see his backhand. He has some power alright, and after he clocked me you could see the smile on his face. He warned me that he would do it again.”
His mother Suzy wasn’t surprised.
“His grandma bought him a tiny plastic racket, and he was serving while still in nappies. He is ball mad as he likes football and basketball too,” reveals the Enner Glynn School teacher.
“I just like hitting things,” says Elahn, before trying to line up his coach again with a double-handed backhand during their 20-minute session.
Alastair was an age grade tennis talent, and the sport took him all around the world before settling in Tāhunanui in 1987.
“I used to travel all over New Zealand and to Brisbane with my tennis kids, but now I focus on staying locally.
“Kids coming through like Elahn ensure I keep my spark and enthusiasm, too.”
Just look out for that next blistering backhand.
