A FORMER Dunfermline Tennis Club star and award-winning coach has said kids having "fun, friendships and happiness" is her goal as opposed to trying to create the "next Andy Murray".

Alessia Palmieri has said that she is happy if youngsters taking to the court are enjoying hitting a ball with their friends, whilst learning along the way, after being shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

Today (Tuesday), she will travel to Wimbledon – on the second day of the 2023 championships – for the 2023 LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) Awards, having been nominated as one of three finalists for the Development Coach of the Year prize.

Alessia, a Scottish Cup finalist with Dunfermline's ladies team in 2016, and winner in 2009, who has also coached with the club, has been recognised for her work with Fossoway Tennis Club, in her home village of Crook of Devon, where she has developed tennis programmes for kids and adults alike, growing its membership to around 370 last year.

With just one court, and no clubhouse facility, her efforts in offering a variety of tennis options resulted in her being put forward for Tennis Scotland's Development Coach of the Year in March, an accolade that she won.

Shortlists for the LTA Tennis Awards, at which prizes in 14 categories, as well as additional awards for players, will be presented, were created from more than 2,200 nominations, acknowledging their outstanding contribution to the sport in 2022.

A judging panel, including former US Open finalist and world number four, Greg Rusedski, helped decide the final shortlists, with Alessia going up against Mark Thomas, from Wales, and Zane Cheeseman, from England, in her category.

When asked if it was hard to sum up her feelings, she said: "It is. It's huge.

"It's not just get on court and make the next Andy Murray, it's about having fun, friendships and happiness. The results at this age don't matter. If they want to get on court and play matches, it's a bonus if they want to compete, but I'm just happy as long as they're happy on court, having fun with their friends, and learning a few things along the way.

"They're all proper little tennis players now. The P1s and P2s, that have all been working last year, they can all rally and play. It's bringing on the next generation now – all the tots and three and four year olds, they're the next generation we're bringing on.

"My committee here's great, and I've got such a great bunch of parents on the committee, but I didn't think they'd know about all the nominations and things, but they must have!

"I saw the email with the award (from Tennis Scotland), saying I'd been nominated, and it was a shock, but it was great. There was that and then, to make the LTA finals, that's just blown me away a little bit. I just think there's loads of coaches at bigger clubs that will have bigger stories, but maybe not now we've got all this here!"

Alessia continued: "I did kinda work my butt off last year. I made sure there was something for everyone.

"I just replicated a big club at a small club. I thought, why not? Why should these guys miss out? It was tots through to high schoolers, performance groups, adult beginners, mums groups, cardio tennis, intermediate, advance coaching, everything for the adults. We've managed to fit all that in, plus all the fun team challenge events. They've been the most important.

"All these different fun challenges that the kids can earn something, and they all go away having some sort of prize. It makes their day and keeps them playing. It's so important to recognise, even if it's a tiny little bit, if they've done something well, tell them, speak to them, praise them.

"I think the praise is the most important and, as long as they feel they've achieved something, and gone home happy, that's what I try and do each session."

Last year, Alessia had been announced as the joint head coach of Dunfermline Tennis Club, alongside Alan Russell, but elected not to take on the role due to her commitments elsewhere, which she admitted was a "tough" decision.

Alan, who has now been joined at Dunfermline by his son, Mike, added: "Alessia has done a wonderful job at Fossoway.

"She is still a member at Dunfermline, and we've got some ideas for her to, hopefully, do more on the girls side."