Coaching staff

MARK WALTON

Mark started tennis at 7 years of age and found his love of the game after moving to Canberra at 11 years old. He went on to represent the ACT in "Pizzey & Bruce" cups and has played competition to the highest level in Canberra for nearly 20 years. Mark also spent 12 months trying to make it as a professional tennis player before realising that there was a greater purpose for him in tennis which he found in spreading his love of the game. Mark has since devoted his working life to coaching and running one of Canberra's most successful and established coaching businesses.

In the 30 years since forming 'Canberra School of Tennis', Mark has coached players of all ages and also taught many of Canberra’s leading coaches. Mark has had numerous students attain the Tennis ACT National Academy scholarship holder status including Amery & Imogen Clews, Mwigga Kippaya, Patrick Willemborek, as well as other students being accepted in the US for tennis Scholarships.
 
Mark has a Bachelor's Degree in Banking, Finance & Commerce, and is a fully accredited Tennis Australia Coach. Mark won the Tennis ACT 'Coach of the year' award in 2015 & runs Tennis Australia endorsed programs including Tennis Hot Shots, Cardio & Tennis in schools programs.
 
Mark still has the same passion he had when starting his coaching career, and his motto, “Tennis, The Game for Life” encapsulates his philosophy for coaching. Mark can often be found on the court with his highly engaging, energetic and vibrant coaching style.

ROBERT JAMIESON
Robert's journey in tennis began at the age of eight, following an 18-month hiatus from sports due to Perthes Disease, a hip condition. He quickly developed a passion for the game, drawn to its one-on-one competitiveness and the friendships he forged along the way. His early success in local and interstate events earned him a spot in the ACT State Squads, where he trained for two years.
Throughout his development, Robert was coached and mentored by Mike Ahearn and Mark Walton. Mike is now based on the Gold Coast, running his own tennis coaching programs, while Mark continues his role as Manager and Head Coach of CSoT.
Robert began his coaching career in 2002 as a junior coach while pursuing his studies. He later attended the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), where he studied Media Production. After completing his studies, he continued coaching and achieved his Tennis Australia Club Professional qualifications in 2011.

Since 2012, Robert has served as the Head Coach at The Pines Tennis Club in Chisholm, where he delivers a wide range of programs for players of all ages, including Hot Shots, Squads, Hot Shots Match-Play, Hot Shots Leagues, private coaching sessions, Cardio Tennis, and Adult Technique sessions.

A Tennis Australia Qualified Member, Robert is also a certified Hot Shots deliverer and Cardio Tennis coach. His dedication to coaching has earned him multiple nominations for the prestigious Tennis ACT Club Coach of the Year award.

He was the recipient of the Coaching Excellence Club award in both 2024 and 2021, as well as the Coaching Excellence Hot Shots award in 2015 at the Tennis ACT Awards. Additionally, in 2016, he was nominated for the Coca-Cola Shield for Outstanding Coaching or Official’s Achievement at the Vikings Group Sports Awards.
Robert was a finalist for the Coaching Excellence - Club award at the 2024 Newcombe Medal, which recognised the top 3 coaches in Australia. 

Robert was recognized for his role in the development of high-performance athlete James Williams, who went on to receive a Tennis ACT National Academy Scholarship.
More recently, he has guided local Tuggeranong juniors to success in the ACT Junior Development Series (JDS), with many of his students being selected for ACT Super 10's events, Tennis Australia’s NDS programs, and representative teams for the ACT in various competitions.
Robert’s passion for tennis and coaching is at the heart of his approach—he strives to make the game fun and enjoyable for everyone, fostering a lifelong love for tennis.

NICK FRANCIS

Nick started tennis at the age of seven years old after his parents renovated an old grass court at their new house. His Mum Alison can be credited for his first lessons, but the formal coaching began on the grass courts of Yarrawonga by legendary coaches Jon Coleman and Colin Grace. He represented the North-Eastern Victoria region around the state, and traveled to Melbourne every weekend during winter for pennant. 
 
His work with CSOT began in 2015 where he began to realise his love of passing on his knowledge of the game to the next generation. He obtained his Tennis Australia Junior Development qualification in 2016 and his Club Professional qualification in 2023. Nick plays a number of roles at CSOT, including Head Coach at Gold Creek School, and is responsible for the development of the performance and Hot Shots programs at CSOT.
 
​You’ll find him to be an easy-going but highly driven individual who is very approachable as a head coach. His love of the game is based around the physical, tactical and mental battle tennis presents, as well as the individual nature of playing a match. Nick loves analysing the technical and tactical side of the game and through a collaborative approach with his players he is able to provide them with a pathway to reaching their potential.