Stephan Lhuillier: Training pinoy tennis trainers

This week, we tackle tennis once again, but from a different perspective.

Stephan Lhuillier is one of our top junior players, competing abroad whenever his academic schedule permits. But his focus isn’t just on his own personal development in the sport, he also has in mind the tennis trainers, who shape the very players that eventually represent our country.

He came up with Pinoy Tennis Trainers, a program established not only to empower the trainers, but to help improve their lives as well.

It’s surprising to see this vision from a man so young, still trying to establish himself in the sport, and already thinking of others.

But if you learn a bit more about Stephan, you begin to understand why. He is the son of tennis patron Jean Henri and Bea Lucero-Lhuillier, award-winning taekwondo Olympian, both of whom have made sure to raise their children with the proper values that are already shining through in Stephan. 

PHILIPPINE STAR: How did this all begin? 

STEPHAN LHUILLIER: My passion for tennis started with the influence of my dad. I thought of a trainers program because I have seen the struggles of some of the trainers I play with and I want to help them improve their lives.

Talk about the program.

In February 2016, through the help of my dad, I was able to reach out to National Team coach and the only ITF Level 3 coach in the country Roland Kraut, and collaborated with him in developing the following program module: Introduction to Tennis Coaching and Physical Conditioning. 

A month later, the Philippine Tennis Association sanctioned the program.

We started small, at my home club in Alabang, what the program is all about, including the following: yielding 200 new coaches in two years. So from just trainers, they will be full-fledged coaches.

We then had two more courses at the Philippine Columbian Association.

This year, we will have 10 legs, which travels from Bohol, Negros Oriental, Butuan City, Cebu, Bulacan, Palawan, Oroquieta City, Bacoor, and Olongapo.

I heard you also have an “Adopt a Racket” program?

Yes! We launched this program of racket donations with the help of tennis enthusiasts, national players, racket companies, and friends, where we give away rackets as incentives to the more active participants, and those that do well in the exams.

I’ve gotten help from Babolat, Dunlop, and national players like Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales.

What have you been able to accomplish so far? 

Quite a lot already. Thirteen training sessions nationwide, 94 rackets donated to trainers, 166 rackets collected from donations, 352 total number of trainers, and 74 participating clubs.

What’s next for the program?

First, we want to have an annual tournament for graduates. Then we target 500 collected rackets annually, 500 graduate trainers from 100 clubs nationwide, and also international exposure for top players and graduates. 

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