21 Aug Why It’s Important to Grow as a Coach
In tennis, growth is not optional. Players need to keep improving, evolving, and finding new ways to reach their potential. But the same is true for coaches. If we want to guide others toward excellence, we need to keep learning ourselves.
I’ve experienced this truth in my own career. My journey in tennis has been a constant process of growth: as a player, as a student, as a scount and as a coach.
From Player to Coach
I started out as a player myself, competing internationally as part of Croatia’s national junior team. That’s where I shaped my skills, but also where I began to understand the game on a deeper level. Tennis was not just about playing: it was about growing in every sense.
That passion led me into coaching. From inspiring young players as national captain for juniors, to working with athletes at the Olympic Games and Grand Slam tournaments, I learned that coaching is never static. Every player brings a new challenge, every environment demands adaptation.
Global Perspective
For over 10 years, I’ve also worked as a global talent scout, meeting and evaluating top junior players around the world. This role gave me a unique perspective: to see what it takes for a player to move from potential to performance.
As part of the YONEX team, I now travel globally to support talent and lead YONEX Vamos J training camps. It’s not just about scouting talent, it’s about developing it. Helping players grow into who they can become requires coaches who are ready to grow with them.
Learning Never Stops
Along the way, I’ve kept investing in my own growth. I earned a Sports Science degree in tennis from the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb, and an MBA from Cotrugli Business School. Later, I trained as a health coach in New York, because I believe that true high performance needs a holistic approach.
This combination of knowledge: sports science, business, and health, shapes how I see coaching today. A coach is not just a teacher of skills, but a guide for the whole person.
The Bigger Picture
Looking back, every step of my journey taught me something new. And it all comes together every time I step on the tennis court.
Growth is not always easy. It requires effort, humility, and a willingness to change. But I believe it’s the only way to serve the game and the players we work with.
Because when a coach grows, the players grow. And when the players grow, the game itself moves forward.
Final Thoughts
Why is it important to grow as a coach? Because tennis is never standing still. Neither should we. I believe that is the only way to support the growth of our players in every sense of the word. And for me, there’s no greater privilege than to be a part of that process.
— Nick