Page 216 - Gonzaga at 60
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GONZAGA AT SIXTY: A WORK IN PROGRESS
Jimmy McDonogh
(back, right): Junior
Tennis coaching in the
Fitzwilliam LTC
Diary of a 45 year-old Gonzaga Past Pupil with a
Career in Tennis
Childhood memories of Gonzaga are illed with fun and games and in my case the happy
reminders of formaive years playing lunchime games of soccer, a keen interest in the main
school sport of rugby and the development of a love of tennis.
The friendships forged are thankfully sill strong and I sill play regular tennis with old
friends.
Ater school, I did an Economics degree at UCD and then did a sint of Accountancy before
becoming further distracted by playing and teaching tennis.
I became increasingly involved in coaching and built up my involvement to a point where I
spent most of my ime on court. did ceriicaions in the UK and in the States.
Ater some ime I took a posiion as Director of Sport in a large commercial club at
Leopardstown racecourse, the Westwood club, which had over 6,000 members and 14 indoor
courts.
I stayed at Westwood for eight years before taking up a new posiion in 1999 at Fitzwilliam
LTC as director of tennis and squash. I am sill at Fitzwilliam and enjoy the strong ethos of racket
sports at the club.
My job is primarily an organisaional one but thankfully I sill spend a good deal of ime on
court.
Tennis and squash at Fitzwilliam is full on: the club hosts the Irish Open in both tennis and
squash, as well as home Davis Cup ies and other premier tennis and squash open events such
as the Irish Junior Naionals in tennis.
My primary responsibiliies are to the members of the club, encouraging club usage and
acivity levels. It is a role which I enjoy very much.
In addiion, the development commitee of the club, on which I sit, is involved in grassroots
programmes and player funding support programmes.
GONZAGA AT SIXTY: A WORK IN PROGRESS
Jimmy McDonogh
(back, right): Junior
Tennis coaching in the
Fitzwilliam LTC
Diary of a 45 year-old Gonzaga Past Pupil with a
Career in Tennis
Childhood memories of Gonzaga are illed with fun and games and in my case the happy
reminders of formaive years playing lunchime games of soccer, a keen interest in the main
school sport of rugby and the development of a love of tennis.
The friendships forged are thankfully sill strong and I sill play regular tennis with old
friends.
Ater school, I did an Economics degree at UCD and then did a sint of Accountancy before
becoming further distracted by playing and teaching tennis.
I became increasingly involved in coaching and built up my involvement to a point where I
spent most of my ime on court. did ceriicaions in the UK and in the States.
Ater some ime I took a posiion as Director of Sport in a large commercial club at
Leopardstown racecourse, the Westwood club, which had over 6,000 members and 14 indoor
courts.
I stayed at Westwood for eight years before taking up a new posiion in 1999 at Fitzwilliam
LTC as director of tennis and squash. I am sill at Fitzwilliam and enjoy the strong ethos of racket
sports at the club.
My job is primarily an organisaional one but thankfully I sill spend a good deal of ime on
court.
Tennis and squash at Fitzwilliam is full on: the club hosts the Irish Open in both tennis and
squash, as well as home Davis Cup ies and other premier tennis and squash open events such
as the Irish Junior Naionals in tennis.
My primary responsibiliies are to the members of the club, encouraging club usage and
acivity levels. It is a role which I enjoy very much.
In addiion, the development commitee of the club, on which I sit, is involved in grassroots
programmes and player funding support programmes.
