Shane Deacon (right) receives his Professional Coach first-place trophy from BCOT's Dominic Cunliffe

TOTALLY Tennis head coach Shane Deacon signed off from Basingstoke on a high by winning the Professional Coach of the Year award.

Deacon, 32, will soon swap Hampshire for Colorado after being granted a business extension visa to set up a tennis coaching business in the United States.

The tennis instructor had a fine year in 2007, with his Hampshire boys under-10 team finishing third in the country and Totally Tennis under-12 girls coming fourth in the National Junior Club League National Finals.

To crown his year, Deacon was shortlisted for the Lawn Tennis Association's National Coach of the Year Award, making it to the last four.

He was thrilled to have been named as Basingstoke coach of the year, but is looking forward to his big move.

"It is great to be recognised," he said. "It is the result of 15 years of hard work. I have lived in Basingstoke for 25 years and have had some good times, but now I have to look forward to what comes next."

Anne Bidmead, from Basingstoke Gymnastics Club, and karate coach Kevin McAuslen-Crine were the other finalists in this category.

3:55pm Wednesday 12th March 2008

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