Meet the Glasgow tennis coach who has won a top award

A city tennis coach has been named a 'Game Changer in the Community' by an awards ceremony.

Leonard Ogbonna, 44, originally from Nigeria and now based in Cardonald, has been recognised for his hard work encouraging more people to pick up a racket as part of the Tennis Black List Awards held on June 27.

The award honours individuals carrying out exceptional grassroots work in the tennis community across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Leonard's efforts in bringing tennis to a wider audience have stood out earning him the award.

The Tennis Black List Awards celebrate role models from the black and mixed black heritage community from top-level players to dedicated volunteers.

He said: "I’m so excited, it’s a privilege to be here when you’re doing something that you love and are passionate about, it’s a big thing.

"My passion for tennis came from back home when I was a kid playing tennis and luckily for me, opposite where we lived there was a tennis court and I was a ball boy and then I picked up a racket and started to play."

The awards, founded by Anne-Marie Batson and Richard Sackey-Addo last year, recognise contributions from individuals and organisations in tennis, from grassroots up to the professional level, both domestically and internationally.

The event took place at the National Tennis Centre with eight awards presented on the night.

The ceremony builds on the legacy of the Football Black List, created by Leon Mann MBE and Rodney Hinds, and the Rugby Black List.

In addition to his award-winning community work, Leonard is also a Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) level 3 certified coach.

For more than 10 years he has been delivering coaching sessions at Kelvingrove Park Tennis in Glasgow.

He has over three decades of involvement in the sport.

The Tennis Black List aims to inspire future generations in the tennis community.

The awards are an opportunity to celebrate those who have shown commitment to the sport, both on and off the court.

Tennis Black List organisers Anne-Marie Batson and Richard Sackey-Addo said: "This was truly a night of inspiration and celebration of the black and mixed-black heritage communities’ excellence in tennis on and off the court.

"It's been an honour to recognise a group of remarkable people who are the perfect embodiment of this."

Scott Lloyd, LTA chief executive, said: "It was hugely inspiring to celebrate once again all the amazing successes and achievements of the black and mixed-black heritage communities – the 2024 winners are real role models to everyone."