Miles Sheldon and his friend, Damian Sancillio, used to watch a lot of movies while working as National Training Coaches in the country of Kuwait.  "It was 120 degrees during the day, it was too hot to be outside," said Miles.

"Sometimes we'd go outside and hit anyway, because Damian is as crazy as I am.  We had a lot of fun...watched a lot of movies during our time there."

Damian remembered Miles when The Westwood Club needed a new Head Pro under Director Sean Steinour.  Miles welcomed the opportunity to head back to the states, where he had attended junior college back in the early 90's.  

Born in Norwich, England and raised in Denmark, Miles actually didn't start taking tennis seriously until he moved to Spain at the age of 14.  As a junior, he played 2-3 hours a day at an international school where there were "lots of coaches" to guide his progress.

"I was a little bit aggressive, I worked pretty hard.  You couldn't get me off the court," he says about his time in Spain.

Miles credits the European programs for providing more tennis opportunities for more players.  "In Denmark, in Norway --the government subsidizes the tennis programs.  So, if you have talent, you go to a club and get the training you need."

After playing Satellite tourneys in Spain -- "I wish I knew how hard it was there, and I would've gone to India or China for ranking points--" he accepted a partial scholarship to attend Anderson Junior College in South Carolina. "I knew half my team already when I got there - all the guys from Spain were team-mates."  As a testament to the abilities of the players on the JUCO squad, Miles played #3 or #4 singles.  He was named to the All-American team, and earned his Tennis Management degree and USPTR certification.

After college, Miles went to work at Hilton Head Island, where a visitor offered him a position teaching top ranked juniors in Japan.  Not knowing a bit of Japanese, but "wanting to try something new," Miles taught players ranked in the top 10 in Japan for the next several years using sign language and a bit of Japanese he picked up on the courts. 

Restless, he moved to Norway where he became coach to the Norwegian equivalent of the U.S. Andy Roddick, as well as Norway's top ranked 16 year old girl.  Since then, he's traveled to Denmark where he coached the Danish men's team and had two junior players in the top ten.  He's been to Kuwait.  He's been back to Japan, where he trained one of the girls who presently reigns as 140th in the world.  

Now he's at The Westwood Club, charged with the job of making a strong junior program even better.  To do that, he says, requires commitment on the part of the players as well as the coach. "I give 100% effort, and I put my heart into it," he said.  "I want the kids I train to do the same.  

"In general, they need to want to get on the court, and then they need to focus when they are there, giving 100% to whatever it is they are doing."

Off court training is important too, said Miles.  "It's a big part of the game, from the age of 10 and up, players need to be running or doing something to build stamina."

His goals for juniors include wanting them to be the best they can be.  "I'm performance related," he admitted.  "If the training isn't somewhat intense, I kind of fall asleep on the court."

Players he's worked with to date include:  Abby Pahz, Emily Hahn, Matt Waddell, Emma and Zach Carl, Evan Charles, Sinclair Farinholt, Brady Strauss and Robbie Jain.

"Miles is intense, hard working and a good listener," said Luis Orellana, Assistant Westwood Club Pro.  "Having him here makes the Westwood Club junior program one of the top rated programs in Richmond, no doubt about it. He brings a lot to the table."