Lockdown's been lifted, and it's time to play tennis.
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Tayla Cummings is Orange Indoor Centre's new instructor as the Sydney product brings 14 years of coaching experience to the Central West.
Cummings first started playing when she was seven, but fell in love with mentoring at 13 and recently stopped competing personally so she could focus on the development of her students.
And that's what she loves most about her job.
"I just love it [coaching]," Cummings said.
"I get so involved in it and it makes me so happy when I see people improving.
"When that light switch goes off in their head and they learn something new... things they wouldn't usually learn otherwise."
Cummings went to school at Westfields Sports High School, and worked with some of the best tennis instructors in the country.
Allan Dickey, John Marks and Steven Bourke are three of the credentialed Aussies she's spent time with, the latter achieving an ATP high ranking of 698 in 2018.
While a relocation to Orange means she'll have to somewhat start from scratch, Cummings can't wait to begin working with her new crop of students.
She's got a lot on her plate this summer as she'll juggle full-time coaching with a criminal justice degree, but that doesn't mean her schedule isn't flexible.
"I'll coach whenever and whoever," he said.
"It doesn't matter what day of the week, or what level the player is. I can coach beginners all the way up to advanced.
"I love teaching players new things, whether it be a new drop shot technique, or improving their game at the net."
Any aspiring or experienced tennis players who would like to work with Cummings should contact the Orange Indoor Tennis Centre on Facebook, or contact club boss Chris Besgrove by phone.
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