I'm not sure why I love the Australian Open so much, writes Julie Gordon. 

 

Perhaps it's because I saw Elena Baltacha get to the third round here in 2005 or that Andy Murray has now made four finals. Maybe it's because, even this far away from home, the tennis world is such that I usually meet someone I know. It could just be that it's sunny.

Whatever the reason, there is a magic about Melbourne Park. I attended the Australian Open Coaches Conference which takes place on site during the lead up to the main tournament. It felt like being in on a salubrious secret as I wandered freely around the grounds with only event staff and qualifiers for company. A secret that only 300 or so coaches from Australia and around the world are party to as we took our seats to listen to presentations from tennis experts in arenas that will soon stage battles between the best players in the world.

It's the second day of the conference and I'm having breakfast with one of the most respected coaches on the tennis scene, Judy Murray. It's not even 8 o clock but her enthusiasm for grass roots tennis and banana bread have set the mood for the day. We chat about her initiative, Miss Hits, which is designed to attract girls into the game. It is currently rolling out across the UK and the package includes full training for deliverers (who don't have to be coaches), a website, app and lesson plans involving colourful characters like Valentina Volley and Bella Backhand. It's exciting not only because it will increase the number of girls playing tennis but also because it will enable more women to become female role models for young girls.

This is today's hot topic. It is subsequently made even hotter in Melbourne by Andy Murray making it to a grand slam final under the tutelage of Amelie Mauresmo.

Female tennis coaches are thin on the ground. A trio of respected Australian coaches Andrea Buckeridge, Emma Doyle and Rufus Keown present research showing that girls respond to female role models and we need to nurture and recruit more into the sport. This sentiment is echoed later in the panel discussion that features former players Nicole Pratt and Alicia Molik, Sven Groenveld, coach of Maria Sharapova, together with a former Australian 800m runner Lyn Foreman and our very own Judy Murray.

Common themes emerge from the presentations and panel discussion. Girls and women like to participate in sport with friends and family, they want to feel cared about and they often lack confidence in their own ability. We are challenged to think carefully about the language we use when communicating with females and this is highlighted in a powerful video that forces us to rethink our attitude to phraseology widely accepted by society such as "like a girl". It is clear once you begin to scratch beneath the surface that "to run like a girl" and "to throw like a girl" are nearly always used in a pejorative context and as tennis coaches we have a responsibility to rewrite some of these negative scripts.

I think about my own working environment at Western Tennis Club in Glasgow. We have 4 female coaches including myself and at least 12 male coaches delivering weekly in the programme. Most of the coaches are part time but still the ratio of female to male coaches is pretty low. We have good numbers of girls in our classes and I certainly agree that they like to be together, play in team events and respond well to a female coach. I resolve to seek out and nurture more female coaches from our teenage ranks to be the role models of the future.

Perhaps the last word from this year's conference should go to tennis legend Nick Bollettieri who delivered the key note presentation of the conference. When he was asked what he was most proud of in his career, he said that although he was proud to have impacted the careers of 10 number one players and had helped thousands of young people on to a college scholarship, what he was most proud of was giving people hope: "That's what it's all about people; not about producing champions but preparing people for life". And with a wave of his tennis wand, he sums up the magic of Melbourne Park.

Julie Gordon is a level 4 senior club coach