A TENNIS player and coach from Truro has been named one of 12 winners of Snap Fitness’ inaugural Grassroots to Greatness Athletic Grant Programme. The initiative has awarded a total of £20,000 in grants to athletes and clubs across the UK and Ireland.
Ryan Fern , 50, has been involved in tennis for more than 30 years, turning a childhood passion into both a playing career and full-time coaching profession.
As well as coaching players aged three to 85, Ryan has competed to a high level himself, reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon in his age group and currently holding a world ranking of 112. His goal over the next two years is to break into the global top 100, which requires balancing international travel with family commitments and his coaching work.
On receiving the grant Ryan said: “Funding can be scarce locally, so this was great news. The support from Snap Fitness will help me focus on strength and flexibility work to keep pushing towards my goals.”
Snap Fitness chief executive Kevin Yates said: “Grassroots to Greatness is about more than financial support. It’s about belief, visibility and opportunity.
“We wanted to do something meaningful for our communities; we wanted to give back, inspire and motivate. We are proud to back this incredibly inspiring group of athletes, and over the next year we will share their stories - their highs, hopefully not too many lows and their journeys as they pursue their sporting dreams.”
More than 200 applications were received for the 2025 Grassroots to Greatness grants. The winners are aged 18 to 65 and share grants worth £20,000 in total.
They represent a wide range of sports including athletics, mountaineering, para-rowing, karate, American football, ultra-running and more. Over the next year, Snap Fitness will share their stories to inspire communities to engage with sport and fitness at every level.
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