Decades of service on court for Holly

The Shropshire ladies' county captain has been playing since the tender age of three and now, at 34, can boast the kind of dedication to tennis that most could not imagine.

After spending 11 years at Bridgnorth, she claims the club is thriving and, with the help of keen youngsters around her, hopes to see it in good hands for decades to come.

"We've got around 200 members at the club at the moment," said Mowling.

"There are 100 seniors and 100 juniors. It's really good for us, other clubs are struggling and we've been consistent.

"We're a brilliant club. I absolutely love working there. The kids are great, the people are great, it's a really nice atmosphere.

"Tennis is such a social sport and we're really thriving."

Mowling was born near Much Wenlock and got into the sport through her sister Claire, who got a scholarship to coach in America and has remained there ever since.

She first played as a three-year-old and was involved in county tennis from the age of seven.

"I never really looked back," she said. "Ever since then it's been tennis, tennis, tennis! Spending 11 years as a tennis coach at one club is almost unheard of.

"Coaches tend to move around in tennis between clubs and centres. So I have quite a good relationship there.

"Tennis is my life. I've played from the age of three till 34, it's a long time. I'm still competing at a good level as Shropshire ladies' county captain."

The county star is keen to highlight the budding coaches that are emerging at Bridgnorth.

Jordan Evans, 15, Matt Hart, 16, and Erin Beards, 14, have all followed in Mowling's footsteps.

"They've been helping me and it gives them a chance to take their coaching course in the coming years," she said. "You start with a basic course and can go on to be a pro coach.

"It takes a huge number of hours to pass them all – it probably took eight to 10 days for me. There were loads of assignments and assessments and probably about five levels of coaching.

"It's huge to get the next generation through, particularly with the girls. Many clubs don't have many girls as members. They may start as youngsters but get to 14 and get interested in boys and other things.

"Getting girls into tennis is really important to me. We have lots of young girls at our club.

"But in that elder teenage age there is only Erin, and she gets lumbered with all of the boys. She doesn't mind, because she's good enough, but it can be daunting for teenage girls who might want to join.

"As a club we do look at that. There is Andy Murray and the other guys who have done really well, but now we have Heather Watson and Johanna Konta who are really good female players."

A busy schedule has always followed Mowling, ever since she took up coaching as a 12-year-old at the former Telford Racket Centre.

But that will develop further later this year as she goes on to become Bridgnorth captain, a role she has previously been happy to let pass by.

"I do a lot anyway but I thought it was time I stepped up to be captain," she said.

"We have five ladies teams along with all of the kids and senior sides. But I thought it was the right time."

The 34-year-old is no stranger to success on the courts, as well as coaching. She and doubles partner Cheryl Heath won an astonishing 25 matches in a row in the Shropshire ladies' county doubles.

"You play 15 matches in the event and it can be three matches per day," she said.

"It's really quite a big thing and something that I'm proud of. Cheryl is from Shrewsbury and hopefully we'll be continuing it next year, but she's pregnant and may be moving away.

"We have league matches and I think it's good for the young kids to see me playing competitively. The ladies team at Bridgnorth are in the National Division so we play all over the place."

As well as taking the captaincy plunge, Mowling has vowed to concentrate on her singles performance now she is eligible to compete in the Over-35s category.

That looks a wise decision after she reached the final of her first event, beating number two seed Maia Dunn in the British Seniors indoors at Dudley before losing the final to Candida Reid-Harrop.

"I was pleased to get to the final and beat the number two seed," she said. "The girl who beat me in the final beat the number three and number one seed herself.

"Because it's my first one, I'm just getting to know the tour and the schedule and what type of events to take part in.

"These events you can play all over the world, if you have the money and the time.

"There are possibilities of some tournaments in England, but I've just got to have a good look into it.

"I wanted to get more involved with international competitions and do more for myself."

With her unsociable hours, seven-day working weeks and success on multiple fronts, you wonder how she has time for it.

"Tennis is in the family," she answered. "I love my job. I know I'm very lucky."