JARROD TWADDELL is proving to be a great all round sportsperson.

The 16-year-old Mulwaree High School student has been selected in the South Coast Tennis Team to contest the NSW Championships in Grafton next term.

He finished runner-up in the trials against 20 of the regions top under 16 tennis players.

Jarrod’s interest in tennis started when Michael Gerstenberg came out to Tirranna Public School for a coaching clinic.

The youngster found he liked the game and after a few private lessons decided he would like to play in the local competition.

Earlier this year Jarrod finished in the top seven at the Open Boy's NSW Combined High School Championships for the South Coast.

Last year he won the Champion of Champions in the under 16 age group of the 2010 Medibank Junior Development Series.

Jarrod had also obtained his Australian Professional Coaches Association licence and conducts tennis clinics along with his coach Michael Gerstenberg and Dave Ridland.

Tennis is not Jarrod’s only sport. He first made the Strikers Soccer Squad at the under 10s level and played for the Goulburn Hockey Association under 11s representative side in 2005.

He has played at representative level in both sports through to 2010.

As a member of the ACT under 13s State Hockey Team at the 2008 National Championships in Adelaide, he was named ACT’s Players Player and the NSW opposing team’s Best and Fairest.

In 2010 he was a member of the ACT’s under 15s squad that travelled to Launceston for the national championships.

Despite an attraction to other spots, Jarrod had little doubt which of his hobbies was number one.

“I’ve decided to concentrate on tennis,” Jarrod said.

“This year I will be playing in the Optus Junior Tournament as well as the schools competition.

“My main goal will be to win the Goulburn Senior Championships in November.

“Mick (Michael Gerstenberg) will not be playing.”

Jarrod plays doubles in the A1 Grade Goulburn Premier League competition on Wednesday nights.

Coach Gerstenberg said that Jarrod had been spending more time in the gym working on a strengthening program to build up his stamina and power to compete at a higher level.

“By this time next year, if he keeps training hard, he will see some good rewards,” Gerstenberg said.

Jarrod, also facing his School Certificate this year, said the pressures of education were under control.

“I can see a possible future career path in tennis,” he said.

“But I will have to keep working hard to make it happen.”

Recently Jarrod, Mick Gerstenberg, Dave Ridland, and Duncan Gray represented Goulburn in a competition in Cowra and won.

Jarrod said that tennis in Goulburn was becoming more popular again with junior players and the Goulburn Tennis Club had some good young players who should perform well at the upcoming South Coast tennis trials.

They include Elouise Matthews, Corey Greenwood and Taylor Swift.