In this in-depth interview, we speak with Mark Sophoulis, Founder and High Performance Coach at Melbourne International Training Systems (MITS). Sophoulis shares his journey from aspiring tennis player to elite coach, his approach to developing junior talent through the NCAA pathway, and how his unique dual experience in tennis and AFL has shaped his coaching philosophy.
Q: Mark, can you start by telling us a bit about your background and what inspired you to start your own tennis coaching business?
Mark Sophoulis: Like many coaches, my journey started as a player. I aspired to compete at an elite level but didn't quite achieve the goals I set for myself. Rather than walking away from the sport, I became motivated to help others avoid the mistakes I made and maximise their potential.
I was fortunate to grow up under the guidance of an incredible mentor, Michael Baroque, who has coached me since I was seven years old. He was a high-performance coach working with elite and professional players, and from an early age, I knew that was the pathway I wanted to follow.
What began as coaching for pocket money slowly turned into a real skill set and a passion. Over time, that passion grew into a career focused on developing players not just as athletes, but as people. Today, after many years in the industry, I'm proud of the work we've done - from junior development to college pathways, professional tennis, and even elite AFL environments.
Q: You've guided many players through the NCAA pathway. For those unfamiliar, why is college tennis such an important option for aspiring athletes?
Mark Sophoulis: For me, the NCAA pathway is often a vital stepping stone rather than an end destination. Many Australian players aspire to the ATP or WTA Tour, but because of our education system, they often don't accumulate the same training volume as European players by the time they finish school.
College tennis provides two to four years of high-level competition, elite coaching, physical development and life experience - all while gaining an education. I've had around 25 to 30 players go through this pathway, and it's incredible to see how quickly they mature as athletes and people.
They experience semi-professional sport, live away from home, develop elite habits, and in some cases now benefit from NIL opportunities. Even if they don't progress to the pro tour, they leave with a degree, global experience and strong life skills. For me, that's a successful outcome.
College tennis provides 2-4 years of elite development, education, and life experience - a pathway that can transform aspiring athletes into well-rounded professionals whether they turn pro or not.
Q: You've also worked extensively in AFL and VFL environments. How did that transition happen from an individual sport like tennis?
Mark Sophoulis: That part of my journey came through another mentor of mine, Craig McRae. While completing my high-performance coaching accreditation with Tennis Australia, I needed experience in another sport and chose football.
That led to a work placement where I met Craig, and shortly after, he offered me a role. From there, I worked in player development and coaching roles across the VFL and AFL, including 17 years at Richmond Football Club through premiership campaigns in 2017, 2019 and 2020, as well as a VFL premiership in 2019.
In 2024, Craig brought me across to Collingwood Football Club, which has been an incredible experience - especially as a lifelong supporter.
Q: How do you balance coaching across two very different sports?
Mark Sophoulis: People often ask how I coach tennis and football when they're so different. My answer is always the same: I don't coach sports - I coach people.
Tennis taught me how to work deeply with individuals, build trust, and tailor development programs. AFL taught me how to manage large groups, create elite environments, and embed habits and behaviours that drive performance.
Each sport informs the other. I bring individual development into football, and I bring team culture, systems and structure back into tennis. At the core, it's always about understanding the human being behind the athlete.
Q: Who typically comes to you for coaching, and what does that engagement look like from a business perspective?
Mark Sophoulis: We work with a wide range of athletes, and they come from everywhere. Recently, we've had athletes relocate from China, Brisbane and interstate Australia specifically to train with us.
I've never advertised. Everything comes through reputation and word of mouth. The tennis world is big, but it's also very small - people talk. I believe if you treat people well and genuinely help them improve, the business grows organically.
Personally, I'm most fulfilled working with aspiring athletes - people who want to be great. That could be a four-year-old just starting, or a 17-year-old chasing international competition. Age doesn't matter; aspiration does.
Q: What does a typical training program look like for a young, competitive player?
Mark Sophoulis: Everything starts with understanding the athlete - where they are, where they want to go, and why. From there, I build an individualised program. I don't believe in cookie-cutter coaching.
As a general framework, I work on a formula: one hour of on-court training per year of age per week, and half an hour of off-court training per year of age. So, for a 13-year-old, that's roughly 13 hours on court and six to seven hours of strength, conditioning, balance and coordination work.
On top of that, we plan tournament schedules, manage periodisation, and track performance data. Everything is measured, structured and intentional. We also aim to create a support team around the athlete - coaches, parents, strength and conditioning, psychology and nutrition - so everyone is aligned.
Q: Tennis is an individual sport, yet you emphasise team support. How involved are you in building that team?
Mark Sophoulis: Very involved. I generally build the support team using professionals I trust and have worked with before. If an athlete comes with people they already trust, we integrate them.
Coaching doesn't stop when the player leaves the court. I might be analysing match footage at midnight, coordinating with data analysts, talking with parents in another state, or planning tactics with a player overseas. You're committed to them 24/7.
Once you take responsibility for an athlete, you're responsible for the whole journey - wins, losses, growth and wellbeing. There's no real start or end point, until the relationship naturally concludes.
Q: What are the biggest challenges of running a coaching business?
Mark Sophoulis: Like any business, it comes down to people. You're dealing with human challenges - scheduling, cancellations, injuries, finances, emotions, results, expectations.
You're managing athletes, parents, staff, contracts, payments, logistics and promotion - often all at once. But we try not to see these as problems. We stay solution-focused.
At the end of the day, we're in the service industry. Everyone has different needs, and our job is to support them as best we can.
Q: Finally, can you tell us more about Melbourne International Training Systems?
Mark Sophoulis: We were originally known as Melbourne International Tennis School (MITS), and we've now evolved into Melbourne International Training Systems.
We operate across multiple divisions - MITS Tennis, MITS Football and MITS Fitness - with bases in Melbourne, Singapore, Bali and Laos. It's a global operation built on a family-based culture.
Michael Baroque, my mentor, founded the business, and we now work together alongside his family, who manage much of the business operations. Most of our coaches have come through our system and understand our philosophy.
We're never a finished product. We want to keep growing, learning and helping people become better - every single day.
