Our Story

Our Story: Why We Rise Up

The name Rise Up isn’t just a slogan — it’s my life.

I’m Edd Whetton, founder of Rise Up Racket Sports. My journey with sport has been anything but easy. But it’s taught me something I want every child to learn: no matter the challenge, you can rise.

At the age of 5, I was diagnosed with Perthes Disease, a childhood hip disorder where blood flow stops reaching the hip joints, causing the bone to die. I spent 18 months in a wheelchair and another 18 months on crutches. At 8, I had to learn to walk again.

Growing up with three older siblings who were all active and sporty, I was determined to join in. Sport became my passion — and tennis, my true love. I started competing in cross country and football, and at age 10, I began playing tennis seriously, representing my club and my county of Leicestershire.

But life had more challenges in store. The damage from Perthes meant that by 16, my hips were deteriorating again. Between the ages of 18 and 22, I underwent five major operations, spending years bed-bound. Yet after each operation, as soon as I could, I was back on the tennis court.

At 23, just a year after starting my coaching career, I became Head Coach at Syston Northfields Tennis Club. I loved every minute — even though I was coaching through pain. Eventually, I needed both hips replaced. After my second replacement, I developed Sepsis, requiring life-saving surgery and days in intensive care.

The battle wasn’t over. The years of coping with bad hips had severely damaged my spine, leaving me with chronic spinal pain and degeneration. I was also diagnosed with severe jaw arthritis.

Through it all, sport — and tennis — gave me strength, purpose, and a reason to keep rising.

That is why I founded Rise Up Racket Sports.
Because I want to help children discover that same resilience through sport.
To build skills, confidence, and strength — for life, not just for tennis.

"I'll rise up, I'll rise like the day, I'll rise up, unafraid, I'll rise up, and I'll do it a thousand times again."

This spirit lives at the heart of everything we do.
We coach, inspire, and empower children to rise — in sport, and in life.