Peter Tennet admits he is counting down the days until he gets to put his Gillette Great Start Grant into action.

The 30-year-old from Otley has always been a keen rugby man, volunteering as a coach for the last five years with stints in Leeds Carnegie’s community development program as well as the Grammar School at Leeds – where he will start as an unqualified PE teacher next year.

Tennet has also played for and coached at Westoe Rugby Football Club as well as his old school Harton Technology College in South Shields, where he put a hand around the shoulder of Newcastle Falcons star James Fitzpatrick in the 2003-04 season.

But Tennet always had a desire for more and had his sights set on completing his Level Three coaching badge, run by the Rugby Football Union.

Tennet was given a helping hand towards his dream last year when he was on the receiving end of a grant from Gillette, a programme that supports and celebrates great coaches who inspire the next generation at every level.

And while he is still waiting to put it to good use, the start day is very much penciled in on his calendar.

“I am really looking forward to putting my Gillette Great Start Grant to good use and that will finally come in July,” he said.

“It is going to go towards my Level Three programme but I just missed the last one and the next course starts in July.

“It has been a long application process but I am sure it will be well worth it as it is run by the RFU and I am not sure I would have been able to do it if it wasn’t for Gillette’s help.

“I would urge anyone to give the Gillette Great Start Grant a go because it is so simple. Just one click on your computer and it can make all the difference.

“It has really helped me out and I am not sure I would have been able to carry on if it wasn’t for this helping hand.”

Tennet is so committed to achieving his coaching dream that he has hung up his playing boots early, having run out for Westoe in recent seasons.

And while admitting it was earlier than planned, it was a case of needs must with the bigger picture in mind.

“I retired from playing this year to concentrate on my coaching and that was a tough decision to make,” he said.

“It is perhaps a bit early to hang my boots up but that is what I did and I think it was the right decision.

“It allows me to help at the club a lot more and, with my new teaching career, I knew something had to be done.”

* Gillette’s Great Start programme celebrates the role of coaching and encourages people to get into coaching by offering grants. To apply for a coaching grant, visit www.facebook.co.uk/GilletteUK.