The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!
FINDING THE RIGHT TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
“When selecting a pro, you’re not just paying for the hour on court…
but hopefully you’re paying for the thousands of hours of experience the coach has acquired solving similar issues.”
Initial instructors are usually chosen by proximity, cost and availability. Once your youngster moves into the competitive stage, it’s time to identify the styles and personalities of coaches that fit your child’s needs. Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to have more than one coach. In this day and age, top players have an entourage of technical teachers, hitters, mental and emotional experts, off-court athleticism experts and physical therapists. The key to success is unity among the entourage.
A great example is ATP star Sam Querrey. When I worked with Sam in his early teens we focused on the mental/emotional side of his development. His parents Chris and Mike always employed a terrific team of hitters, coaches and clinics to provide world class instruction for their son.
Profiling a coach before a relationship begins is recommended. Most confident coaches will welcome you to simply sit and observe their lessons before committing to lessons. There are many factors to consider when seeking a new coach. The first is what personality and style best suites your athlete? Listed below are eight types of coaches that you may be employing along your journey.
Coaching Styles:
The Detailed, Analyzer
The Off Court Fitness Expert
The Kind and Fun Loving Coach
The Hitter
The Emotional, Psychological Coach
The Strategizer
The Academy Recruiter
The Drill Sergeant
Facts to Consider When Selecting a Pro
Finding a Pro is easy. Finding the right Pro will require more thought and leg work. You may be using different types of Pros for different reasons. Below are a few insider tips to help you hire your entourage of coaches:
- In every region, only a very small percentage of pros actually teach the top players. (There are very big differences between teachers and recruiters.)
- Look for a coach who’s enjoying what they do, it’s contagious.
- Seek out a Pro that is so busy, that they don’t need you.
- The 10,000 hour rule applies! Being a master coach is a learned experience.
- Seek out a Pro who understands your child’s unique Brain and Body Type (Genetic Predisposition).
- Make sure the coach is asking questions, customizing and targeting their lessons.
- Ask every player that beats your kid, “Great match…who is your coach? Where do you train?”
- Ask a prospective coach, “We’ve heard great things about you, may we come and observe a few of your lessons?”
- Pay the coach to chart a match and devise his game plan for improvement. Meet regarding his observations and suggestions.
- Ask for a resume and who they trained under. (As a teacher- not as a player.)
- Look for a coach that encourages independent thinking versus dependent thinking.
- While there are exceptions, a former ATP/WTA challenger player does not always translate into a great teacher. The most successful tennis coaches were not the most successful tour players.
- Be wary of a Pro that discourages you from hitting with other Pro’s, hitters or trainers!
SPECIAL NOTE: To avoid confusion, employ one coach per job at any given time. Two different coaches employed to fix a serve may prove to be extremely confusing for your child. Conflicting information and battling egos spells trouble!
“It often proves beneficial to secretly observe a coach or academies without the coaching staff knowing you are a future client.
This experience will provide you with an honest assessment of their program.”
