The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most online retailers! Click Here to Order
NAVIGATING THE ATHLETE’S PATHWAYS
Regardless of the stage of development, parents should seek coaches and trainers with high tennis IQ’s and optimistic attitudes- which will stimulate growth and happiness. Hire great educators to join your elite team and they will take your child beyond your wildest dreams.
SIGNS OF A HIGH IQ TENNIS COACH
Here are a few insights to remember when seeking a new coach. Great tennis coaches offer the necessary hands-on involvement with as little coddling as possible.
“Great coaches don’t need you or your athlete…you need them.”
They deeply understand the depth of the science behind the strokes while considering the athlete’s personal flair. A great coach offers structure with the freedom to explore. Lastly, a great coach is a team player who always puts their students’ needs above their own.
Characteristics of an Elite Tennis Coach:
- Optimistic.
- Encourages observation of his/her lessons.
- Listens to you and your child.
- Combines fun and laughter with serious learning.
- Doesn’t use a one size fits all approach to development.
- Understands personality profiling, brain typing & body typing.
- Organizes a deliberate customize blueprint for your child’s development.
- Eager to view your match charts and match video analysis (during scheduled lesson times.)
- Help define parental roles and responsibilities.
- Knowledgeable of the essential components of a high-performance tennis player.
- Understands the importance of positive parental behaviors.
- Assist in organizing an entourage of mental/emotional trainers, off-court fitness experts, and physical therapists- as needed.
- Assist in the logistics of raising athletic royalty.
- Available for monthly entourage team meetings.
- Welcomes parent’s emails and progressive dialogue.
- Helps organize the player’s weekly developmental schedule.
- Assist in organizing the player’s tournament schedule.
- Encourage parents to use tools such as Reading Raising Athletic Royalty.
- Conducts parental workshops.
- Recommend that the parents educate themselves through seminars, workshops, and educational materials.
- Teach life lessons through the sport of tennis.
- Willing and able to be a mediator between the child and the parent.
Parents, world-class coaches are very hard to find. Finding one with free time in their busy schedule is even tougher.
“Plan on compensating your elite coach for their time on-court and off-court. If you find one with the above characteristics, hold onto them for dear life.”
