The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
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QUESTION: What are secondary strokes?
Frank: Building a solid foundation is vital to your child’s success. Although this is not another “Mechanical Stroke Book,” a flawed stroke causes unforced errors, produces short vulnerable balls, causes injuries and inhibit your child’s growth into the next level of competition. If stroke production is what you seek, I recommend my bestselling book Championship Tennis. In this book, primary and secondary stroke production is covered in extreme detail.
“Efficient stokes aren’t always elegant strokes.”
Just as being tall is a prerequisite to playing in the NBA, efficient strokes are a prerequisite to playing in the highest levels of tennis. But, if just being tall earned you the right to play in the NBA, my cousin Big Vinnie wouldn’t be driving a limo at Kennedy airport. So, though fundamental strokes are important, they are only part of the puzzle.
Here’s a fun painter’s analogy. To this day, we can all run to the store and pick up a beginner’s paint set. These pre-packaged sets come with paper, a paint brush and a strip of a few basic paint colors. As we dabble and enjoy the art of painting one thing becomes evident, if only primary colors are used, the paintings will continue to look “amateur.”
Advanced painters have learned that to make a painting jump off the canvas and become “life like” they need to master the skills of applying secondary colors. Now, instead of applying one shade of green, they have multiple versions of green! They essentially have more tools in their painting toolbox.
Secondary Strokes
As parents and coaches, we have to assist in managing the time needed to develop each athlete’s secondary “colors”. I recommend encouraging, educating and developing both primary and secondary stroke principles. The following are the primary and secondary strokes in an elite tennis player’s tool belt:
The Six Different Types of Forehands and Backhands:
- Primary Drive
- High Topspin Arch
- Short Angle
- Defensive Slice
- Drop Shot
- Lob
The Three Types of Serves:
- Primary Flat Serve
- Kick Serve
- Slice Serve
The Five Types of Volleys:
- Primary Traditional Punch Volley
- Drop Volley
- Swing Volley/Drive Volley
- Half Volley
- Transition Volley
The Four Types of Lobs:
- Primary Flat Lob
- Topspin Lobs
- Slice Lob
- Re-Lob (Lobbing off of the opponent’s over-head smash)
The Two Types of Overheads:
- The Primary/Stationary Overhead
- The Turn & Run/Scissor Overhead
The 6 Types of Approach Shots:
- Serve and Volley
- Chip and Charge
- Drive Approach
- Slice Approach
- Drop Shot Approach
- Moonball Approach
The devil is in the details, they say. Maximizing potential requires the deliberate development of every tool in your child’s tool belt.
I got to know Tiger Woods a bit when I was the tennis director at Sherwood Country Club, in Westlake Village out-side of Las Angeles. We hosted his multimillion-dollar charity event at Sherwood annually. Before each round of golf, Tiger practiced every club in his bag. He often, secretly, flew to the site a week or so before the actual event to experience the courses uneven fairways, the speed of the greens, the feel of the sand traps and elements such as the wind.
“Winning is persistent, customized preparation.”
Advanced players have worked to develop their secondary strokes along with their primary strokes. With their complete tool belt of strokes, they apply these tools in shot sequencing patterns used to torture the opponents as they control both sides of the net.
If a deliberate, customized developmental plan is followed, it takes an average of two years to develop these “secondary” tools into reliable pattern-play weapons. If your child is simply grooving primary strokes…well, they’ll stop progressing and never actually realize their true potential.
To assist your youngster in controlling the court and the match, meet with their coaches and discuss their opinion regarding shifting focus in practice from only grooving fundamentals to developing a champion’s tool belt of strokes.
Like Tiger Woods, remind your athlete to warm up every stroke in their bag before each tournament match. Winning a close tie breaker is often decided on a few points. Making that crucial swing volley in the tiebreaker versus missing it is often a matter of confidence.
