To build the tallest skyscrapers requires the deliberate building of a secure strong foundation.
The foundation takes many months to build and people are watching the construction site wonder when the real work will start.
Suddenly in a matter of Days, it seems ten stories up and growing quickly.
Attention to a person's strokes is the same as a foundation.
Without strokes, there is no strategy.
We all must understand that the dimensions of the court and physical laws dictate stroke production, no coach’s opinion or any unique theory.
There must be an understanding in the parents mind as well as the player about the neurological connection between how a someone hits the ball on their first day and then a decade later.
There is no substitute for a good beginning
The athlete is a bio-computer and needs to be programmed correctly from the beginning. When a player does not have good strokes, they have little or no tactical options.
Winning is a by-product of skills.
Therefore, the student and the student's parents must understand that it is the tennis teachers job to help develop those skills ASAP.
The tennis teacher will try and make it as fun as possible while the client is working hard developing theses skills.
The development of competency in certain strokes will result in an inner satisfaction of being able to do something well. Then the tennis student loves the game and can play anytime and enjoys practice.
Very often players rely on the tennis pro creating a fun distracting entertaining atmosphere and a "please don’t coach us we just want to play" type of attitude.
“Here is my money don’t mess with my strokes.”
The enjoyment comes from the pro and group and not from an internal sense of accomplishment.
The limitation is this system needs a pro
Our society is very" I want it now", and "I will pay for it later".
Tennis is no different.
3 scenarios.
- One year of privates to develop technique,then next few years clinics .
- 2 years of clinics and playing and then 5 to 10 yrs of privates undoing all bad habits created in many years of play.
- Taking the time to build the correct strokes carefully using video and practice at home.Spending time not money.
Spend the money and time early on building a strong foundation and you can go as high as you want.
Trying to build a high structure on no foundation is bound to collapse in any stressful situation.
Coach Carl