"Hey kids … how was your day? How was tennis?" you ask. "Good," they reply. "Just good?" you inquire. "Yep." And that’s all you get. Parents know that sometimes, getting any kind of information out of their children is like pulling teeth. Luckily, there’s help. Parent-teacher conferences, progress reports and report cards allow parents to…
Despite many New Yorkers’ refusal to believe that this winter would end, spring has indeed sprung. After removing autumn’s leaves and winter debris from your rain gutters, you might want to do a spring cleanup of your tennis. Are you hoping to get one more season from a pair of threadbare socks because they sport…
In order for an athlete to compete at their very best in competitive tennis, the development of rituals is critical. Rituals are routines that athletes use to prepare for and process competition. Since the pros do their pre-match preparations “off camera,” we don’t always see what rituals they have before or after their matches. But,…
If you have been following my columns, you should know by now that you have to advocate for yourself in life and on the tennis court. Recently at SUNY Oneonta where I serve as head tennis coach, I was asked to lecture on the topic of “Personal Responsibility and Making Change.” So let’s transform, transition…
Centercourt Athletic Club of Marlboro is offering tennis and multi-sport camps for children ages three and up this summer, with individualized attention, kid-sized equipment, and a wide range of sports and activities. The camps, which run from June 16-Aug. 29, are designed to introduce young children to summer camp in an environment where they can both make friends…
Four warm-ups for a match? I know, it does seem excessive. However, as a junior player working your way through the competitive pathway following these simple guidelines will give your body and mind the best chance of being prepared and focused from the 1st point of the match! Let’s address these in reverse order. Match…
The customers define your success In his book, The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith makes the simple statement, “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” A business is more successful when the benefits or services…
What images come to mind when you hear the phrases “Once upon a time,” “Imagine this” or “Remember the time?” For most, these words kick-start a sense of relaxation, almost as if a movie begins to play through our mind about something that once happened. If you are really in tune with yourself, the movie…
How is your tennis IQ? I believe smart tennis players are successful tennis players. I have always viewed myself as a tennis junkie. I can watch any level of play and really enjoy it. When I was a player, I would sit and watch players compete and learn the do's and don'ts of how to…
I’m a tennis lifer—a product of the tennis boom in the U.S. in the 1970s. It may sound crazy, but from the first time I picked up a racquet as a 15-year-old in 1971, I knew I would be in tennis for the rest of my life. I’m not kidding. In the 43 years that…