If you grew up learning tennis the “old-school” way—full-sized courts, yellow balls, and early competition—you might be surprised to learn how much the game has changed for today’s youngest players. At Advantage Tennis Clubs (ATC), we’ve spent over 55 years refining our approach, and our Junior Tennis Pathway is the result: a smarter, more effective…
Introducing competition early on in a kid’s life gives them the opportunity to develop tools that will serve them well in many areas of life, not just in sports. Competition puts kids in situations where they need to learn ways to stay motivated and enjoy the journey, rather than just focusing on winning and other…
Selecting the right partner in tennis doubles can significantly influence your performance and enjoyment of the game. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing a doubles partner: Skill Level: Look for someone with a similar skill level to yours (or slightly higher). Playing with a partner who matches your abilities ensures a balanced…
Growing up in Massachusetts, I had the privilege of playing tennis on free public courts at local parks and high schools. Learning the game in New York City, however, is an entirely different experience. Here, tennis isn’t something you simply stumble into. With Manhattan’s limited space, there are no sprawling parks with a dozen courts…
Preparing for a tennis tournament requires careful planning, discipline, and focus. However, even the most experienced players can fall into common pitfalls that negatively affect their performance. Here are some of the top mistakes to avoid when getting ready for a tennis tournament: Physical Conditioning Tennis is a physically demanding sport. Although match and…
Throughout my years of coaching tennis I’ve come across many players of all ages and levels that are ‘perfectionists’ in other areas of their lives (school, work, extracurricular activities, etc). Often, this leads to challenges in their tennis development because they are scared of change, risk, discomfort, and failure. And it takes away from the…
Hey Coaches, It’s Tony Huber here, and today I want to share something that’s reshaped my approach to coaching: group sessions. For many of us, private lessons have been the cornerstone of our coaching careers. They offer personalized attention, clear structure, and a nice hourly rate. But if you haven’t considered the power of group…
This is a continuation to the articles about tactics in Red Ball and Orange Ball stages. Previously we talked about Red Ball being the stage to understand tennis is a game of errors; the less errors we do, the more successful we are. In Orange Ball, we carried on the previous ideas and added the…
Like many of you, I was excited to learn that Roger Federer was giving a commencement speech. How fortunate for Dartmouth that Tony Godsick, his agent, had a daughter in the Dartmouth University 2024 graduating class, which is also Godsick’s alma mater. Much like Federer’s career, the speech went viral. Some described it as motivational,…
Footwork is essential to playing tennis, no matter how you approach it. Common phrases heard on the courts—such as “move your feet,” “get to the ball,” “recover for the next shot,” “one step closer to the net,” and” get behind the ball”—all emphasize the importance of footwork. Tennis involves receiving skills before sending skills. If…