As parents, how many times have you asked your child, “How was your day?” The response is usually a one word answer, “Good!” Of course, this only leaves you wanting to hear more. Whenever I hear that response, I ask a follow-up question, “Huh, I see … ‘good’ can mean a lot of things to…
Unfortunately, very few certified tennis professionals coach high school tennis. If they committed to coaching at the high school level and recognized the privilege it truly is, I believe they would become better tennis instructors. When you coach a team, you have a variety of levels to develop, a limited amount of time to do…
Many things have changed in the game of tennis over the last 40 years. In many ways, it is a different sport than when I grew up in the 1970s. Growing up in the 1970s (with coaches who grew up in the 1950s), I still learned the game the "Old School Way," but due to…
I am asked all the time what is the most common mistake I see from club and recreational players that cause errors. The answer is not in their strokes, but in their court positioning. Even if the player’s strokes are not textbook perfect, many flaws can be overcome when you are in the right position…
What do Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic all have in common besides a plethora of Grand Slam titles? They were all fantastic movers! Movement has always been the key to being a great tennis player. As rackets and strings allow us to hit the ball harder and heavier, we…
During many years of teaching and coaching tennis at all levels, I have realized that having the tennis technique of “Three Shots in One” in your bag will guarantee great success at any level you compete at. I would like to share this key tennis shot that I believe is very important in developing and…
"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…