It was 9am on a brisk Saturday morning in February, 2015. I had just finished my first lecture on mini red competencies at the PTR International Conference on Hilton Head. I was taking questions, when Anne Pankhurst stood up to deliver her verdict: ‘’I have seen some...
As a coach, I know that most coaches do a great job; working long days, weekends and outdoors in all weather conditions. This is especially true this time of year when here in the UK the rain, ice and SNOW are all working against us! Many coaches are under-valued,...
It is crucial that young players have ‘match awareness’; that is knowing what is happening in a match and how they can improve and think correctly on court. Parents often watch a match and report back to the coach on the strokes which didn’t work, or...
We discussed at our recent GAMEPLAN event (pictured), the importance of being supportive and non-judgemental of your child when they are competing in a match. As a parent it is all too easy to get caught up in the emotions of watching your child play a match, and...
We don’t always need to teach a double handed backhand to beginners. Many players handle the double handed backhand well, however there is no reason not to try both the single and double handed backhand and see which the player prefers. If a youngster has a role model...
One thing parents or even coaches should learn to adjust is using appropriate language when teaching children. I have heard many coaches tell clients that the hardest shot in tennis to learn is the serve. In fact, they are all as easy as you make them! Although this...
