USPTA Eastern Summer Newsletter

EasternNewsletter USPTA

EDITION 3RD QTR / 2019

MEET THE DISTRICT NOMINATE PRESIDENTS 3 SOMEONE TODAY pg

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5

AROUND THE SECTIONS

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CREATING YOUR TEACHING METHODOLOGY

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USPTAEastern President Geoffrey Jagdfeld geoff@solarisclubs.com Past President & Regional VP Mark Savage savtennis@gmail.com First Vice President Jason Speirs jspeirs@empiretennisacademy.com Vice President Mike Smookler smooks@ymail.com VP Secretary Ryan Berthod rberthod@lt.life VP Treasure Jackie Clark jacquelineclark555@gmail.com Executive Director Paul Fontana paulfontana10@hotmail.com

Questions and feedback: A Publication of the USPTA Eastern Division Jane Savage / editor Phone: 914-907-2507 Email: savagehealth@gmail.com Facebook: Offcial USPTA Eastern Division Twitter: @usptaeastern The Eastern Newsletter is published quarterly by the Eastern Division of the United States Professional Tennis Association.

The opinions expressed in the Eastern Newsletter are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Eastern Newsletter or the USPTA Eastern Division.

president’s message USPTA Eastern Members, Hope everyone is have a great summer season, it’s that time of year to nominate your fellow USPTA Eastern members for their efforts within our industry. I encourage you to think about whom in your district has made an impact and to take the time to provide our awards chairperson Jackie Clark with that information.

You can see a list of the awards and a description in this publication on page 5 along with the nominating form. Please feel free to email Jackie your nominations jacquelineclark55@ gmail.com Looking to the Fall November is USPTA National Education Month and we have some great offerings around the division. These are FREE continuing education credit events and we encourage you to take the time to attend one of these in your area. If you are interested in hosting an event please contact your local District presidents (Karla Ruaya, NJ; Andrew Eichenholz, Metro; SteveThirolle, Northern; Steve Pekich, Western; Vishal Balani , Long Island and Heath Hoover, Southern) to see how you can get involved. Please check out the list of events on page 7 Save the dates for these upcoming USPTA events:

• USPTA World Conference, Westgate, Las Vegas, NV – Sept. 23-25, 2019 • USPTA will host David Bradley (world’s leading expert in Tennis Movement & Footwork) at the BJK National Tennis Center on Thursday, November from 11:00-2:00pm.

• USTA/USPTA Eastern will again combine forces for the first Adaptive Tennis Workshop November, 10 2019 at BJK National Tennis Center, Flushing NY • USPTA Eastern will conduct Platform Tennis Certification Test at Sleepy Hollow CC on Oct. 6, 2019.

In addition we will offer a platform tennis workshop with continuing education credit for those already certified in platform tennis.

See you On Court, Geoffrey Jagdfeld USPTA Eastern President geoff@solarisclubs.com

2019 USPTA World Conference Las Vegas, Nevada

September 23-25, 2019 Westgate, Las Vegas, NV

More Information to be announced Featuring: • Customized workshops with best practice-sharing • On-court trainings using the latest teaching techniques • Networking opportunities with industry-leading tennis professionals

Meet the Eastern Division District Presidents For the purposes of this District President position is to improved service and communication to USPTA members at the local level. Our Division is divided into various Districts. Each District is represented by a District President (DP) who will listen and respond to the district membership and work to move the division in a direction that will benefit the district. DP’s are a liaison between the District’s members and the Division Board of Directors. Each District has a budget and holds local social, educational, charity events.

District Organization: Our district organization is each District will have a DP who will report to the President of the Eastern Division currently, Geoffrey Jagdfeld.

The Eastern Division President consults with the Board of Directors, to appoint each new DP. DP’s serve at the pleasure of the President and the current District Presidents are:

METRO

Andrew Eichenholz andreweichenholz@gmail.com Andrew Eichenholz has been a part-time coach at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center since 2012. He also spent a season as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Stony Brook University, where he helped create practice plans, did individual skill work with the student-athletes, and coached at matches. Eichenholz became a certified USPTA Professional in 2017, and he also passed the USTA Sport Science Level 1 Exam. Off the court, Eichenholz writes about tennis as an editorial contractor for the ATP Tour, covering matches on a daily basis and traveling to tournaments to produce feature stories, bringing fans closer to the players.

NEW JERSEY

Karla Ruaya kruaya@gmail.com Karla Ruaya began teaching tennis in 2001 and became a USPTA certified instructor in 2012. She graduated with a master’s degree in Exercise Science from Northern Michigan University and is a certified Exercise Physiologist by the American College of Sports Medicine. She is also a certified Pilates and Yoga instructor. In addition to teaching tennis, she works as a Neuro Recovery Locomotor Trainer for people with paralysis and other neurological disorders. Through grants received from the USPTA, she has conducted adaptive tennis workshops and is passionate about making tennis accessible to all individuals. She lives in Montclair, NJ with her husband and 2 children.

WESTERN

Steve Pekich SStev1e@cs.com Steve Pekich is the long serving Western District President, since 1995.

He makes his home in Syracuse but yearly holds educational workshops all over Western New York. His awards are many: Pro of the Year 2007, Major Contributor 1996, 2000 and 2016, Industry Excellence 2010.

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USPTA EASTERN /3rd Qtr Edition 2019

NORTHERN

Stephen Thirolle stevetinthenyc@gmail.com Stephen Thirolle is an USPTA Elite Pro currently serving as the Northern District President for USPTA Eastern. He is the recent recipient of the ITA Assistant Coach of the Year Award 2018, and also the USPTA College Coach of the Year Award 2019. He is the Director of Competition at the Wilton YMCA in Saratoga Springs, and is Assistant Coach for Women's Tennis at Skidmore College (#13 nationally). Stephen is the creator and director of Skidmore Tennis Camp, a highly successful summer season tennis day camp for all ages and levels on the campus of Skidmore College. Stephen is looking forward to meeting some of you this autumn in the desert .. 'til then!

SOUTHERN

Heath Hoover hhoover@clubfit.com Following college graduation, Heath began teaching at various tennis clubs in Texas. He joined the Club Fit staff in February 2001. Heath was promoted to Assistant Director of Tennis in 2005. Among his highlights at Club Fit, he lists coaching the women’s USTA 4.0 team (Nerve Rackers) for the last 9 years and being a tournament director for USTA sanctioned events. Heath is a USPTA certified tennis professional since 1995. He still loves to compete, playing on a men’s 4.5 team in the summer and also playing on Club Fit’s 8.0 mixed doubles team. His favorite athlete is Roger Federer because he is the epitome of perfection on the tennis court and also for his cool, calm demeanor. He is an ardent Texas Longhorn fan. He is a maestro in table tennis and plays golf every chance he gets.

LONG ISLAND

Vishal Balani vb1249@nyu.edu Vishal Balani has been teaching at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center since 2017 and enjoys working with 10-and-Under students in particular. He has also been chasing balls down on court at the US Open as a Ballperson since 2015. In addition, in 2016, he attained his USTA Umpiring Certification and has officiated matches around the tri-state area. When he’s not on the court, Vishal is working towards completing his degree from NYU in Sports Management, Business, and Analytics.

Each District has a working committee of District Delegates within their area to help the DP perform their duties. Any Eastern members looking to become more involved should contact their DP and join the committee.

The responsibility of each District is to provide local educational, social and charity opportunities for Eastern members, high school coaches and other tennis the professionals. Conduct and develop a yearly plan for the district, and delegate responsibilities to those in the district best suited for each project. Each District shall be offer at least 3 educational events, 2 Social events and 1 Charity event per calendar year. The educational events serve 2 purposes; improve the skill set of Division members and provide an opportunity for Division members to speak and become more proficient so that they can eventually qualify to become National speakers. Except in rare cases, such as specialized knowledge, USPTA members should always be utilized as speakers.

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NOMINATE

SOMEONE TODAY

Give them the recognition they deserve.

College Coach of the Year – Award recipient is selected based on their results as a college team coach.

Recipients may be honored for success as a coach over a school year or for their long term commitment and coaching success.

High School Coach of the Year - Award recipients are selected based on their results as a high school coach. Recipients may be honored for success as a coach over a school year or for their long term commitment and coaching success.

Division Tester of the Year – Recognizes a USPTA tester who makes significant contributions to advance the Divisional certification process. The Divisional Head Tester will recommend a nominee to the Awards Committee. Nominations are not accepted for this award.

Industry Excellence Award – Is given to teaching professionals who take both an entrepreneurial and altruistic attitude toward their job.

They use their own resources and those offered by the industry to build programs that bring tennis to more people. At the same time, they are successful in growing a tennis business.

Education Achievement Award The recipient of this award will be a current USPTA Eastern Division member who has earned the most educational credits within the USPTA career development program in a calendar year. Nominations are not accepted for this award.

Facility Manager of the Year – This award is available to USPTA members and non-members.

Nominees must be the General Manager (in function, if not in title) of a club or tennis facility. This award is for a person and not for a facility.

Major Contributor of the Year – Recognizes a USPTA member that is very active within the Division and makes "significant" contributions to the Division within the year (not over a period of years).

Professional of the Year Recognizes a member who, over a career, has demonstrated exemplary achievement in seven areas, including contributions to the USPTA and USTA; as a teaching professional, player and coach; in education, research and publications; and with

Please see the award categories and rules below other organizations, achievements and contributions.

Publication of the Year – Recognizes a publication that supports tennis and tennis teaching professionals.

This award is given only be given when a "Publication" is deserving of this special recognition. The publication may be in an electronic or printed format.

USPTA Stars Award – Recognizes a member who has dedicated many years volunteering in grassroots tennis and has a profound impact with the players that they touch.

Their giving spirits have made them heroes in their own communities.

Few of us will have heard of people who receive this award, but their stories are inspiring, and almost all of us know at least one person who deserves a nomination.

Regional Volunteer of the Year – Recognizes a USPTA member from each region that volunteers their time and efforts to benefit their USPTA Region and/or the Eastern Division. Each Eastern Division Regional President will nominate the Regional Volunteer of the Year for their Region. This award is not

open to members of the Division’s Board of Officers. Nominations are not accepted for this award.

Recommendations may be sent to the appropriate USPTA Regional President.

30 & Under Award - This award is presented to a USPTA member who is under the age of 30. This member, through their tennis-teaching and volunteer spirit, has increased the opportunities for others to participate in tennis. The grassroots program or initiative of this member can incorporate but not be limited to multicultural activities and events.

This member exemplifies and emphasizes individual achievement and sportsmanship along with teaching the physical attributes of the sport. While they have not previously received national or other significant recognition from USPTA or USTA for their contributions to tennis, they are well-known in their communities and are true advocates of grassroots tennis. Their commitment to grassroots tennis has made an indelible impression on their community. This member has also served the USPTA in one capacity or another.

USPTA EASTERN, 2019 AWARDS PROGRAM Nominating Ballot Member Name: _______________________________________________ General Rules 1. Award period is for January 1 – December 31, 2019 unless noted otherwise in the award USPTA Number: _______________________________________________ category description 2. Only certified members (Master Professional, Elite Professional, and Professional) in good Award Category: ______________________________________________ standing are eligible for USPTA member awards. All other member categories are ineligible.

Member Phone : _______________________________________________ Only the Facility Manager of the Year award is open to nonmembers 3. Only members in good standing are eligible to submit nominations E-mail: _______________________________________________________ In order to receive due consideration, submission of a bio and detailed information why the nominee is deserving of the award is needed Submitting the names of references is encouraged:

Nominating USPTA member: _____________________________________ Phone: _______________________________________________________ Reference Name: ______________________________________________ Phone: _______________________________________________________

4. Self-nominations are acceptable 5. All information is confidential 6. Awards will be presented at the USPTA Eastern Division Convention 2019; Pro of the Year will also be honored at the USTA Eastern Tennis Conference Jan. 25, 2020.

7. All nominations must be received by the Awards Committee Chair by November 1, 2019

Nominations and questions should be sent via email to: Jackie Clark USPTA Eastern Awards Committee Chair jacquelineclark555@gmail.com

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USPTA EASTERN / 3rd Qtr Edition 2019

reports & updates

Executive Director’s REPORT As the Summer begins to really heat up, the USPTA Eastern Division continues to make 2019 a banner year for our association. As we begin the second half of the year, we continue to bring workshops, webinars and educational opportunities to our members. The World Conference will be in Las Vegas from September 22-26. Please use this link to register for the conference. https://web.cvent.com/ event/650bc0c0-c94f-4fe385e6-40b13f8521aa/summary

the association, please put your hat in the ring and get involved. Mark Savage is the chairperson of the Nominating Committee. You can reach Mark at savtennis@ gmail.com

The USPTA Eastern Division will also be holding elections this year. We will be taking nominations until July 31, 2019. If you would like to have a more active roll in

Enjoy the rest of the summer and thank you for being a member of the USPTA!

If anyone has any questions please contact me at eastern-ed@uspta.org

Finally, November is National Education Month. If you would like to host an event or be a speaker at event in our division, please contact Paul Fontana, the USPTA Eastern Division’s Executive Director at paul. fontana@uspta.org

Paul Fontana Executive Director USPTA Eastern Division 914.656.0614

Treasurer’s

REPORT

by Paul Fontana

Checking Amount:

$25,648.47

Dates of Certifications/Exams USPTA Exams & Upgrades August 2

West Orange, NJ Montclair Golf Club

August 23

Midtown AC, Rochester, NY

August 26-27

Queens College, Queens, NY

October 4

Saw Mill Club, Mt Kisco, NY

December 1

USTA BJK NTC Flushing, NY

December 30

USTA BJK NTC Flushing, NY

USPTA EASTERN / 3rd Qtr Edition 2019

UPDATE FROM THE AROUND THE SECTIONS:

NORTHERN

It was Saturday June the 22nd, and it was the beginning of the most beautiful weekend of the summer yet. This spell of clear skies and soft breezes fell most gracefully upon the day of our Silver Bay USPTA event. With me, I brought, 16 participants from Saratoga Springs to that glorious Adirondack hideaway in the hinterland of northern Lake George.

And I also brought with me Mr Tennis, Rolland LeBlanc, the former DoT of the Wilton YMCA, my great friend and mentor. Together we demonstrated to the Silver Bay tennis staff of five how a large, live ball workshop with variable levels of play might work on a daily basis and become the main attraction of a summer resort tennis program.

So I postulated that if your morning program

has lost some energy, focus and direction, why then we must give it energy, focus and direction. Usually, a point man or woman with a big voice and a clear message can create some of this. But just as important as this point person is the intelligence of the lesson progression. This will create the rest of the direction. So, as many folks as there are (on Saturday we had an even 16), they can all be doing the same thing at the same time and sharing this progressive exploration of the game. This is all live ball, no feed, with pros free to roam the courts, free to demonstrate, and free to talk to one individual after another.

No lines, no waiting, hardly any ball pickup, constant game drilling with a strong flow of positive feedback for achievements.

These folks had hundreds of rallies, went through many incremental progressions of play, played several small format games with

shared or inverted scoring in order to test learned skills, and were playing at a rather high level by the end of the morning. They were certainly inspired to come back in the afternoon for a round robin competition.

Some of these folks could hardly walk back to their cars on the far side of Silver Bay's campus.

That's the spirit!! Love it, and I love Silver Bay. I hope you can join me next year at the same time of year for another installment .. until then!!

THREE Net Generation Clinics in Western All worth USPTA education credits and all FREE BUFFALO - JUNE 8

ROCHESTER - JUNE 11

BINGHAMTON - JUNE 27

Jason Joesph, USPTA and Michelle Skelley did a Net Generation Workshop open to more experienced tennis instructors on Saturday, June 8 from 9:30AM to 12:30PM at Clearfield Community Center (730 Hopkins Road, Williamsville), rain or shine.

This workshop was interactive and included working with large groups, skill progression and development, fun games and activities and more.

Jason Speirs, USPTA did a Net Generation Workshop open to new and more experienced tennis instructors on Tuesday, June 11 from 5:30-7:30PM at Harley School (1981 Clover St., Rochester). It will interactive and included information on age-appropriate equipment with instruction, working with large groups, skill progression development, fun games and activities and more.

Michael Starke, USPTA, facilitated this Net Generation workshop on Thursday, June 27 from 3:00-5:00PM at Binghamton Tennis Center (3801 Mill Street, Binghamton). This was an interactive workshop so people learning about working with large groups, skill progression and development, fun games and activities and more.

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Then & Now CEO Pat Shields and Founder Jim Fromuth

Today, we have a 25,000 sq. ft. warehouse. On a busy day in August, UPS trucks are lined up outside waiting to load more than 800 packages. Although bigger, we are still a family-owned operation with more than 70 employees who share a passionate drive for tennis and helping our customers.

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We lead all operations including staffing, merchandising and stringing services at the USTA National Campus Pro Shop. This 2,800 sq. ft. store in the Welcome Center of USTA National Campus features the newest product releases from top tennis brands such as Nike, adidas, Babolat, HEAD and Wilson, as well as unique National Campus memorabilia.

For more then 10 years we have provided Nike product to USPTA members. We are proud of our relationship with an exclusive community of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches promoting excellence in the tennis industry. USPTA members receive a 30 percent discount off retail prices when purchasing Nike goods through Fromuth.

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USPTA EASTERN / 3rd Qtr Edition 2019

SOUTHERN

USPTA Eastern played host to the International Pickleball Teaching Professionals Association (IPTPA) at Solaris Sports Club, Yorktown Heights NY for Level one teaching certification in Pickleball on May 25, 20419. We had a great turn out for the event with 30 USPTA coaches participating. Special thanks to IPTPA Founder and Clinician Seymour Rifkin (rif@iptpa.com) who came in from Chicago to personally conduct the certification.

FOLLOW US Like us on Facebook @ Official USPTA Eastern Division

Follow us on twitter @ Usptaeastern

NOMINATING COMMITTEE NOMINATE

SOMEONE 10

Dear USPTA Eastern Member!

Have you ever thought about Helping your Trade Organization?

If you are interested in being a USPTA Eastern Board Member for the 2020-2022 Term, Please contact the Nominating Chair, Mark Savage at savtennis@gmail.com.

Deadline is August 10th, 2019

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25th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANNUAL INSTRUCTORS CLINIC ANNOUNCED at Midtown Athletic Club SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2019

Western Region of USTA and USPTA announces its Annual Seminar and Regional Gathering on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at: Midtown Athletic Club, 200 E. Highland Ave, Rochester, NY 14610

The day will begin at 8am with bagels and coffee and conclude at 11am with lunch.

There are gifts for all.

Attendees each receive a notebook with outline and materials for notes. Attendees will be asked to bring tennis gear to participate in the drills and skills offered.

Special Guest Presenter An old friend, Feisal Hassan, is returning after a hiatus of several years. Feisal is Director of Tennis and GM of Midlothian CC in Richmond, VA and is a USPTA Master Professional, National Pro of the Year, National Tester of the Year, and First Vice President of the USPTA Board of Directors.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees.

Checks for $30 made out to “USPTA/Eastern”.

Registration: Name_______________________________________________________________________Phone__________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ USPTA# (if USPTA) __________________________________School if Coach_____________________________________________________ Email address________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Directions to Midtown: From I-490 going north, take exit 23, NY441/Linden Ave west to East Ave/Route 96 and turn right/north to E Highland and go left 2 blocks Mail or email to: Sue Bloch, 10 New England Dr., Rochester, NY 14618 sbloch@rochester.rr com 585-381-5926 12

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USPTA EASTERN /3rd Qtr Edition 2019

Creating Your Teaching Methodology

by Joao Pinho It’s fair to say that there are many ways to teach and to develop a competitive player. If we look at the ATP/WTA rankings, we will see players with a wide variety of backgrounds and stories and while there were probably some commonalities between their developmental journeys, the actual methods and values that their coaches used have likely differed in many aspects. While it’s true that some systems, like the Spanish, tend to develop more players than others, and that many key factors, like dedication, talent pool, physical and mental capabilities, proper work load, and financial support are “requirements” to become a world-class player, one factor that often does not get the attention it deserves is the methodology used by the developmental Coaches.

My goal in this article is not convince you to use my methodology, but to challenge you to hone and develop your own. Before we go any further, let’s define what a Teaching Methodology is. In my view, it means a defined system, with principles and procedures, that shape our deliveries with the goal of enhancing the learning experience for the student.

With that out of the way, we can now focus on creating or defining your method. If you have been teaching for a while, you very likely have a process that you go about when creating your lesson plans and delivering your lessons. From my observations, a very small percentage of Coaches have their method highly defined; that is written down, with a step-by-step process and values clearly identified. If you have never done it, just pause reading this article for a little bit and ask yourself: “How would you define your teaching methodology in 30 seconds or less”. Go ahead, I will wait for you…

Not so easy, huh? You may be thinking “but I’ve been teaching for a while and I know what I am doing, it’s all in my brain!” That’s a fair point, but from my experience one of the key skills to be an effective Pro/Coach is to be clear with your message. It does not have to be fancy (it’s probably better if it’ not!) but you need to be able to connect with the player and find ways for him/her to do what you find it’s important at that moment.

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If you can’t clearly explain your method to yourself, you will likely miss the mark with your players more often that you would like, or even is aware of. I can’t stress this enough, once your message is crystal clear to yourself first, you will be able to then reshape it into whatever form you need to deliver to others. One of my favorite quotes in teaching is “There is not such a thing as teaching, there’s only learning.” Think about all the times we repeat the same information over and over, with limited to no results at time. While some of it is outside our control, honing down your principles and procedures can not only improve the player’s experience but also create a competitive advantage for you as a Coach. You will be the one with the clear method!

So, if you are still reading at this point, where should you start? The step-by-step list below will, hopefully, spark your thoughts so you are able to come up with a simple definition of what you do on a daily basis.

Create your Mission Statement. This 1. should be simple, short, but meaningful to you. a. Mine is: “To utilize the simplest way to progressively move a player through the developmental journey while developing his/her fundamentals, character and love for the game.” b. This touches on all areas that are key to my methodology i. Simplicity ii. Progressions iii. Fundamentals iv. Character v. Love for the game 2. Pick your components. This is the time to be a “Chef” and choose the ingredients that you enjoy, are good with, and find important. Below are some of the components of my methodology: Simple language. Remember, “if a. you can’t explain simply, you don’t understand well enough.”

Technical parameters. What is the b. range of acceptability that you’ll have for all strokes?Documented it (yes, write it down, use pictures/videos whatever you need to make it crystal clear to yourself first). c. Tactical concepts/guidelines i. Initially, I emphasize two key

concepts at the baseline. After the player is comfortable with these two, I then look to create his/her individual patterns: 1. “Directionals” a.

Simple definition is: Hit cross-court from wide, and look to change direction from the center, while favoring the inside stroke on the changes of direction. b.

It’ simple and easy to execute concept; if they are taught and do it repetitively.

2. Identify the strongest pattern a. Which direction do I have an advantage against this player? Is it FH to FH, BH to BH, FH to BH, or something else? If the player cannot recognize this, s/he are less likely to have a strong gameplan. d. Drill creation. My drills must be: i. Simple ii. Portray a specific scenario that players can relate to (given their level) iii. Fed with a realistic ball path and interval (given the situation) iv. Can be easily adjusted to becomes easier or more challenging v. Have competitive element built into it; tennis is a game, so I want my players to be used to competing and problem solving regularly e. Communication standards i. I try to use a 3:1 ratio of positive reinforcement to correction. In other words, I try to teach by making them aware of the good things the player does instead of “fixing” all the not so good things they do. ii. Make a “big deal” when they do exactly what you are asking for! f. Disciplinary standards i.

I believe in creating an environment conducive to learning. Yes, it should be fun, but it has to be controlled first. ii. What are the actions and behaviors you will tolerate? Are your players clear on them? Again, write it down and give it to them, and parents, on the first class.

TEACHING continued on page 16

*PHOTO CREDIT: ROBERT LABERGE/GETTY

USPTA EASTERN /3rd Qtr Edition 2019 TEACHING from page 14 3. Create a structure for your delivery a. This means having a consistent flow of activities that your players will not only buy into it, because it’s engaging, but also that there’s good content in it b. While our sport requires a high dose of repetition, there’s still plenty of room for variety and small changes that can totally change the feel of a common drill. Be creative, but still keeping it simple and highlighting the fundamental skill being worked on.

4. Define the process for making technical adjustments a. In my view, using progressions is the best way to approach most technical changes. Having a clear way to address these can enhance the player’s learning curve. My method includes: i. Identify the root cause of a potential issue ii. If needed, and most of the times it is, break it down into progressions 1. Isolate the area of focus and minimize the chance of the player doing the old habit by setting the player on the new

position. For example: A player has an extremely large loop on the forehand that is outside the range of acceptability and it does not work. In this case, I’d set the player on the position s/ he would be after the unit turn so the player has less chances of doing the previous mistake as s/he is already on the adjusted position. iii. Stay on task, focusing on the above area, until the player is showing signs of progress iv. Gradually add more “pieces to the puzzle”, such as more movement, or playing from the baseline (if I had started inside the court on previous drills) v. Continue to progress and regress as needed until the player is executing the full stroke while focusing into his/her main task While teaching cannot be put into a cookie-cutter approach and no method is going to work every time, it’s crucial that a Coach has a clear definition of his/her own methodology. Even if it’s to know when your process it’s not working and a different option is necessary. By taking the time define your system, by writing it down and

studying it, you’ll notice that it can be very enlightening process; in which you will very likely become a better teacher as a result of it.

Creating a sharper message can also be a great way to differentiate yourself from your fellow peers. In a society that wants fast results, having a system that is more process based can increase the player’s likelihood to stick around as they’ll understand better where they are in their journey. However, they can only know where they stand if you know exactly where they are in your own method first.

I hope that you have found this helpful.

If you have any questions or comments, I would be happy to hear them at joao. pinho@usta.com.

Best of luck!

Joao Pinho is the Head Professional of 10U and High-Performance at the USTA BJK National Tennis Center in NY. As a former NCAA DI Coach and player, he has specialized in developing competitive junior players and is currently the private Coach of three National Champions and a WTA Touring Pro. Since 2014, he has presented in fourteen difference conferences and workshops across the country including the 2015 USPTA World Conference and the 2017 & 2018 PTR International Symposium.

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The Official Distributor of Nike Footwear & Apparel to the USPTA.

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