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- Action from the 2012 FBD Mens Irish Open at Fitzwilliam LTC, Dublin
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- Action from the 2012 FBD Mens Irish Open at Fitzwilliam LTC, Dublin
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Building a Successful Tennis Training Environment
15 March
BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL TENNIS TRAINING ENVIRONMENT
John McGahon
The key to success for any athlete is to be coached in the optimum training environment. How to create a successful tennis environment is the question explored in this article. To answer this fundamental question I offer some observations that are based on my personal experience as player, coach and founder of MacXTennis Academy at Dundalk Tennis Club.
That this Academy is the chosen training facility for many top juniors in Ireland endorses my belief that this young Academy is on the way up. I think that its strengths flow from the systems and methods that I and my fellow head coach Paul Casey have devised. The Leinster Tennis “WOLFPACK TENNIS ACADEMY” is another strong example of a high intensity training environment. Stephen Nugent and I set up this programme so that players from clubs throughout the province, aged from 10yrs– 18 yrs old, come together to train and to compete against each other in structured internal competitions.
Discipline, education, work ethic and effort are the cornerstones of the MacX Tennis Academy and the WOLFPACK Tennis Academy. These core values determine and shape the tools that are provided to pupils in order to face and overcome adversity and to become stronger, both physically and mentally. Today, these Academies provide students of all ages with a unique and comprehensive programme that caters to wide variety of their pupils’ abilities. The combination of technical instruction, tuition on strategy, advice on nutrition along with mental and physical conditioning in a high energy built up team environment creates the most positive training situation.
Growing up as a tennis player I was fortunate to have been surrounded (and inspired) by excellent coaches, right from the beginning of my development (in my home town and club in Dundalk), followed by Dublin and, later in Cardiff and Wrexham. The major common characteristic that I noticed in the coaches that influenced my development was, that, like me, they were all highly motivated and had a real passion for the sport. Their passion and focus was always evident in the sounds, the words and the energy levels that they delivered. This created a particular atmosphere which motivated all the players who took part in the coaching programmes. Their training environments were saturated with players who all had one thing in mind- to win. The players each had clear goals on the pathway to be pursued in tennis and each player possessed striking qualities of physical and mental strength.
I believe that by bringing players with the ‘right’ type of attitude together in groups or ‘packs’, it is possible to create a fantastic high energy atmosphere of positivity and, thereby, influence an individual player’s desire to perform better. When these elements are combined with a working environment where players can learn from one another and from their coaching team you have a sound recipe for champions.
It is most important to emphasise that that this recipe does not necessarily entail gathering the ‘best’ (according to ranking or results) players. In my view, the essential ingredient is to have players with the ‘right’ attitude which is the burning drive to succeed, to excel in their sport and who are willing to commit to giving every last ounce of effort during training. It is these types of players who succeed in the long term. It is these types of players who become not only champions in their sport but champions in life.
It is true that there are several factors that contribute to building and maintaining a successful tennis environment and a successful tennis nation.
It is widely accepted that the national tennis federation plays a vital role in the creation of a healthy tennis environment and the success of the tennis nation. According to experts responsible for elite sport divisions in 21 countries' national tennis federations, the five most important factors on the meso-level, for international success in tennis were:
• Professionalism of the federation.
• Structural aspects: the cooperation of the federation with regional
departments and clubs.
• The coaches’ education system.
• Training facilities for elite tennis.
• Total budget of the federation and budget for elite sport, which influences support for athletes, talent development system.[1]
Spain offers a good example of a top tennis nation. It is instructive to consider the reasons why it has achieved such success in the game throughout recent years. It has produced many of the world’s top ranked tennis players: Rafael Nadal, Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero, to name just the most famous. This success is the bye-product of some obvious, yet basic, factors, such as: weather which permits players to play year round on clay courts; a larger number of tennis clubs and European-renowned elite academies and a greater menu of tournaments catering to all levels. More than 80 men’s, women’s, professional futures, challenger and main tour events are held in Spain each year. There are hundreds of tournaments for juniors in all age levels. There are multiple opportunities for juniors to compete against adults in open categories too. In addition, there is an impressive range of Tennis Europe, 16 and 14-and-under, and ITF 18 and under events.
By having a bigger pool of players training and competing with one another a tennis nation gives itself a greater chance of success. The size of the pool of tennis players is affected by the population size which impacts on opportunities for training and competing. I agree with the view that: “The success of an individual is based on his or her intrinsic qualities. But developing these qualities is facilitated if the athlete can train together with highly talented partners. It is a mere statistical fact that such partners will be easier to find if the population is larger. The argument is especially valid at the beginning of players' careers. Then, it is fair to say that the quality of training partners (as well as the quality of the local competitions) can be expected to be higher, as the pool of potential players is larger.”[2] It seems clear that increasing the number of tennis players correspondingly increases the opportunity to reduce costs and expenses for players. It has been argued that ‘economic welfare’ offers an explanation for tennis success, for two main reasons.[3] Firstly, a tennis player needs equipment and, usually, to be a member of a club and, consequently, the quantity of players is larger where tennis is affordable. Secondly, and more interestingly, ‘economic welfare’ is “likely to have an effect over and above the effect at the individual level. Wealthier countries have more possibilities to invest in sports facilities, talent development systems and other forms of infrastructure.” [4]
Sport in Ireland has certainly struggled in recent years due to the economic crisis and, without any doubt, tennis is no exception. As tennis is an individual rather than a team sport, the economic challenges are all the keener for players.
With all these factors in mind, I think it is crucial that tennis in Ireland be pushed and grown from the grass roots up. Tennis needs to be marketed properly as a sport so that it enjoys high visibility and, thereby, attracts young people, especially children, into the game. In my opinion, schools tennis is a fantastic and viable way to promote the game of tennis in a widespread and cost-effective manner. It gives children a ‘taster’ of the sport without the expense of having joining a club.
In conclusion, it is clear that a variety of factors are required in order to create a successful tennis environment. Some of these factors are financial and undoubtedly challenging. However, I think that some of the key factors to a creating a successful tennis environment do not depend on big budgets. It goes without saying that successful coaches need to have excellent technical skills and knowledge of their sport. In addition, they must have the right skills to educate and, above all, to really motivate their pupils. Most importantly, in my view, tennis coaches need to create a positive high energy team training environment where players are encouraged to bond together and are facilitated in working together in teams or ‘packs.’ In my experience, the sense or feeling of ‘community’, of belonging, of enjoyment and of the pure joy of playing contribute enormously to the creation of a successful tennis environment and is, I think, an often overlooked aspect of tennis coaching. This oversight is truly a great pity because it is one element that does not require major financing and, consequently, is within the reach of tennis clubs and schools with even modest financial resources.
[2] International Sports Studies, vol. 25, no. 1, 2003
[3] International Sports Studies, vol. 25, no. 1, 2003
[4] International Sports Studies, vol. 25, no. 1, 2003
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Directing Tennis Programmes
14 March
NEW BOOK – DIRECTING TENNIS PROGRAMMES
This brand new publication details what needs to be in place at a tennis club that wants to run the best possible events. Whether you are a coach about to start directing programmes or a club looking to appoint a Director of Tennis, you will find this manual indispensable as you plan to deliver top-quality service to your membership.
Peter Farrell has taught tennis for the past 30 years. He works in the field of coach development in Ireland and has written coaches’ training courses for Tennis Ireland, the game’s National Governing Body.
For further information and to order the book, go to www.amazon.co.uk, or contact Peter at peter.farrell@tennisireland.ie.
PARENTS: ASSISTING IN YOUR CHILD'S TENNIS DEVELOPMENT
Peter Farrell.
This is an adapted extract from Peter Farrell’s new book Directing Tennis Programmes.
Children can only play tennis with their parents support. Who else is going to pay for their club membership, equipment and coaching? Parental support is crucial in getting children interested in tennis in the first place. Once a young player has become involved in the game and the club, parents are still hugely influential in getting their child to sign up for events, tournaments, and coaching, then transporting them to the venues. Some parents will be experienced players who have been around tennis for many years. But for others the game will be a `foreign field`, and they will need support and guidance to negotiate the difficulties ahead. Nobody would criticize a child for not knowing how to read on the first day of school – why would anyone expect parents to know exactly what to do and not to do from day one?
SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS
1. Keep winning and losing in perspective.
It is easy and tempting to equate success in tennis with the number of matches won and lost, and to assume that losing is always bad. In fact winning too much as a junior can actually harm a player’s development – constant winners have no yardstick with which to measure what they need to do in order to improve.
2. Make sure tennis is fun.
I always remember an article I read many years ago, shortly after Bjorn Borg retired in his mid 20`s. When asked why he had given up at such a young age, he said “it wasn’t fun anymore”. If it needed to be fun at his level, it certainly needs to be fun at junior level!
3. Emphasize the achievement of individual objectives.
Ambitions in tennis can range anywhere between wanting to win Wimbledon to getting some exercise once or twice a week. It is up to each player to decide what they want to get out of the game, and each decision is perfectly valid for that individual.
4. Keep your child involved in tennis.
Progression to a competent level can be a mid to long-term goal for some players. If a child is struggling with the game, a parent must find ways to keep him or her involved and interested. Always stress that tennis is a sport for a lifetime – in the USA there are tournaments for player’s aged 90 and over!
5. Be sensitive in what you say to your child after a match.
Win or lose, it is generally best for a parent to give a player some time alone after the competitors shake hands. While parents are often anxious to make what they see as relevant points, most players like to reflect for a while on a match before discussing it.
6. Get on court!
Children love the fact that they can rally with and against their parents. Make sure you use the correct ball for your child's age and standard (see www.tennisplayandstay.com for details).
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Teaching Children Physical Education
30 September
This is a book about the various facets of becoming an excellent teacher of physical education. There are many direct analogies
between being an effective PE teacher and being an effective tennis coach. That is why I recommend `Teaching Children Physical
Education` as our Book of the Month for February, especially to coaches who are concerned about organizing each step of each lesson in a way which has been tried, tested and proven.
The book is written in a very easy to read fashion, with the emphasis always on real situations, and how to apply best theory to an actual class situation. If you work a lot with primary school aged children, this book will give you insights into how to teach them in the most effective manner.
`Teaching Children Physical Education` comes with a 40 minute DVD, which shows PE classes in action, and how different teachers cope with the process of keeping a group of young children challenged and motivated while in a safe, positive and fun environment. What is `Set Induction`?
What does `Scaffolding` mean? What about `Intra Task Variation`? The DVD allows these and other teaching principles to be not only explained, but demonstrated in action.
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Tennis Anatomy by Roetert & Kovacs
01 September
Every tennis coach should be familiar with the material published by Human Kinetics. They are one of the few (if not the only) publishers who regularly produce cutting edge tennis coaching and instructional books.
Their new publication TENNIS ANATOMY, written by Paul Roetert and Mark Kovacs is no exception to this rule. The book does something that I have never seen before: the muscles that are used for each stroke are highlighted in colour graphics. Exercises are described and illustrated for each muscle. Then the `Tennis Focus` section concentrates on the tennis‐specific relevance of this information. The authors are renowned experts on the physical aspects of tennis – both were speakers at the last World Coaches Conference.
As well as allowing you to deepen your understanding of the development of strength, speed, power and agility for tennis, there is an emphasis throughout the book on injury prevention. It is obviously in the interests of every coach to be up to speed on what causes tennis injuries and how to prevent them.
You can read detailed extracts from the book at http://www.humankinetics.com//products/allproducts/Tennis‐Anatomy. From this page you can also access video interviews with Paul Roetert and read relevant articles.
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Coaches News 25.01.11
25 January
MEMBERSHIP REMINDER
If you have not as yet renewed your TICA membership for 2011, you can go to www.tica.ie to download a registration form that you can post with your cheque, or register and pay over the Internet. For the next couple of weeks, we would ask you if at all possible to use the Internet option, as our Treasurer is away, but he will forward registrations received over the Internet to our insurers.
It is important to note that if your membership fees have not been received by 5pm on Friday 11th February, you will no longer be able to access any TICA members benefits. Our new membership mailing list will also come into effect on that day; so only 2011 members will receive information via emails or texts. We appreciate that it is hard to keep up with all the paperwork at the start of a new year, but hope that if you have not already done so you will take the necessary steps to renew your TICA membership for the year ahead.
TENNIS IRELAND MEETINGS RE 2011 TOURNAMENTS
The competitive structure that a young player is involved in is recognized as playing an absolutely vital role in that players long term development. Attendance at one of these meetings will ensure that you are up to speed with regard to helping your players prepare for participation in open tournaments this year, and ready to advise your club on new rules and procedures that will shortly come into force.
If you are interested in attending one of these meetings (which will be held in each province), please go to the following web page http://goo.gl/2j7P6 from where you can
1. Access details of dates, venues and time.
2. Register to attend.
3. View the schedule for this event.
4. Access information designed to help you prepare for the meeting.
Please note that coaches who attend this event will be credited with 33 points under the Continuous Professional Development Programme 2011.
JOHN YANDELL HAS JUST PUBLISHED THE JANUARY NEWSLETTER AT www.tennisplayer.net . AMONG OTHER ITEMS:
“ HIGH SPEED ARCHIVE: It's one of the most beautiful and technically perfect shots in tennis--Roger Federer's one-handed backhand. And yeah when Rafa gets it up there over shoulder level…”
“LARRY JUROVICH: This month we start a new, major strategy series from my friend Larry Jurovich. Larry may not be a household name (yet) but in the insider world of elite coaching, he is well known for his phenomenal knowledge and sophisticated conceptual frameworks”.
Click Here for the New Issue!
All the best,
Peter.
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Coach Communication Newsletter December 2010
01 December
Hi,
What can I say about the National Conference (especially since I was snowed in and couldn’t get there!)?
I think the first thing is to congratulate those who did make it – through that terrible weather – to DCU on Sunday 28th. I was delighted to hear that 120 of you were both brave enough and committed enough to make what must have been a very awkward trip. Judging by the reaction I have received to the Conference (see below), it was worth the journey, because everybody seems to have really enjoyed and learned from John Yandell’s expertise.
For those of us who could not make it, Chairman Liam Cassidy once again saved the day with his usual foresight and quick action. On very short notice, when he saw the bad weather arriving, Liam arranged to have John’s presentations professionally video-taped.
DVDs are currently being burned for all delegates who were not present, and this material will be posted out to you soon, along with the other Conference hand-outs that you would have received if you had been present.
So, if you could not make it to the Conference this year, the Conference will shortly be coming to you… We also plan to upload the video to our website, so that those members who were present can refresh their memory at any time.
You can now see some photos from the Conference at www.tica.ie. If you took any good pictures you would like to see on the site, please send them to me (all photos are available to members only).
All the best,
Peter
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Coach Communication Newsletter October 2010
01 October
Hi,
At the end of each month I check how many people have been accessing our website at www.tica.ie. The statistics also allow me to check which are the most popular pages on the site.
Ever since we introduced the `Find A Coach` page it has consistently come at the top of the list for most looked at page on the website.
Some time ago, I wrote to all members with details of how to make this space work for you. Each member now has an opportunity to develop his or her own `personal section` in the Find A Coach area, where you can post a photograph of yourself, and a paragraph, which could include information such as
• A brief summary of your career to date.
• Where you are based and how far you are willing to travel.
• Areas of tennis you are especially interested in working in – juniors, Cardio, private lessons.
• The address of your website, should you have one.
• Your coaching philosophy/methods/principles.
• Any `special offers` you might be willing to make – e.g. first individual lesson is half price!
• Any other information you feel would be effective in encouraging prospective clients to contact you – e.g. your hourly rate for individual lessons, or other qualifications you may have that are relevant to tennis.
Not a lot of coaches responded to this offer first time round. Some did, and you can see the kind of information they posted by clicking on the `More` button opposite their name.
I am hearing anecdotal reports that some coaches are noticing a decline in business, undoubtedly due to the ongoing recession. Why not use this opportunity to present yourself and your capabilities to potential clients? And it won`t cost you a cent to do so…
If you would like to expand your profile at www.tica.ie in this way, just email me the relevant information (saved as a Word document) and photo (saved as a jpeg, no larger than 100KB in size).
Peter Farrell.
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Womens Tennis Tactics by Rob Antoun
25 August
`Women`s Tennis Tactics` is a new book published by HUMAN KINETICS. As far as I am aware, it is the first time tactics related specifically to the women`s game have been examined in great depth. It makes a lot of sense to do this, since we all know that “there are significant differences between the two sexes in the way the game is played today, and the specific requirements for female tennis players now need to be studied in their own right”
The book takes each of the five playing situations (serving, receiving, baseline play, net play, opposing the net player) in turn and
examines how to make our female students highly effective in each one. Returning to one of my favourite subjects, there are plenty of practical drills and exercises included – 69 to be precise!
In many ways it is a groundbreaking book, one I enjoyed and highly recommend to all coaches who have an interest in working with female players. The book costs £13.99 from HUMAN KINETICS, but don't forget - TICA members receive a 15% discount on all Human Kinetics products.
You can order online at www.humankinetics.com. Simply enter the promotion code at the very top of the shopping cart page.
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Sports Mechanics for Coaches
02 May
The problem with many books on the subject of sports mechanics and biomechanics is that they are hard to understand. Unless you have a very good working knowledge of the subject - in which case you don’t need to read the book in question!
SPORTS MECHANICS FOR COACHES is not like that. Written for the average coach (i.e. one who does not have a degree in
theoretical physics…), it focuses on practical applications of scientific principles. The book does not limit itself just to tennis –
it discusses many sports. You can apply the mechanical principles outlined to practically any sport, including tennis.
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On the Line Coaches Magazine Issue 4-Winter 2009.
01 October
The first and most important thing for me to do is to sincerely thank all those who have contributed to this fourth issue of `On The Line`.
Inside there are articles from Ireland, The United States, Canada and the UK. I know how difficult it is these days to find time to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, so it is great to have a broad range of material, ideas and viewpoints in this issue. If you have any articles, letters, or comments you would like to publish, on any aspect of the game or how we teach it, please send them to me.
As I write this it is early January, and as always at the start of a New Year, everybody sets plans for what they hope to achieve in the year ahead. Your new TICA Committee, selected in late November at the AGM, is no different. There are some new programmes, developments and innovations comingdown the track in 2009. As always I will try to keep you informed through our `Coach Communication` newsletter and monthly text message.
Please click here to read the magazine
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On the Line Coaches Magazine Issue 5- Autumn/Winter 2009
01 October
Welcome to the autumn/winter 2009 issue of our magazine On the Line. This issue features articles written by coaches from Ireland, Canada, the UK, France and the US, and as always I want to thank everybody who has contributed.
The next big event in the TICA calendar is the National Conference with Rob Antoun and Dave Miley on November 29th at DCU. Hope that date is in our diary by now!
If you have any thoughts or ideas you would like to share with the tennis coaching community in Ireland, please contact me at peter.farrell@tennisireland.ie so that we can discuss how best to get your message out. I look forward to hearing from you.
Peter
Please click here for magazine
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Drilling for the Game Based Approach, by Wayne Elderton
01 October
The Game Based Approach is widely regarded as the most efficient and effective way to help players progress in the game. `Drilling For The Game Based Approach` by Wayne Elderton is the first manual I have seen to set out a comprehensive method by which coaches can integrate high quality and relevant drills into GBA teaching.
“The purpose of this manual is to help coaches understand the `What` and `How` of drilling in a Game Based Approach. Coaches face many challenges when it comes to drilling, including getting the appropriate repetition on important skills, training in a realistic way, learning tactics as well as techniques, creating drills and maximizing use of time”.
The emphasis in this 80 page manual is on how to create drills from situations that players will actually find themselves in during matchplay. This has obvious benefits for the player, and contrasts with many drills that are `out there`, but unfortunately bear no relation to reality in terms of how the game is played. This is a very comprehensive publication, written specifically for coaches.
It contains much food for thought for any coach who wants to create and develop effective drills for his or her pupils.
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COACHING TENNIS Technical & Tactical Skills. by Anderson
27 August
All tennis coaches need a solid grounding in technique. We must be able to look at our pupils in action and evaluate what they are doing well and not so well. Only then can we give advice on what the player needs to change in order to improve. But tennis techniques are constantly evolving, and what was good advice a few years ago may not necessarily be so relevant today.
This is where `Coaching Tennis Technical and Tactical Skills` will prove invaluable to many coaches. Just published and therefore bang up to date, this book takes us through technical details on all the main shots with photos of the key moments on each stroke. Shots are discussed in detail under the headings of Preparation, Grip, Stance, Backswing, Contact Point, Spin, Follow Through and Recovery. There is a wealth of solid and practical information under each of these headings. A list of `Common Errors` and advice on how to correct them is included for each and every stroke.
There are also comprehensive sections on footwork, grips and the ball controls, singles and doubles tactics and how to teach effectively. Most tennis books are written as much for players as for coaches, in order to appeal to the widest possible market. But, as the title suggests, this book is aimed squarely at those who teach the game, and so contains the level and detail of information that we need in order to become better coaches.
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Etcheberry DVD Series
31 January
This is the real deal! We hear lot about coaches who have supposedly worked with this player and that player, but to be honest I am sometimes a little sceptical about how much actual court time some of these coaches have really put in with the player in
question..
However, when you see former world number one players paying tribute on camera to someone who they say has helped them
hugely, and when you see the coach actually working on court with these same players, then you know you are dealing with the
genuine article.
This is the case with Pat Etcheberry, who is perhaps not as well known on this side of the Atlantic as he should be. His DVD series, which focuses on crucial movement and fitness aspects of modern tennis, shows him talking movement training with players such as Jim Courier and Justine Henin. It then goes on to show exactly what exercise regimes he took these players through, using the former world number ones on court to demonstrate the exercises.
There are two editions of this four DVD set – one for players and one designed for coaches. The difference is that the coaches edition includes an extra 40 minutes of footage where Etcheberry addresses specific coaching issues related to his programme, designed to help us implement the exercises in the most efficient fashion. I think that this DVD series is a `must view` for any coach who really wants to prepare his or her players thoroughly for competitive tennis.
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Biomechanical Resources
31 January
The well known British based coaching team of Rob Antoun and Daniel Thorp have now produced two succinct and authoritative downloadable publications concerning biomechanical principles in tennis and technical analysis.
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10 DVDs from Nick Bollettieri
16 January
Who is the most famous tennis coach in the world? There is a good chance that your answer is....Nick Bollettieri. Since founding his Florida based academy in 1978, Bollettieri has worked with no less than nine world number one ranked players, including legends such as Agassi, Seles, Hingis and Becker. Players so famous no first name is necessary!
Some time ago, Bollettieri set out to record his working methods. These have recently been released for the first time on DVD, as a 10 DVD set from Human Kinetics. It is a very comprehensive package. The first six films (the `Stroke Instruction` set) focus on technique, while DVDs 7 to 10 (the `Game Development` series) are concerned with strategy and tactics.
With Bollettieri detailing his teaching principles, I think it is fair to say that anybody who coaches tennis will pick up valuable information from this resource. There are plenty of ideas, concepts and practices that you will be able to relate to your own students. The technical information is useful material, much of it shown in slow motion, with key parts of the clips repeated several times to ensure clarity.
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Mansour Bahrami DVD
12 January
Most of us play tennis for fun, yet its noticeable that most people who play for a living rarely look as though they are having much fun on court..
One major exception to this statement is Mansour Bahrami, This 2 DVD set shows just how much enjoyment he gets from hitting tennis balls. Its also very obvious how much fun the audience gets from seeing him in full flow.
He has perfected some super trick shots, which never fail to amaze and entertain. In this DVD we see him taking part in various exhibition matches down the years, playing with and against legends such as Borg, McEnroe, Nastase and Becker.
But Bahrami also played on the main tour for a number of years, reaching the final of the French Open Doubles in 1989. Included is footage of him in action against top players such as Jimmy Connors and Yannick Noah. But even in these `serious` matches he could not resist the urge to amuse and entertain the crowd!
In a fascinating 40 minute interview, Bahrami tells his life story, starting with his childhood days in Iran where he grew to love the game. They were tough times. Lets just say that his experiences were very far removed from the typical child today who takes up tennis, and is ferried to private lessons with the best equipment in his or her racquet bag.
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Complete Conditioning for Tennis by Roetert and Ellenbecker
28 October
COMPLETE CONDITIONING FOR TENNIS` from Human Kinetics is the best and most up to date fitness book for tennis which I have seen. This publication has been written by Paul Roetert and Todd Ellenbecker, who are both acknowledged world experts in the field of tennis fitness.
Complete Conditioning For Tennis is divided into two major parts. The first nine chapters lay the foundation by providing the key components of a well-designed conditioning programme. The second part provides tennis-specific programmes that can be geared to your player`s specific age, playing level and conditioning background.
Best of all, this book comes with its own DVD! All the exercises are illustrated in the 90 minute film, which helps a coach ensure that his or her players are performing the exercises in a safe and effective fashion.
“Complete Conditioning For Tennis” is a must for players who want to take their game to the next level. My own training programme is based on most of the drills and exercises outlined in this book and DVD” James Blake.
The book costs £16.99 from HUMAN KINETICS, but don't forget - TICA members receive a 15% discount on all Human Kinetics products. Call the order hotline on 00 44 113 255 5665. Alternatively, you can order online at www.humankinetics.com. Simply enter the promotion code at the very top of the shopping cart page.
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101 Ways to Have Fun with a Tennis Ball by Chris Dunkle.
25 October
We all know that if our pupils possess good motor skills, teaching them tennis suddenly becomes a whole lot easier.
A coach based in Britain, Chris Dunkley, has written “101 Ways To Have Fun With A Tennis Ball”, a very useful book in several ways. The book is specifically written for and aimed at children aged five to ten years. It`s very colourful, with lots of illustrations.
Coincidentally I have two boys in the target age range, so I gave them the book and waited to see what would happen.. The games immediately appealed to them, and they were off looking for boxes and buckets and plastic bottles to use as targets for throwing and catching games. As the title suggests, there are over 100 such exercises in the book, enough to guarantee the variety children love so
much.
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Motion Expert Video Software
25 October
Things happen very fast in tennis...can we as coaches effectively comment on and make suggestions related to something that we cannot actually see? The ability to slow down the action and review it again and again is one of the great benefits of taking your laptop along to the court, loaded with suitable software.
Several coaches have mentioned to me that they find the `Motion Expert` video analysis software system very effective, as well as reasonably priced - £199 sterling.
Full details are at the companies website www.motionexpert.com, and you can even try the product free for seven days. The site also has extensive video tutorials which show clearly what you can do with the software, and how. MotionExpert offers many ways to carry out a detailed analysis of your players strokes including:
- comparing two or more techniques
- use drawing tools to emphasise different body positions
- overlay function
- measure swing speeds
- magnify, zoom, pan
- print and/or email specific frames to your pupils
- copy video to DVD.
The site is worth a visit if for no other reason than to see what can be achieved with the latest software.
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Coordination and Movement CD ROM by Antoun and Thorp
25 October
Rob Antoun is theauthor of the highly regarded book `Womens Tennis Tactics`, while his partner Dan Thorp is qualified at the
highest level with the LTA, and works in coach education for the governing body.
These two top coaches have combined their experience to produce a very useful CD-ROM called `Coordination and Movement for Tennis`. As coaches, we know that if we can help develop a players coordination and movement, teaching them tennis will be a whole lot easier.
We can never have enough exercises and options to keep players interested and motivated when working on these areas. This is where this new resource comes up trumps. There are a range of activities, split into four sections, which could be used in group or private lessons:
- body cordination
- hand/eye coordination
- speed and speed agility
- tennis specific coordination.
Within each section there are recommended exercises, detailed exercises, and a list of teaching points. Crucially, each exercise is
illustrated with a video clip – there can be no misunderstandings about exactly how an exercise should be performed.
I highly recommend this very professionally produced resource. To purchase at a price of £17.95, go to the authors website
http://www.protennissolutions.com. Incidentally, this is a site you really should bookmark on your computer, as there are some great articles of interest to coaches – for free!
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Paul Annacone DVD's
25 October
Not many coaches can say that they taught an all time tennis great. Pete Sampras is one of the all time greats, and for many years he was coached by PAUL ANNACONE. Now Annacone has produced a series of 4 DVDs which reveal the key strategies and tactics necessary for overcoming any type of opponent. Numerous scenarios are presented, along with drills and practice games for improving match-specific strategy.
The DVDs are:
- Know Your Own Game – assess your style of play.
- Beat The Baseliner – key strategies to use against the baseliner.
- Neutralize The Net-Rusher – how to gain the advantage v the Sampras style.
- Attack The All-Court Player – capitalize on the opportunities this type of opponent allows.
These DVDs are very useful in deepening a coaches understanding of the tactical/strategical elements of the game.
Tim Henman, who was also coached by Annacone, writes:
“Paul has a terrific knowledge of the game and can really help people at all levels learn the most effective ways to play the game and make the most of their potential”. T
This set of 4 DVDs is available to all TICA members at 15% off the retail price. For details see the piece above about our new
agreement with Human Kinetics.
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In Pursuit of Excellence by Terry Orlick
25 October
`In Pursuit of Excellence` by Terry Orlick is the most comprehensive book on the mental side of sports which I have ever read.
Orlick, the author of at least 20 other books, is a world-renowned leader in the applied field of sports psychology. He has worked as a high performance coach for over 35 years in more than 30 sports.
The book, which has been brought bang up to date with a new edition for 2008, includes chapters on vital subjects related to tennis, such as `Intensity and Relaxation`, `Distraction Control`, and `Positive Images`. If you have ever doubted the supreme importance of mental skills in tennis, or indeed in other sports, this book will not only convince you otherwise, but also show you how to go about assisting your players to be mentally prepared for every challenge.
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New Book Review 'Tennis Lives'
25 October
Just Published - `TENNIS LIVES`
Reviewed by Peter Farrell.
Put twenty prominent Irish tennis-lovers together with one intrepid and perceptive interviewer, and what do you get? A fascinating new book called `Tennis Lives – A Journey Through The Heart of Irish Tennis`, compiled by Aoife Allen and just published by Tennis Ireland.
What we have here is a selection of twenty well known Irish tennis people, interviewed by Aoife about their perspectives on tennis – why, when and where they first got involved, the great memories they have of playing the game, and just what tennis means to them. The book is a fitting celebration of the Centenary Year of Tennis Ireland, which falls in 2008.
“I`ve always had huge fun playing doubles, with over 50 partners because no one could tolerate me”.
John O`Shea.
If you have been around Irish tennis for any length of time at all, you will more than likely know, have played against, or been coached by at least one of the people whose thoughts on the game are mined in this book.
Interviewees include Irish coaches such as Tadhg Lambe, Yvonne Doyle and Owen Casey, as well as figures who have made an impact outside of Ireland, including Sir Anthony O`Reilly, Ronnie Delany and Dave Miley.
“We were there (at the Club) from early morning until six in the evening every day...”
Yvonne Doyle.
Published as a hardback on high quality paper and illustrated with some great photos, this publication would make an excellent addition to the bookshelves of anybody who has more than a passing interest in the game.
`Tennis Lives - A Journey Through the Heart of Irish Tennis' can be purchased by phone (01-8844010) at the special price of €25.00 up until the 12th December 2008. Normal price is €30.00. Alternatively, to purchase online, click here now.
And here is the clincher: all proceeds will be invested in the development in Ireland of the game we all love!
“One of the problems with learning to play in Cork was the changeable weather. If there was water on the court, we`d try to hit the puddles so the other guy couldn`t get the ball...”
Sean Sorenson.
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Fitness DVDs by Human Kinetics.
25 October
We all know that expertise in the technical, tactical and mental sides of tennis must be complemented by a very high level of physical fitness if a tennis player is to fulfill his or her potential...
So what is the latest thinking on how to bring an athlete to the peaks required, in relation to Flexibility, Strength, Speed and Power?
An outstanding new set of DVDs from HUMAN KINETICS has all the answers.
Each DVD in this very comprehensive set of four is produced by an expert in the discipline in question. Each DVD begins with a series of assessments, which identify the athlete’s strengths and weaknesses and establish a baseline for customizing training
programs. From there, numerous exercise options and sample workouts are provided, all of which may be tailored to
address the demands of specific sports.
A very useful addition to the DVDs is the capacity to print specific programmes and workouts from each disc, using your computer.
I am a great believer that, when it comes to continuing to educate myself as regards the physical side of tennis, DVDs are the way to go. In my opinion it is always safer and more effective to actually see the exercises being performed by, or under the guidance of, an expert. That way there can be no room to misinterpret exactly how an exercise should be performed.
These DVDs can be purchased either as a set or individually from HUMAN KINETICS. You can link to the Human Kinetics site directly from our home page at www.tica.ie. Don't forget! TICA members receive a 15% discount on all Human Kinetics products.
Call the order hotline on +44 (0) 113 255 5665, and quote your member code.
To go straight to this product at www.humankinetics.com, enter the number 0736067558 into the search box on the home page. At this address you can also view video excerpts from each DVD.
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Doubles Tennis Tactics by Louis Cayer.
25 October
Many Irish coaches know Louis Cayer, who for a period in the 1990`s was a Tennis Ireland consultant in the coaches training area. He was then and remains now a very influential figure in world coaching, and is largely seen as the coach responsible for developing and popularizing the `Actions Method` of teaching the game. Lately he has been working for the LTA in Britain, and rumour would have it that he is in the running for the job of coaching Andy Murray.
In cooperation with the ITF, Louis has written “Doubles Tennis Tactics”, a very useful publication which I would recommend to all coaches. Personally I am very keen on coaches having lots of useful drills at their disposal, and one of the things I like about this book is that it highlights lots of basket feeding and, perhaps more importantly, live ball practical drills.
The contents of this book reads like a list of what every coach needs to know about doubles:
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Coaches Books by Richard Schonborn
25 October
RICHARD SCHONBORN is one of the worlds best known coaches. The ITF sums up his career as follows: “Richard has been involved in virtually every aspect of tennis coaching from captaining National Teams through educating coaches, and is very involved in tennis research and technical development. He works on the scientific development of coaches and has represented the ITF in seminars and workshops in more than 100 countries worldwide.
As a player, he was National Champion of the Czech Republic, winner in 31 National and International Tournaments, and member of the Czech Davis Cup team for ten years. He was National Coach in Austria from 1967 to 1969, and Chief Coach of the German Tennis Federation from 1969 to 1996, where he coached the German Davis and Fed Cup teams, and worked with both Steffi Graf and Boris Becker to the age of 15. He has also lectured in the Coaching Academy of German Sports Federations. He specialises in topics such as training theory, movement theory, biomechanics, physiology and methodology, and has written many articles and textbooks”.
I have recently been re reading some of Schonborns books. They contain detailed and expertly researched material, which demands concentration and close attention to absorb. But they repay that concentration and attention by bringing one inside the mind of a man who has brought, above all, scientific rigour to his analyses of the game and how it should be taught. If you are serious about teaching tennis, these are books you should be familiar with.
These three books are published by Meyer and Meyer Sportsbooks, and can be ordered from their website www.m-m-sports.com.
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Leasdership Manual by the ITF
25 October
As coaches we spend most of our time helping our players to develop. It can be easy after a hard day on court to forget that we must spend some time developing ourselves, if we are to survive and thrive in changing times.
One development I notice of late is the trend for Clubs to look to appoint Directors of Tennis. This is something which I am convinced we will see more and more frequently in the years ahead. It would be great if a Clubs first port of call when looking for a Director of Tennis was to a Tennis Ireland qualified and TICA registered coach.
But if we are to be in a position to put ourselves forward for jobs such as these, our expertise must go beyond how to help a player improve at tennis. We need the type of knowledge which is contained in the ITF`s `Leadership, Management and Administration Manual`. I highly recommend this book, because it covers many of the skill sets a coach would need to master in order to make the step from Head Coach to Director of Tennis.
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Look and Learn DVD by Carl Uwe Steeb.
25 October
This DVD uses 4,000 frame per second digital video to give incredibly detailed slow motion imagery of players in action. When you remember that pictures are projected at 24 frames per second at your local multiplex, you begin to realise how much detail can be seen when you multiply cinema projection standards by a factor of over 160!
I would highly recommend this DVD to coaches who want to analyse player and racquet movement in the greatest possible detail. I can also see a value for players who want to practice through visualisation – when you watch this production, because you can see every single detail, you almost feel yourself carrying out the actions the players are performing.
The DVD is produced by Carl Uwe Steeb, member of the German three time Davis Cup winning team , and Markus Hornig, German Federation Aclass coach. It costs €24.90. and is well worth the price. You can order it from the website www.look-learn.de. Go to the website, press for the English version, then press `Trailer`, and you will get a very good demonstration of how powerful a tool this DVD is.
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Fit to Play and Perform DVDs by Carl Petersen
25 October
Carl Petersen has produced, in tandem with former pro player Nina Nittinger, an outstanding series of DVDs focusing on physical training for tennis. Carl is a physiotherapist and fitness coach for players ranging from juniors to professionals on the men`s and women`s tours.
The `FIT TO PLAY` series covers in great detail many aspects of how to bring players to their physical peak. There are several Things I liked about how Carl achieves this on the DVDs. Firstly, he includes games and exercises which players of all levels will find it fun and enjoyable to do. Secondly, the exercises are all shown being done on a tennis court, and much of the equipment used will already be in the boot of most coaches cars... I especially liked the simple, practical and fun exercises on the `Agility, Balance and Coordination Drills` DVD.
But in my opinion the greatest benefit of investing in this series of discs is that, having seen the exercises performed correctly, under Carls guidance, you can be sure that you are instructing your players in the correct way. Many of the exercises illustrated would be difficult to explain in writing, with the possibility that a coach would implement the exercise incorrectly. This could result in the opposite effect than that intended! It`s a `picture is worth a thousand words` situation – these are DVDs you will refer to again and again – really well worth purchasing.
Go to www.fittoplay.com for full details of how to add this series to your coaching resource library.
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Wrist Assist and Toss Assist
25 October
`WristAssist` and `TossAssist` are two new products on the Irish market, which could well be of interest to your players. The agency in Ireland is held by one of our own members, Johnny McCormack. If you would like to explore how to market these new devices among your client base, please give Johnny a call on 087 6698 116.
WRISTASSIST:
“This revolutionary tennis training device can help improve your forehand, backhand and volleys by training your brain and locking in the perfect stroke into your muscle memory.
HOW IT WORKS
Sophisticated design results in a powerful, yet easy-to-use tennis stroke trainer. The WristAssist positions your wrist perfectly to consistently square the racket face to the ball on every shot. You'll improve the mechanics of your tennis stroke quickly as you groove a perfect swing path with your racket - time after time - and deliver powerful, crisp shots”.
TOSSASSIST
“No one ever had a great serve without a great ball toss! The TossAssist lays your wrist back to the correct angle and creates a stable wrist/hand position to accurately and repeatedly lift your ball toss to the same spot.
The Toss Assist will help you:
(1)Develop a perfect toss - The key to building a great serve that stands up under pressure.
(2)Develop a consistent tennis ball release height - When you release the ball at eye level every time you can confidently unlock a powerful acceleration of the racket service motion up through the ball.
(3) Develop a “quiet” laid-back wrist/hand position - which accurately places your ball toss out in front of your serving shoulder.
(4)Develop a smooth tossing rhythm - (Throw Slow) which allows the whole arm to lift the ball into the air rather than flipping or jerking the ball with the wrist or fingers”.
To see these teaching aids in action, please visit www.squarehittennis.com for a video presentation with Brad Gilbert.
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Tennis Practice Games by Joe Dinoffer.
25 October
Lots of different opinions on this no doubt, but for me the best drill book available is Joe Dinoffer`s `TENNIS PRACTICE GAMES`. But why believe me when you can listen to tennis legend Billie Jean King: “whether you are a dedicated player or coach, Tennis Practice Games will inspire better performance on the court through practical,game-based drills”
`Practical` and `game based` are two very relevant terms when we talk about how we should be teaching the game in 2007 and beyond, so I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all coaches. Joe Dinoffer is an American coach, a USPTA Master Professional who has been teaching for over 30 years and has written 16 books.
Tennis Practice Games (ISBN 0 7360 4414 0) is published by Human Kinetics, and is available from their website for £13.99 www.ukpe.humankinetics.com . It is also available from www.amazon.co.uk for an even more tempting £10.49! Incidentally if you bring up the book on the Amazon site, you can use their `search inside` facility to get a sneak preview of three or four of the drills..
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Momentum - The Hidden Force in Tennis by Alastair Higham
25 October
A good tennis player can almost instinctively “feel the flow” of a match and react accordingly. The whole area of the flow of a tennis match is the subject of “MOMENTUM – THE HIDDEN FORCE IN TENNIS”, a book by the highly regarded UK based coach Alistair Higham. It is the first and only book I have seen which goes into detail on this fascinating subject, and one from which I think coaches will pick up a lot of valuable information on how to help our pupils cope with, and indeed thrive on, the ups and downs of matchplay.
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Fit to Play Tennis by Carl Petersen.
25 October
This is the most comprehensive book I have read on the subject of fitness for tennis. Both authors have a string of letters after their names, and once you begin to read the book you quickly appreciate that you are in the company of real experts. There are also chapters in the book written by well known coaches such as Louis Cayer and Josef Brabenec, as well as experts in various fields to do with psychology, nutrition, optometry – and just about any other subject which impinges on the development of a player!
The contents of this book are too many to list fully here. Highlights include: Balance Training, Visual Fitness, Tennis Nutrition and
Hydration, Footwear for Playing and Training. But this really only scratches the surface of a book which I would suggest should be
required reading for all coaches.
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New DVD focuses on Coaching Techniques
12 October
This new resource from HUMAN KINETICS is a very comprehensive and up to date DVD aimed at a combination of coaches, parents and administrators. Each section will be of interest to any coach who wants to get an overview of all the skills he or she must master in order to be as effective a coach as possible. At over 100 minutes in length, there is plenty of time to delve into issues that are of major interest to all committed coaches. Here are just a few of what I think are the most vital areas covered:
- The importance of a FUN approach.
- The vital roles played by the coach.
- How a coach should behave – characteristics of good coaches.
- A clear explanation of the `Games Based Approach` - a very effective teaching and development system that is often misunderstood by coaches.
- How a coach can protect himself or herself from legal liabilities
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On the Line Coaches Magazine Issue 3 - Summer '08
01 June
Welcome to the summer issue of our quarterly magazine On the Line. This issue features articles written by coaches from Ireland, Canada and the United States, and I want to thank everybody who has contributed.
One of the main focuses of attention for the TICA Committee at the moment is preparing for our Annual Conference, scheduled for the National Tennis Centre on November 29th and 30th. I hope you will put this date in your diary, and ensure that you attend the only major annual gathering of tennis coaches in Ireland. The Conference will undergo a facelift this year, with more emphasis on short, punchy and practical presentations, delivered mainly by Irish coaches, with something for all levels.
Why mainly Irish coaches? In this country we have many highly knowledgable and expert teachers of the game, and the TICA Committee feels that it is time we expressed a serious and well warranted vote of confidence in our home grown practitioners.
Please click here to read more
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