Coaching Myths

[klacr]

Very informative article. I had the pleasure of working along side a former 10 ATP player who told me it took him 5 years to learn how to teach effectively after playing on the tour. Many great players develop at a such a young age, they just play the ball and don't think about technique, or understand the technical progressions that are required when coaching. Thanks Kyle!

John,
Thanks for chiming in. Impressive the ATP pro only took 5 years to learn. Fpor most it is many more. It's a different concept entirely. I was contracted by the ATP/WTA Tours years back to conduct USPTA certification for many outgoing professionals who were transitioning to life off the tour. Top 200 ranked players that had no clue how to teach a backhand volley. many more stories about this expereince I could share too. Teaching is an art just like playing. But very rare to find someone so remarkably talented to do both seamlessly.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA, PTR
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

http://www.setsconsult.org

[klacr]

So many qualities are required to make a good coach. So many in fact I doubt they exist in one person. It is probably more about the right coach for the right person. Raducanu's situation is a little unique in that she immediately fired the person who got her there.

On a more general observation, with students of all abilities, I always think it's important to ascertain what a players goals are because they might not be the same as yours - something Kyle alludes to in his article.

My favourite lessons are those where you have coached someone for a long time and they have perhaps reached the best they can, but they still come along because they enjoy it and a kind of friendship develops between the coach and student. Often these lessons naturally turn into a workout and the carrying out of 'favourite' drills. I think most experienced coaches have this kind of scenario going on with some students. It's a nice situation to have going on.

Stotty, completely agree. Having crystal clear clarity as to the expectations and ideas of what a student or player wants is key.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA, PTR
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

http://www.setsconsult.org

[klacr]

Kyle - I loved the article! Coaching Myths is a perfect complement to technical myths.

Regarding Myth 2, you can add Richard Williams to the list. I watched a documentary about him and I found it fascinating that being an outsider to the sport, he brought in concepts from other sports to tennis - baseball and boxing are the two I clearly remember. He had Venus and Serena throw tons of tennis rackets over a fence, which undoubtedly helped develop their powerful serving motions. And he had a bag that they boxed on. Being an outsider to the sport I think was a huge advantage because he was able to look at the technical aspect with fresh eyes. Also, he was a master motivator. The documentary is called "Raising Tennis Aces" and it's one of my favorites. So the greatest female player of all time and the greatest male player (based on current slam count) were taught by coaches who didn't come from any tennis background. And more recently, Osaka is going back to her Dad as her coach, a guy who "used DVDs" to teach his girls tennis and modeled their career on the Williams sisters.

I think this is where Racucanu is completely misguided. She immediately fired her team after winning the US Open because she needed someone with "experience at the highest level".

Thank you Jeff. Glad you enjoyed the article and delighted you could see the complimentary nature this article has with the technical myths.
An outside perspective is certainly something that bucks the status quo and the established tennis food chain. to be #1, you have to be odd. Do things different from the norm. doing the exact same as everyone else will put you in an exclusive club...with everyone else.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA, PTR
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

http://www.setsconsult.org

[johncraig]

Very informative article. I had the pleasure of working along side a former 10 ATP player who told me it took him 5 years to learn how to teach effectively after playing on the tour. Many great players develop at a such a young age, they just play the ball and don't think about technique, or understand the technical progressions that are required when coaching. Thanks Kyle!

[glacierguy]

On the other hand, one cannot know what transpired between Raducanu and her original coach. I have always found the abundance of men coaching young girls to be a bit creepy.

[glacierguy]

Copy "Raducanu is completely misguided".

And I would also namecheck Andre Agassi and his boxer Dad.

[stotty]

So many qualities are required to make a good coach. So many in fact I doubt they exist in one person. It is probably more about the right coach for the right person. Raducanu's situation is a little unique in that she immediately fired the person who got her there.

On a more general observation, with students of all abilities, I always think it's important to ascertain what a players goals are because they might not be the same as yours - something Kyle alludes to in his article.

My favourite lessons are those where you have coached someone for a long time and they have perhaps reached the best they can, but they still come along because they enjoy it and a kind of friendship develops between the coach and student. Often these lessons naturally turn into a workout and the carrying out of 'favourite' drills. I think most experienced coaches have this kind of scenario going on with some students. It's a nice situation to have going on.

[jeffreycounts]

Kyle - I loved the article! Coaching Myths is a perfect complement to technical myths.

Regarding Myth 2, you can add Richard Williams to the list. I watched a documentary about him and I found it fascinating that being an outsider to the sport, he brought in concepts from other sports to tennis - baseball and boxing are the two I clearly remember. He had Venus and Serena throw tons of tennis rackets over a fence, which undoubtedly helped develop their powerful serving motions. And he had a bag that they boxed on. Being an outsider to the sport I think was a huge advantage because he was able to look at the technical aspect with fresh eyes. Also, he was a master motivator. The documentary is called "Raising Tennis Aces" and it's one of my favorites. So the greatest female player of all time and the greatest male player (based on current slam count) were taught by coaches who didn't come from any tennis background. And more recently, Osaka is going back to her Dad as her coach, a guy who "used DVDs" to teach his girls tennis and modeled their career on the Williams sisters.

I think this is where Racucanu is completely misguided. She immediately fired her team after winning the US Open because she needed someone with "experience at the highest level".

[klacr]

doctorhl,
Thanks for reading and your feedback. Glad you concur on Myth Forum You are not alone in your assessment of coaching conferences and workshops where the big name gets a standing room only crowd only to deliver disappointment with cliche tips,factually wrong technical advice or even worse, a complete lack of understanding who the audience is.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA, PTR
Delray Beach, Florida
SETS Consulting

http://www.setsconsult.org

[doctorhl]

Great article! Myth#2 is especially interesting to me. Some of the worst group/private lessons, conferences, camps, etc. in various sports that I have attended were presented by a “named” pro as a hook to get people to attend. Sometimes it seems like there is a strong, inverse relationship between ability to play and ability to teach/coach!

[johnyandell]

Let's discuss Kyle LaCroix's latest article, "Coaching Myths"