Fifty years ago there were a handful of coaching resources. The classic books were The Game of Singles and the Game of Doubles by Talbert and Old. Times are different today coaches must know the Xs and Os and they must also know how to engage the athlete.
A recent Google search using the phrase, “tennis instruction” produced 35 million results. A similar search in You Tube produced 126,000 results. Clearly, there is an abundance of information about how to hit the ball and where to hit it.
In addition to previously mentioned resources on other pages, the following are examples of online resources that emphasize different aspects of instructional programs:
Colorado Star Search
Tennis Coaches (closed group)
Top Tennis Training
Tennis Evolution
Tennis Teaching Tech
Train Ugly
Women’s Tennis Coaching Association
And there are many more excellent online resources.
There are two additional websites that look at the process of coaching and educating. The first is from one of America’s top scientists and the second is provided by a member of the volleyball coach’s Hall of Fame.
Carl Weiman – Weiman won a Nobel Prize for producing the the first true Bose–Einstein condensate, He has since conducted research to improve the way science and math is taught in the classroom. His research has produced results that are similar to those in found in business and education that show that there is greater retention when students are engaged. As a result the outcomes for his research are available at the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative.
In his blog Growing the Game Together John Kessel, member of the AVCA Hall of Fame, discusses the process of learning. There are a few discussions about Xs and Os and technique, but the focus is on how coaches help their athletes learn.
Every blog post is a winner! The following posts provide a sample of the wisdom Kessel shares with his readers. Yes, the concepts apply to tennis.
Promoting False Confidence (November 7, 2016)
I Want You To Make Mistakes (November 1, 2016)
Be Consistent(October 20, 2016)
Suffering From the Illusion of Knowledge (September 16, 2016)
What is it with Physical Punishment in So Few Sports (May 7, 2016)
Fearing Free Lessons from Washington D.C. (May 20, 2016)
How Much Can Athletes Teach Themselves (April 15, 2016)
A Major Change in My Feedback (January 15, 2016)
It’s all about the Reps, ’bout the Reps, and Game-like… (September 22, 2015)
False Fundamentals (August 24, 2015)
Stay Quiet and Let Them Play (July 29, 2015)
STOP Teaching Robots (June 6, 2015)
You are Paying for Practice Not Playing (March 30, 2015)
Coach Taught or Player Learned? (January 23, 2015)
Standing in Line (January 16, 2015)
Irrelevant Training (October 20, 2014)
STOP Teaching Technique… (April 25, 2014)
And there are many more great blog posts!
The bottom line…ENGAGE the athlete!