My intention is not to give the usual technical advice or teaching information, but to address the reality which everybody will face trying to develop a tennis player, able to compete at a top level. There is no guarantee to reach this goal, nevertheless I feel confident that knowing what is needed will simplify and help to avoid going a path which looks fine by usual standards but has no chance to succeed. My advice is not out of the ordinary as I suggest to continue what you are doing but compare your activities with the information provided in this article.
First I am addressing the natural ability of “the player, the student”. Don’t mention talent, as no one is born with a special tennis talent. Too many components must be controlled to become a top player. The ability to reach the top is based on solid love for moving, having a body able to develop athletic skills and willingness to work hard at all times. In some children there are hidden advantages like height and a strong body, very important in some sports like basketball or football. In tennis a child’s body should be more related to agility, desire to move and simply play with the ball. With good teaching , speed, dynamic and well balanced movement can be developed in a child’s body. In today’s advanced tennis technique balance is a requirement which influences the quality of top tennis. Most teachers do not know how to handle or develop balance in a player’s body which can be trained like any other part of tennis with special exercises. So in your observation as a parent do not disregard the importance of moving in balance. It may be difficult to address balance, as in my many years active in competitive junior tennis I have never seen exercises to be included in the daily training to improve the balance of players’ movements. The athletic ability of your child is easy to evaluate just by observing if your child enjoys moving.
Assuming that your child likes to run, likes to play tennis and be physically active, there is no reason why you should not further explore the competitive part of tennis if the next requirement (aspect) is available:
Opportunity! The second influence and need in the effort to develop a tennis player. Parents in New Jersey have a difficult time to arrange for a top tennis teaching program. The long winter months cut the program in half, as not enough indoor courts are available for the needed teaching- and playing hours. A mother of a 12 year old girl who played at a National Junior Tournament in Delray Beach , FL and lost 6/0, 6/0 in the first round in the main draw as well as in the consolation recognized, although being the number 2 in Nebraska, that she did not have the Opportunity to reach a top level of play, like other players in Florida, California, Georgia etc. She was right, as parents must recognize early if a realistic opportunity exists. Relocation for parents is a very big step but sometimes necessary. The Roddick family relocated from Nebraska first to Texas and then to Florida when it intended to give to the boys a chance in tennis. In most junior tournaments you meet parents who relocated to Florida known as the place to be if you want to be a future top tennis player. A good first step in creating the Opportunity but not enough to reach the intended goal.
Florida is known as the state with the most tennis academies and tennis schools. Big enterprises and big names are offering their services. Every year new are added and become active. Does this mean that serious teaching and coaching to help to reach your goal will be easily available? Definitely not! The general teaching of almost all tennis academies and tennis schools in Florida is the way teachers taught 30 years ago, far behind the progress professional tennis has made in the last 20 years.
Today’s students cannot be prepared for tomorrow’s game by hitting balls which are played to them from the basket, as balls coming from the basket are without dynamic, they are dead balls. This is not enough to develop speed and ball control needed in today’s game. The students must be challenged during every moment they spend on the court where the opportunity is to improve their game. My suggestion is: don’t be impressed by names or big organizations, look for the situation where the student’s technique is well addressed, including all small but important details.
Before making the final decision which school, academy or teacher will work with your child, consideration should be given to the third aspect of the challenge: It is the most demanding for parents and students. A very extensive study came to the conclusion that to be successful and reach the very top of every activity, the 10 000 hours working rule must be applied. A shocking number? I don’t think so.
Malcolm Gladwell describes in his book “The Story Of Success” what made it possible that some people succeed and others don’t. In all fields the top individuals worked very hard to reach their summit. In all fields, computer world, the arts, sports like ice hockey, basketball etc., they all worked over 10 000 hours to reach the top. Bill Gates and his friends started in 1968 with support of the school and parents a computer club, an extraordinary opportunity as computers at that time were very rare. Bill Gates had logged over 10 000 hours of programming by the time he finished High School . Two years later he left Harvard and founded Microsoft with his friend. The pianists and violinists in the Academy of Music in Berlin, Germany who reached the top and became a concert soloists had all practiced over 10 000 hours. The ones with less practice hours became music teachers or played in orchestras. The Beatles played for years 8 to 12 hours a day and traveled between Liverpool, England and Hamburg, Germany to play 7 days a week. They easily reached the magic 10 000 hours before they took the first trip to the US.
Should we include the tennis sport into this cycle of 10 000 hours? Definitely yes!
I remember when Tomy Haas was a young boy in Europe, and by working very hard, became at the age of 13 years the No. 1 at the 14 age group in Europe, thanks to his father’s help and many hours spent on the tennis court. By the time he became a pro the 10 000 hours rule was met. I can confirm that Venus and Serena Williams which I met 1991 in Greenleaf, Florida, already had serious goals and worked accordingly. When they moved a year later to Delray Beach, they started a very disciplined program every day, mornings and afternoons. By the time they reached the pro level at an early age, they had spent at least 10 000 hours on the court with excellent hitters. Tennis is a time consuming sport and should be approached knowing that many many hours of hard work are part of the effort to reach the top. Short cuts do not exist. Wild cards for tournaments may help to prove a player’s ability, but if there is no ability behind, the opportunity of this advantage is wasted.
My suggestion to parents is: If you have a child enjoying moving and playing and accepting hard physical activities, give to the child the opportunity by finding the right place to work the magic 10 000 hours. Then make sure that the hours are well used and not wasted on old fashioned teaching and generalities. Demand a program from the responsible person who you can and will address if you are not satisfied . If you feel insecure, go for a second opinion, it will help you to feel better about your own decisions. Be aware that no one is doing you a favor, as you are paying for the quality and service you received. So, you have the right to know.
It looks like a big and long “Struggle” to “Embrace”, but at the end, if it’s done right it is fun and challenging.
[tags]tennis parents, tennis plan, junior tennis, tennis expenses[/tags]
