WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN TRAINING MEN & WOMEN?

Teaching tennis requires an understanding of the differences between coaching men and women. While athletes of both genders do share many commonalities, there are unique nuances that coaches must understand to fully unlock their potential. You can't teach tennis the same way for both, and you'll get much better results by adopting a different methodology for each gender.

Wayne Smith, a renowned New Zealand rugby coach who coached the All Blacks rugby team to win the World Cup, when asked about the difference he found between coaching men and women (he also coached the New Zealand Women's rugby team to win the Women's World Cup) said...

'Men must win to be happy while 

women must be happy to win.'

Wayne Smith was able to successfully
win the Men's and Women's Rugby 
World cups

I have witnessed countless on-court sessions in which women have been driven relentlessly and harshly by coaches who have believed it was the correct way to coach a woman. The female players in these sessions were doing their best, probably believing that the lesson's success was being compromised because they weren't giving enough, but not realising that the coaching method, while fine for a male player, wasn't suitable for them. 

COACHING STYLES

Wayne Smith commented that during his early days of coaching women, the bus rides to matches stood out.

With the men's team, the ride to the match venue was silent, with each player often wearing headphones to tune out their surroundings. he described the atmosphere in the bus as tense and sullen. 

The women's bus ride from the hotel to the match venue was noisy and often involved team sing-a-longs—a completely different environment from that of the men's bus ride. 

At first, Smith imagined that the happy, buoyant atmosphere in the women's bus was a sign of a lack of focus, perhaps even showing that the women were not as serious about the upcoming match as the men. 

But Smith is a very smart coach, and he decided to wait to see how the seemingly relaxed demeanour in the women's bus would translate later on the field. To his surprise, the women played with the same focus and determination as the men. It was only the pre-match "preparation"  that differed.

For men, tangible outcomes such as winning matches or championships often define success. Their success in tournaments brings them a profound sense of fulfilment and motivation, propelling them to strive for even more success. 

Male tennis players' pursuit of success can manifest in various forms, from heightened aggression on the court to an unyielding quest for perfection. As a coach, harnessing that energy and understanding this heightened competitive spirit is important in keeping male athletes balanced and ready to perform at their peak.

Women athletes need to feel supported, safe, and 
empowered to play their best

When female athletes feel supported and empowered, they are better poised to excel and succeed on their own terms. Studies suggest that women prioritise social connections and emotional fulfilment over raw competition. Therefore, as a coach, your role in fostering a supportive and inclusive team culture where players feel valued and respected is paramount for female athletes' flourishing. 

When female athletes feel supported and

 empowered, they are better poised to excel 

and succeed on their own terms.

Smith's theory that "men have to win to be happy, and women need to be happy to win" encapsulates these differences.

.

PLAYING STYLES

Another area where the differences between coaching men and women are particularly pronounced is the development of playing styles. 

Women's tennis today is very one-dimensional. Although women athletes are bigger, stronger, and technically better, their game styles remain relatively the same. The aim seems to be to hit the ball harder.

During the early stages of a young girl's tennis development, shot selection "add-on's" such as volleys and a one-handed underspin backhand are often neglected. This could be strength-related. Teaching a young player, boy or girl, to volley takes time, as they have to learn volley technique, develop strength in their arms, and improve their footwork and explosiveness to be successful.

Some coaches and parents feel that time spent on these things could be best spent on the young girls' ground-stroke game, thinking their net game can come later. That's wrong.

Although learning to play well at the net does take time in the beginning and can seem like a waste of time, young players have to start somewhere, and leaving the "hard lessons" to later only makes it more difficult for the player to become successful at the net later.

Get young players working on their net game
early in their development. It's an investment
that will pay off later.

The good news is that the volley and the one-handed underspin backhand can be taught together. They are basically the same technique so you get two new strokes for the one technique.

Many top female players have reached the top on the back of a very good underspin one-handed backhand. Steffi Graf, Justine Henin,  Amélie Mauresmo, Ashleigh Barty, and Martina Navratilova have each had exemplary underspin backhands, so never shy away from teaching topics that require more effort or that take more time to develop.

Ash Barty reached the top of the women's
game in no small measure due to her ability
to change speeds and defend with her
underspin backhand

Coaching men and women requires a nuanced understanding of their distinct characteristics and preferences. By recognising and embracing these disparities, coaches can cultivate environments where both genders can thrive and succeed.