Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

As tennis coaches, we must constantly refine our skills, seek new knowledge, and challenge how we do things . Here are three proven ways to boost your coaching ability , along with insights into why they work and what to watch for. 1. Attend ITF Workshops and Learn from Experts One of the easiest ways to gain knowledge as a tennis coach is by attending International Tennis Federation (ITF) workshops and other similar events. These gatherings offer insights from experienced speakers, access to the latest trends in coaching , and an opportunity to network with other coaches from around the world. However, it’s important to recognize that this form of learning only takes you so far. ITF workshops often focus on foundational principles, which are invaluable but may eventually plateau in their usefulness. As you progress, you’ll need to seek out more specialized sources of inspiration and deeper knowledge tailored to your specific coaching goals. 2. Learn from Mentors and Collaborat...

This video deals with the biggest problem for competitive players worldwide: combating mental issues during matches. Paul gives you four steps to better identify and manage your mental struggles during competition.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS IN TENNIS... Being successful in competitive tennis  depends largely on how  well, you can manage  problems and control your emotions.  If you have trouble with anger and frustration during matches and believe those emotions during the match are due to playing poorly, then you're mistaken. This notion suggests that errors trigger negative emotions. You make mistakes and then your negative emotions arrive as a consequence.  But after many years of working with competitive players I now believe that a player's predisposition towards negativity and frustration is actually waiting to be triggered by events during the match.  Your current negative mindset amplifies  your reaction to  mistakes; the emotion  doesn't  start from the errors themselves.  This inherent negativity  inside you   amplifies your reactions to errors during a match. The more negativity you carry around with you, the ...

THE DROP-SHOT IN MODERN TENNIS The drop shot has evolved from a rarely used tactic a few decades ago to now being an essential weapon in a player's arsenal. By employing it, players can exploit their opponents' being  either  of f balance or standing too deep in the court.  The primary objective of the drop shot is to take advantage of your opponent's court positioning. When executed well, it forces the opponent forward and, if timed correctly, leaves them scrambling to reach the ball and again out of position for the next shot.  To execute the drop shot well, you'll need a combination of the following; THE TIMING You have to execute the drop shot at the right time during the point. If the timing is wrong, your opponent will end up at the net with an easy put-away. The best time to execute the drop shot is when your opponent is deep off the baseline or off balance running the wrong way. You'll need to train your observation skills as you play points so that you make...

HIDDEN POTENTIAL In his best-selling book Hidden Potential, author Adam Grant describes a previously unknown chess team that surprised everyone by winning the US National Schools Chess Championships.  To do so, they overcame schools that had been playing chess much longer, and that had been much more successful.  It turns out that a teacher at the school decided to introduce chess to his students for the first time. Initially, his goal was to get the children enthusiastic about chess. He achieved this  by having them start matches from the game's final stages rather than from the beginning. He guessed that starting from the beginning with all the pieces on the board would be boring to them and perhaps turn them off chess before they fully understood the game. The children soon began to enjoy playing chess and as his young players got better, he would add more pieces at the beginning until finally, they were starting normally, with all the pieces on the boar...

, You may have been looking at competition all wrong. Maybe competition should not only be about throwing the "kitchen sink" at your opponent to try and beat them down. Even if your strategy leans towards all-out offence: relying on a big serve and a dominating forehand, introducing some subtlety to your game might produce surprising results. After all, why would you want to play an opponent at full strength? Wouldn't it be better to neutralise their strengths first before playing them?  While that may seem overly simplistic to most, reducing your opponent's effectiveness is possible and entirely necessary if you want to reach the top.  STRATEGICALLY SMART "The first job of any army is to  make  themselves  unbeatable first" You must have a plan before every match that addresses your opponent's strengths and weaknesses; otherwise, you're inviting trouble. Without a plan, every match could be a battle because you could be allowing for the best version...