Importance of Tournament Support for Players in Development By Caleb Astwood
potential opponents to give their players an At the end of the day, the goal of a upper hand early in the match or they can Tournament Support Program is to give Tennis is one of those help strategize to develop game plans and players more feedback to create a wellunique sports in that for the winning patterns of play. However, by being rounded player. If you do not have enough majority of a junior’s at tournaments and watching their players coaching for all areas of the game, you’ll competitive career, the only play under pressure, they are able to see end up with a player that has severe people who consistently watch them play another side of their players. This last part is deficiencies. By having coaches go to are their parents. Unlike team sports where often overlooked, but is the most important tournaments with players, we have the the coach is with the team at practice and part of the game. ability to develop the competitive side of matches, tennis coaches often coach their Seeing players play in stressful situations the game. Practice and lessons can only do hour-long private lesson and go home. That gives coaches a whole new insight into how so much, but true match play can never be isn’t to say that coaches do a bad job, but their player competes, and what they need recreated in practice. it’s more of a criticism of player development help with on the mental side of the game. Learning a players habits, strengths and as a whole. Take any weekend to go to a But what is more valuable, and something weaknesses, or what makes them USTA tournament and you will find a sea of that most coaches overlook, is the shared nervous/confident, are aspects of the game parents more confused about how to keep experiences players and coaches will have; that the Tournament Support Program score than trying to analyze their child’s these experiences build trust. This is much deals with first hand. This is where huge game. At best, most parents have played more important than one may think as improvements can be made in a specific tennis at the recreational level. They don’t having a player that doesn’t trust in the player’s game, but also where have the depth of understanding needed to coaching staff may lead to arguments and improvements can be made in junior really help their children progress in the many wasted hours on the court. Learning development as a whole. sport, which is why they spend so much what a player likes off the court and being money on tennis lessons. This is part of the able to connect with them beyond tennis will Caleb Astwood is a tennis coach and the reason why Tournament Support Programs create a much stronger player-coach bond Tournament Support Director at are such a vital necessity. To fully develop a and a stronger mentor- trainee dynamic. To Centercourt Tennis Academy. He is an player at every level of the game, there fully understand what shortcomings a player alumnus of Centercourt’s High Performance needs to be coaching at every level of the has when it comes to the mental Full Time Tennis program, and played game. development of the game, a coach has to be collegiately at Wittenberg University. He is Having a tournament support team for able to get into the head of the player. an ATPCA Level One Internationally junior players immediately gives these Shared experiences and spending time with Qualified Coach, and he serves as players an upper hand compared to players the player is how this is done, and will give Centercourt’s Match Charting and Lead that don’t. For coaches, watching their coaches a much better idea of how to help Analytics Coach. Astwood can be reached player compete in this environment gives that player on the other side of the game. at caleb@centercourtclub.com. them a first-hand look at the product of their development. All players and coaches will tell you that tournament play is completely different from practice and, more often than not, the player’s performance will differ vastly from practice in the early stages of development. The ability for coaches to see the difference between practice and match play will give them a lot of insight into what • Groups, Private lessons, Tournament Travel, 7 days a week their player needs to improve on. • Certified ATP coach with 22 years of HP experience For players, the benefit is having a coach • 13 years on the pro tour playing ATP, Davis Cup and Olympics there who can give feedback immediately after the match when it is still fresh in their • Former 3 time Israeli singles champion minds. Even though parents can give some • Indoors Winter & Spring sessions at NYTC Indoors feedback, they are less likely to give the in(Throgs Neck) depth analysis needed that a coach can provide. However, there is more that can be Call 914-907-0041 or E-mail BloomGilad@gmail.com provided than just the analysis of the GiladBloom.com player’s performance. Coaches can scout NYTennisMag.com • March/April 2020 • New York Tennis Magazine
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