My Coach - December 2012 issue

Tennis Australia Coach Membership T: 03 9914 4191 F: 03 9650 1040 Email: coachmembership@tennis.com.au Website: www.tennis.com.au/membership

MyCoach

58 Conference leader

The Australian Grand Slam Coaches’ Conference is a premier event for any sports enthusiast.

60 Pain in the heel

How to prevent and treat one of the most common ailments in tennis.

62 What do you see?

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s forehand showcases the best of his power and athleticism, providing a benchmark for developing players.

63 Lifestyle change a winner

Wayne Fielder studied accountancy but discovered a more personally rewarding career as a tennis coach.

64 Coach talk

The employment of apprentices can help coaches build a better business.

Australian Tennis Magazine | December 2012

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Conference leader

The conference provides coaches with the opportunity to network.

For any sports enthusiast, the Australian Grand Slam Coaches’ Conference is the premier event of the year. ADRIANA SZILI reports

MyCoach

W

hile geared towards tennis coaches, the conference, now in its sixth year, draws coaches from a variety of other sports, tennis facility managers and those who simply love the game. The 2013 conference themed ‘Developing expertise’ will be held at Hisense Arena, Melbourne Park, from 10–13 January.

Tennis requires the development of expertise in many areas and is a complex mix of techniques and strategies, communication styles, and the ability of the coach and player. Maximising this is a continuously changing paradigm. The conference will highlight some aspects that will facilitate optimal performance in athletes and the 2013 conference speakers will use their experience and insight to share this with delegates.

The upcoming conference will allow participants to integrate new knowledge into their already existing knowledge base and open their minds to aspects of the game to which they may have been previously unaware.

The conference will provide professional development and practical experience to all those in attendance along with networking opportunities.

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“Annually, the conference provides an ideal learning environment with worldclass speakers, presentations for coaches of all levels, social functions to facilitate networking and it’s all at the home of the Australian Open,” Tennis Australia Coach Membership Manager Tess Middleton says.

There will be no shortage of both nationally and internationally-recognised speakers from

More than 300 coaches and industry professional attended the 2012 event.

a vast array of backgrounds to impart their knowledge during the conference.

Attendees of previous Australian Grand Slam Coaches’ Conferences have found the event to be a valuable experience.

“The conference gives me a very good update of what is currently happening in the tennis world and the latest methods and practices of coaching. The speakers pass

Judy Murray’s presentation was insightful in 2012.

Tony Nadal.

Some high profile speakers confirmed for the 2013 conference include:

Learning from other coaches is a highlight of the conference.

happening in the tennis world of another country,” Gordon says.

David Frank, CEO of Tennis Northern, New Zealand, attended last year’s conference and complimented the allencompassing nature of the event.

“The conference fostered an ‘inclusive’ atmosphere where all delegates felt part of a common cause. The conference content was wide ranging, interesting and also challenging. The quality of speakers, streams and opportunities to network with fellow delegates were highlights,” Frank says.

The inclusive atmosphere of the 2012 conference was also noted by General Practitioner Dr Katie Browne.

“This was my first visit to the Australian Grand Slam Coaches’ Conference. It was a welcoming and inclusive environment and useful for professionals in the health and fitness world,” Browne says.

Endorsed by the International Tennis Federation, the conference is one of the largest in the Asia-Pacific region and attracts more than 30 speakers from this country and abroad, along with more than 300 coaches and industry professionals who attend each year making it a hugely successful event.

Following the conference participants are encouraged to attend the live action at Australian Open 2013. Here they will experience a merging of theory and practice, or simply enjoy the two weeks of tennis mastery.

If you love the game of tennis and are keen to learn more about the latest training techniques, explore new approaches to coaching, network with coaches and other industry professionals, or just take in the knowledge imparted by a host of enthusiastic speakers and delegates coming together in a positive environment, register to be part of the 2013 Australian Grand Slam Coaches’ Conference.

For more information please email coachesconference@tennis.com.au or phone (03) 9914 4191.

Toni Nadal (Spain) Coach and uncle of former world No.1 Rafael Nadal

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Sharon Hannan (Australia) Coach of Sally Pearson – 2012 Olympic 100m hurdles gold medallist

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Beni Linder (Switzerland) Works with several top 100 WTA and top 200 ATP tour players. Previously worked with Pierre Paganini (strength and conditioning coach of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka)

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Don Elgin (Australia) Paralympic champion and motivational speaker

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Narelle Sibte (Australia) Strength and conditioning coach of Samantha Stosur

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Kristy Bloore (Australia) Director of Research with Viacom International Media Networks in Australia and New Zealand

Attendance at the conference can be achieved by registering for either a package or single day sessions.

For those keen to have a complete experience, a full package includes: • Registration to all session from 10–13 January 2013 • Morning tea and lunch for the entire event • BBQ reception and Conference Dinner at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club • Official Australian Open accreditation: ground pass access for 14–16 January 2013 and access to free tram travel on the Melbourne Tram Network • Participant gift pack • Access to presentation notes

Australian Tennis Magazine | December 2012

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MyCoach

their valuable knowledge on to us. I have never seen such training methods before.

Now I’ve implemented them into my classes and they work – I just love that,” Tennis Australia Junior Development coach Aaron Ho of Queensland says.

Luke Dixon, a Tennis Australia Club Professional coach in Victoria, also found the conference beneficial.

“I really enjoyed the diversity of the conference, there were many different topics and genres covered. There was a wide range of different aspects of the coaching business discussed and perspectives, which was a pleasant reminder that there is always plenty to learn and adapt to improve our own workplace. This was my first conference but after this experience I will be back for many more to come,” Dixon says.

It’s not just Australian tennis coaches singing the praises of past conferences.

Lawn Tennis Association Senior Club coach Julie Gordon of Scotland was impressed with the 2012 event.

“The conference was not only informative but also really inspiring.

It is really interesting to see what is

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Pain in the heel

MyCoach

Is pain in your heel stopping you from playing tennis?

Heel pain caused by overloading of the plantar fascia is a common injury affecting athletes and the general population. Tennis players are no exception. Have you ever been unable to put your heel to the floor when trying to take the first few steps of the day? Has the pain gone away for a few hours during the day only to return after your tennis match? Chances are you have plantar fasciitis.

The plantar fascia is a dense fibrous structure originating under the surface of the heel medially, and spans the length of the foot to the base of each toe. There are three distinct components forming the plantar fascia; the medial, central and lateral bands. The central band is by far the toughest and thickest of the three.

Interestingly there is also an intimate relationship between the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon with a continuous fascial connection between the two from the distal attachment of the Achilles to the origin of the plantar fascia on the calcaneal tuberosity. This relationship is strongest in our younger years as the fibrous connection decreases with age.

In close proximity to the origin of the plantar fascia lies the fat pad of the heel.

The fat pad acts as a shock absorber and is often a coexisting source of pain.

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The plantar fascia maintains the arch structure of the foot and absorbs dynamic reaction forces. It is at its most stretched when toes are extended e.g. on push off when walking. The tightening of the fascia on toe extension is known as the windlass effect. Due to the relationship with the Achilles tendon, extra loading through the calf while the foot is in the extended position creates further increased load through the Plantar fascia.

How do tennis players develop plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is essentially an injury caused by the overuse of the foot. As with any overuse injury the causes are multifactorial and can be a result of all or some of the following: ■■ Sudden increase in loading through the fascia (e.g. increased match play, training or running distances).

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Improper or excessively worn footwear.

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Poor lower limb biomechanics.

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Change in court surface.

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As a result of associated trauma e.g. an ankle sprain, which may then change the normal functional patterning of the foot or lower limb.

When we are walking the heel absorbs 110 percent of our body weight, when

running this figure increases to 200 percent. Think about the movement of a tennis player on court incorporating pushing off, running, change of direction and sliding out wide and imagine the loading going through their heels. If a player plays more matches or longer matches than usual in poor fitting shoes, or has just changed playing surfaces these can be reasons enough to aggravate symptoms.

What do I do if I have heel pain?

If you have symptoms as described above, it is best to visit your physiotherapist and get a definitive diagnosis. As you can expect, plantar fasciitis is only one source of heel pain. A correct diagnosis needs to be made in order to treat the condition effectively.

Your physiotherapist will take your history and examine your feet, lower limbs and biomechanics. They will then be able to identify some of the causative factors and commence correcting them. Examination by a professional should rule out other neurological or osseous sources of heel pain.

Treatment of plantar fasciitis in the early stages should begin conservatively.

This includes: ■■ Stretching of the plantar fascia and calf musculature.

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Strengthening the intrinsic muscles in the feet, which help support your arches.

Massage of the plantar fascia and calf muscles.

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Foot and ankle mobilisations.

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Self massage e.g. rolling your foot on a tennis ball for five minutes.

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Taping the foot, which can be done by the physiotherapist or you can learn to do it yourself.

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Apply ice treatment.

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Modification of training.

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Check footwear.

DIY exercises you can do at home Find out from your physiotherapist which soft tissue structures in your legs are tight and commence stretching. Both the Soleus and Gastrocnemius, collectively your calf muscles, need to be stretched. This can be combined with stretching the plantar fascia.

are quite complex and need to be done by somebody else. The taping method described here is a basic modified Low Dye Tape and is one of the easier techniques to carry out yourself.

Steps include: FIGURE 4 ■■ First make sure your skin is clean and dry. Place a strip of fixamul around the border of your foot.

On top of this starting from the inside of your big toe place rigid strapping tape around the border of your foot, finishing at the side of your little toe (Figure 4).

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Exercise examples PF stretch ■■ Place your toes against the wall with your heel on the floor. With your toes extended slide the ball of your foot down the wall until you feel a stretch under your foot (Figure 1).

Straight leg calf stretch To add in the calf component shift your body weight forward bringing your leg closer to the wall. Keep your knee straight and stretch for 30 seconds (Figure 2).

FIGURE 1

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Bent knee calf stretch ■■ Bend your knee and stretch for a further 30 seconds. Repeat this two to three times each session (Figure 3).

FIGURE 2

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FIGURE 3

Strengthen the small muscles in your feet ■■ The small muscles in your feet help to support the arches in your foot. Start this exercise by sitting with your bare foot flat on the floor. Keep your toes out straight, and draw the ball of your foot back towards your heel. You should feel the arch on the inside of your foot rise up.

Do not let your toes curl under your feet during this exercise.

Taping techniques There are many different taping methods available for this condition. The type of taping used will depend on the biomechanics of your feet in standing, walking and running. Some methods

From here place four FIGURE 5 to five overlapping strips starting from your heel down the length of your foot to finish at the base of each toe. If you have a small foot you can use thinner tape or half strips. Take care not to pull too hard on the heel as this can aggravate your symptoms (Figure 5).

Starting at the back of your foot place strips of tape from the outer border straight across to the medial side of the foot and up to cover the arch.

Overlap each strip by half the width of the tape (Figure 6).

Finally secure the tape by placing another strip of tape around the side border of your foot and one lightly across the top of your foot (Figure 7).

FIGURE 6

be acceptable. Often you may not notice pain while exercising but later once you have cooled down or on the first few steps of the day the following morning.

If it is most important that you continue to play tennis throughout this period you may initially keep your training sessions to stationary hitting or only moving half court. You can break up your training session with ball fed drills interspersed with live ball play. Off the court reduce the load through your foot while continuing to exercise by replacing running with bike session, swimming or deep water running.

Management of chronic cases For those cases that persist despite trialling the above treatments there are many further treatment modalities available.

These include: ■■ Customised prescription orthotics can be made by a sport podiatrist.

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Resting night splints with the toes in neutral or in extension can be effective.

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Extra Corporeal Shock Wave Therapy and Iontophoresis are also other modalities, which have been shown to be effective in reducing pain levels.

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Cortico steroid injections have also been shown to be effective in management of plantar fascia.

It may be useful with those persisting cases to have ultrasound investigations or MRI carried out. Surgery to release the fascia is a rarely used option and should only be considered after every other avenue is exhausted.

FIGURE 7

Top tip when taping Remember that the skin on the sole of your foot can get very soft, especially after exercise when sweating or after a shower.

Peel the tape off gently to avoid tearing the skin. If it feels really stuck use some remove solution your physiotherapist will have.

Training modification Any modifications to your training should be discussed with your coach and should clearly define the acceptable level of pain, if any, you are allowed to experience. Ideally all exercise should be pain free, however as you begin to increase your load as you progress through your rehabilitation pain levels up to 2/10 can

References: Plantar Fasciopathy, (2009). Rompe, J.D., Sports Med Arthroscopic Review. 17 (2).

Defective Running Shoes as a Contributing Factor in Plantar fasciitis in a Tri-athlete (2000). Wilk, B.R., Fisher, K.L., & Gutierrez, W. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy; 30 (1); 21-31.

The Short Term Effects of Treating Plantar Fascitis With a temporary Custom Foot Orthosis and Stretching (2011). Drake, M., Bittenbender, C., & Boyles, R.E. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy; 41, (4); 221-231.

Randomised Control Trial of Calcaneal Taping, Sham Taping, and Plantar Fascia Stretching for Short term Management of Plantar Heel Pain (2006).

Hyland, M.R., Webber-Gaffney, A., Cohen, L., & Lichtman, S.W. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy; 36 (6); 364-371.

Finite Element Analysis of Plantar Fascia Under Stretch – the Relative Contribution of Windlass Mechanism and Achilles tendon Force (2008).

Cheng, H.K., Lin, C., Wang, H., & Chou, S. Journal of Biomechanics, 41; 1937-1944.

Anne-Marie Montgomery is Tennis Australia’s National Physiotherapy Manager.

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MyCoach

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What do you see?

By the Stroke Master

A relentless competitive spirit helped Jo-Wilfried Tsonga peak at a career-high ranking of No.5 early in the year. His fierce forehand is a significant part of his arsenal.

Racquet is set before the bounce of the ball and remains high to allow for a circular swing.

Semi-western forehand grip.

MyCoach

Right leg will be used to drive from the court, this force assists the forward rotation of the right hip.

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Australian Tennis Magazine | December 2012

Left arm assists in backward trunk rotation and acts to balance the movement of the racquet arm.

Optimal trunk rotation within the 110 +-10 degree range of acceptability.

MY TENNIS LIFE

Lifestyle change a winner

Winning my first tournament was always special but probably my proudest moment was when my high school teacher asked me to captain the tennis team. There were at least another four or five players that were equally as strong and could have been selected too, but I think I was probably the loudest and bubbliest of the bunch.

I actually studied accountancy at college and then went on to complete a degree in business. But I was already coaching parttime throughout university to help pay fees and then after approximately 15 years in education I just needed some fun. Now I just can’t leave the field, as I’ve never fallen out of love with the game.

It all started at an exclusive indoor club in Hampshire (England). I was the junior coach there through university, and then I joined a huge English company called David Lloyd Leisure who was opening one of its largest clubs just as I was finishing my degree. I worked my way up through the system there starting as a club coach and then moved to tennis manager and finally making it to sports and activities manager. I achieved the status of sports and activities manager in 2007 before deciding that I needed a new challenge and Australia came into frame. Now I coach on the Cassowary Coast in Far North Queensland at the Innisfail, Tully and Mission Beach tennis clubs.

I worked with a few county players back in the UK (equivalent to some of the state players in Australia) but in all honestly status in the form of coaching top-level players has never been a motivation for me. I respect coaches that are always chasing the dream of getting their player to the top but I’m a bit of a ‘more kids hitting more balls’ type of a coach.

My family and I moved out from England back in 2008. An old friend of mine and coach James Poso, who married a lovely Aussie in 2007, sponsored me to come down to Australia. My wife Steph, son Evan (12) and Maddy (six) and I all owe our wonderful lifestyle to James and Kim for giving us this opportunity, so we’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for making our dreams come true.

My strength has always been that I’m naturally a very positive character. I’ve always been a coach that gets heavily involved in high fives, secret handshakes, nicknames and playful banter and the kids love it.

The Innisfail Club was named Queensland Club of the Year in 2010. We were all so proud as it reflected all of the hard work that the members, the committee and our coaching team put in.

Cyclone Yasi really hurt our region last year. The Mission Beach club was very fortunate to be rewarded with a grant to build a brand new clubhouse and the Tully Club recently had its six courts resurfaced.

We’re hoping that the club modifications will lead to even more members and players hitting more tennis balls.

Our program has approximately 350 juniors and adults across three clubs playing

Increasing participation is a major motivation for Wayne Fielder and his assistant coaching team.

Na me: Wayne Fi

elder Qualifications : Tenn is Au st ra lia Club Profession al coach Venue: Ba selin e Tenn is Manag ement at In ni sfa il, Tu lly and M ission Beach Tenn is Clubs, Ql d

regularly each week. I now have a full-time coach Lawrence Hyde (who we sponsored over from the UK) working with us, and a team of five school-based apprentices, so we’re very busy implementing a strong Hot Shots program.

We’ve recently just implemented Cardio Tennis, which has been a revelation for both adults and teens. Both Lawrence and I are looking to becoming qualified personal trainers in the next year or two so we hope to expand the brand name of ‘Baseline Tennis Management’ to also include fitness.

Cardio Tennis is almost like the new Zumba only better in my opinion as my clients will get the opportunity to burn an insane amount of calories in an hour. This is all through a ‘hitting a ball’ environment, while jiggling to the sounds of music beaming out on the boom box. Lawrence and I regularly run and hit the gym to keep fit, and if we’re really honest we hate it, but this has definitely opened my eyes to something that works me harder than running and is a million times more enjoyable.

I think the heart rate monitors that all of the clients wear are going to be the secret to the success of my cardio program, as my clients will be able to observe their achievements in the form of calories burnt, average heart rates, percentage of time in a ‘high workout’ state, so it’s not just a case of me telling my people how hard they worked and my athletes taking my word for it, but they’ll be able to see the results for themselves.

Australian Tennis Magazine | December 2012

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It all started back in the UK when I was seven and my parents bought me a racquet.

I remember it being a metal one which was great back then as wooden racquets were still on the market, so I thought that this racquet was going to turn me into a star.

Looking back it would have been far too big. I don’t remember specialised smaller racquets back then.

Coach Talk

Brianna Smith is completing a school-based traineeship with Head Coach Brett Plant.

Australian Apprenticeships in tennis H

ave you thought about employing an Australian apprentice or trainee in your tennis coaching business?

If you have, now is the time to take action.

What is an Australian Apprenticeship?

Australian Apprenticeship is the term used nationally for apprenticeships and traineeships. Australian Apprenticeships combine practical work experience with structured training so graduates attain a nationally recognised qualification as well as the experience of working in their field. In sport, individuals are generally employed as trainees. Traineeships can be full-time, parttime or school-based.

Why employ a trainee?

MyCoach

Trainees can provide your business with real benefits. Eligible employers can access a range of federal government financial incentives for employing a trainee.

Additionally, trainees may be able to access state government funding to assist in meeting course fees.

Traineeships in action in Queensland Brianna Smith is undertaking a school-based traineeship at Sandgate Tennis in Deagon, Queensland with the Head Coach Brett Plant. As part of her traineeship Brianna is completing the new Junior Development Coaching course (Certificate III in Sport Coaching), coaching part-time, receiving 64

Australian Tennis Magazine | December 2012

on-the-job training with Brett and also attending school.

This may sound like a big load for a 16-yearold Year 11 student, but Brianna insists that while it is challenging balancing the demands of school, coaching and completing her coaching qualification, it has been worth it.

“I have learned so much by doing the Junior Development course. There is lots of new information, which has helped me improve my coaching. I have also made friends with other coaches in the course. It’s great. I love it.” The state government funding which Brianna is eligible to access as a trainee has also been of great benefit. This funding has partially subsidised the cost of the course.

Brett highly recommends other coaches to employ trainees such as Brianna. “Having someone young and enthusiastic with a playing background who understands tennis is a great fit for my business. Brianna is a past student and it is wonderful to be able to provide a pathway for her and an opportunity to stay in the sport. Setting up the traineeship was not a difficult process if you have an existing business structure to be able to provide the trainee with enough hours of work. The local Australian Apprenticeship

Centre consultant took me through the process and provided all the relevant information.

Employing a trainee is a great way to train young coaches to become proficient on-court and also to build their off-court knowledge and skills about the business of tennis coaching.”

Eligibility criteria for Australian Apprenticeships • Australian citizen or permanent resident • Employee (full-time or part-time; not casual or contractor) • Minimum age is 15 years

Qualifications offered by Tennis Australia Tennis Australia is able to deliver nationally recognised qualifications through partnerships with registered training organisations, Smart Connection Training and DeakinPrime. The Tennis Australia coaching courses which are dual branded with nationally recognised qualifications are shown in the table below.

For more information about traineeships in tennis, please contact the Coach and Talent Development Coordinator in your state or territory.

Tennis Australia course

Qualification

Available

Junior Development

Certificate III in Sport Coaching

Currently available

Club Professional

Certificate IV in Sport Coaching

May 2013

Master Club Professional

Diploma of Management

Currently available