Tennis Australia Coach Membership T: 03 9914 4191 F: 03 9650 1040 Email: coachmembership@tennis.com.au Website: www.tennis.com.au/membership
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50 Branching out
Extending coaching programs to players with disabilities is an easily implemented process that will provide many rewards for players and coaches.
52 The overhead: from orange to green and yellow ball A comparative analysis of the overhead at various stages of development highlights both similarities and differences to the serve.
54 My past time, my job
With his passion also his business, Queensland coach Mark Bloomfield is helping students and staff capitalise on their full potential.
55 What consumers want ‌
programming to build business Significant research in consumer habits provides a solid base for coaches to build their tennis business.
56 Coach drills
Australian Tennis Magazine | March 2013
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Communication with any athlete needs to be respectful, clear and direct.
Branching Out Extending coaching programs to players with disabilities is an easily implemented process that will provide many rewards for both players and coaches. By ADRIANA SZILI
MyCoach
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hether you’re young, old, big, small, fit or unfit, tennis is a sport which encourages people of all abilities to take to the court. New pathways are constantly being created to have anyone and everyone involved in the sport, including those with disabilities. Tennis Australia works closely with Member Associations and the Australian Sports Commission in providing a nationally-recognised framework that is inclusive to those with a disability. As part of the framework Tennis Australia has developed a Disability Action Plan, which aims to provide opportunities for people with sensory, physical, psychological and intellectual disabilities to be involved and participate in tennis. Tennis coaches are also encouraged to increase community awareness about programs for people with a disability through their clubs and associations. Coupled with this is the necessity for education on how to effectively coach players with disabilities. “Players of all abilities want to be coached well,” says Tennis Australia Coach Education and Membership Manager, Patrick McInerney. “Educating coaches on how to coach players with a disability is really focused on giving coaches the confidence to work with these players as the actual coaching methodology used is no different to coaching an able bodied player.” 50
Australian Tennis Magazine | March 2013
Tennis can instil a great sense of community among both disabled and able bodied people, while at the same time providing a great way to get fit and improve on the skills necessary to compete in the sport. “Tennis can provide disabled people with a great opportunity to exercise, socialise and compete. Through the use of the modified balls and courts, tennis can be structured so that the level of challenge is adjusted according to the level of disability, which enables all players to have a fun time and improve,” McInerney explains. One of the many pre-requisites to be a great tennis coach is adaptability. Through Tennis Australia coaching courses, trainee coaches are being taught how to adapt their methods to suit the needs of all those
methods based on the needs of the players,” says McInerney. “We also spend a lot of time progressing and regressing activities and discuss how an activity can be modified to help the player achieve success, and more importantly, learn the skills.” Tennis Australia Club Professional Coach and Wheelchair Tennis Coach for the Wheelchair Sports NSW Talented Athlete Program (TAP), Kathy Fahim has been working closely with wheelchair players and has found her experience extremely positive. “Personally, I enjoy coaching wheelchair tennis as it challenges me to think about what I know and have learned about the able-bodied game and translate that to the specific needs of the wheelchair tennis player,” she says.
“Each player is physically different yet all will surprise you with their level of ability.” – Kathy Fahim who step onto their court including people with disabilities. “In the courses we give coaches scenarios they have to work through which challenge their ability to adapt their coaching styles and communication
“Each player is physically different yet all will surprise you with their level of ability and will give more than you think possible. I enjoy working with players to get the best out of their game for their future as a successful player.”
A winner of two gold medals at the Asia-Pacific Deaf Games in 2012, Glen Flindell was also named Most Outstanding Athlete with a Disability at the Australian Tennis Awards.
Tennis can instil a great sense of community among both disabled and able bodied athletes.
players, like the non-disabled population, usually respond well to authentic praise and encouragement,” Cowan says. “It is usually best to communicate a positive to the student, to draw attention to something they are doing well or improving on, and then address the area of deficiency.” Tennis Australia recommends the Teaching Rules Equipment Environment (TREE) method of teaching people with either a physical or intellectual disability. For coaching physically impaired people this method suggests that a game-based teaching style may be of greater benefit along with creating scoring zones within the court, recommending the use of longer racquets and altering the court environment. For those who are intellectually disabled, the TREE method recommends using fewer verbal commands, breaking the activities up into smaller steps, changing activities regularly to ensure that students do not get bored, allow for more bounces, use softer balls and large bright coloured targets and start players closer to the net to help increase the chance of success. All individuals are unique and have differing capacities to learn, so it is important for coaches to ensure that they have a good understanding of the type of disability that a player may have.
“Coaches will benefit from educating themselves about the nature of the disability and the best learning style for their student. Many disabled people learn best by doing, doing, doing. Spoken instructions are often difficult for them to translate to body movements, so modelling and demonstrating, followed by active participation are often the most effective,” says Cowan. Special Education Teacher, Glen Morrison agrees with Cowan’s sentiments. “In my experience with teaching the intellectually disabled it is important to keep your goals at an achievable level. Communication needs to be respectful, clear and direct, and modelling a desired skill several times before introducing practice is very effective,” Morrison says. By including modified programs in their overall planning, coaches will be playing a part in opening access to the broader community for the disabled. The world of tennis gives people of all abilities exposure to another type of social interaction. Mixing with a variety of people from different backgrounds, and experiencing different communication styles is beneficial to everyone. This is surely a win for all. For more information visit: http://www.tennis.com.au/players/playerswith-a-disability Australian Tennis Magazine | March 2013
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Fahim advocates delivering programs that allow for both able-bodied and wheelchair players to participate together. “Recently, I have started mixing participants from wheelchair tennis programs and able-bodied programs for match play and player socialisation. This has seen some fun times on court and challenging experiences set up. Both the able-bodied and wheelchair tennis players gave full support and said they would be happy to continue, as did the parents. “For tennis coaches, the only rule difference in wheelchair tennis is the two bounce rule. Therefore, many of the activities set up in mixed sessions restricted wheelchair players to one bounce and ensured each party was challenged. Most players starting tennis want to improve, so coaching a player to improve while having fun is imperative,” Fahim says By providing a program that allows for the participation of disabled persons, coaches are promoting better physical and psychological health for these players. Melbourne-based psychologist Jillian Cowan explains that any activity that helps disabled people with their mobility and strength will be of great benefit by increasing the quality of their life. “It is well known that sport and exercise increase endorphins, thereby producing a heightened sense of well being and contentment,” Cowan explains. “Physical activity makes them physically stronger and this in turn increases their ability to live independently and master their environment. Their confidence grows, they feel better about themselves and their bodies, and they become happier as they gain more mastery.” When coaches do embark on programs for players with a disability it is important to remain patient and continually encouraging, particularly when teaching those with intellectual disabilities. “Obviously, there is a wide range of disabilities. Generally, coaches need to allow more time and more repetitions may be needed to master a skill. Disabled
The Overhead: From orange The development of the overhead, a stroke similar to the serve, is a very sequential process, requiring a series of progressive steps from Orange to Professional level. There
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23 years old
11 years old
Bianca Compuesto Sally Peers
8 years old
Elena Micic
GREEN BALL PLAYER
MyCoach
PROFESSIONAL PLAYER
ORANGE BALL PLAYER
are also some key differences as highlighted in the following comparative analysis.
Preparation Phase
Swing Phase – Backswing
Swing Phase – Backswing (cont.)
All three players assume a basic athletic ready position and are tracking the ball ready to turn side-on to the oncoming ball. The non-dominant hand supports the throat of the racquet. A continental grip is used.
The players turn side on to the oncoming ball, tracking the ball and positioning themselves according to the flight of the ball. A couple of key differences here are 1) Peers, the professional player, has a wider stance and 2) her non-dominant hand stays on the racquet for longer which helps stability.
Elbow is bent to about 90 degrees to initiate the throwing motion. The non-dominant arm tracks the ball. Players remain side on with the racquet approximately vertical. Note the steepness of shoulder tilt increases through the levels; Orange player (least steep) to Yellow player (most steep) for shoulder over shoulder rotation.
Australian Tennis Magazine | March 2013
to green and yellow ball Geoff Quinlan Tennis Australia –Manager, Coach Development; Bachelor of Applied Science
Swing Phase – Forwardswing
Swing Phase – Contact
Swing Phase – Follow through
Note the position of the racquet, displaced well away from the back, not a ‘back-scratch’ position. Effective leg drive facilitates the racquet displacement related to successful overheads. Rotation of the hips and trunk has commenced.
The professional player (Peers) has achieved the alignment through the legs, trunk, arm and racquet at contact. The Orange and Green ball players have slightly ‘broken’ alignment at contact that can be improved. All players have made contact out in front of the left leg.
Forward flexion has occurred with body weight finishing on the left leg. The racquet follow through occurs over distance to avoid the breaking forces of an abrupt finish.
Australian Tennis Magazine | March 2013
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(Honours) Human Movement; Tennis Australia High Performance Coach
MY TENNIS LIFE
My pastime, my job Tennis has enabled Mark Bloomfield to make his pastime his job and with a focus on being a positive role model to both staff and students, he’s maximising that opportunity with full effect. My most memorable moment as a player is playing tennis in Hong Kong in the Australian team versus the rest of world. It was great fun. I started playing at age seven, with Dale Collins as my first coach. I decided that I would like to buy a tennis centre in 1998. I therefore needed to become a coach in order to employ and supervise other coaches. I enrolled in the coaching course and became a coach in the year 2000.
my students to display the same level of determination in their pursuit for improvement. Mutual respect is a key to maintaining a positive coach-player relationship. I always treat my students and customers in the same manner that I would like to be treated myself. This fosters mutual respect.
The most important thing about tennis is that it needs to be fun. Tennis is a leisure and social activity that can be enjoyed for your whole life.
We have a lot of work to do in the area of attracting younger players to the game. It’s important to focus on advertising in schools and making tennis an attractive proposition against the raft of other sports available to young people these days. I am looking forward to the challenge of managing a team of coaches as we take on the management of a third tennis centre. I am keen to continue our Tournament High Performance Squad and offer them opportunities to travel and play.
Tennis is a lifetime sport. I have dedicated my life in pursuit of mastering the art of tennis management and coaching. I expect
Discipline and professionalism are critical. My role as a tennis administrator, pro shop operator and tennis coach only works if I
I have coached a vast number of players over the last decade. In fact, we coach over 1000 students at our centres every week. While I rarely coach these days, I still am responsible for overseeing 16 coaches and ensuring they are giving their best efforts every time they walk on the court.
Na me: Ma rk Bloom
field Qualifications: Tennis Australia Development Coach
Venue: Everton Ten nis and Gear; Sh aw Pa rk Ten nis an d Gear; Morn ingside Ten nis and Gear and a va riety of schools
exercise a certain level of discipline and professionalism. I hope that young players at our centres see that as a positive influence with their own level of professionalism and work ethic. My job is fantastic. I love being involved in tennis and associating with people with the same interest, Tennis has given me the gift of making my pastime my job. It has helped me explore the many facets of tennis administration, coaching, fixtures and pro shop management.
MyCoach
Fun is a key ingredient in any tennis lesson.
Attracting young players to the game through school programs can help establish a lifelong love of tennis.
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Australian Tennis Magazine | March 2013
Coach Business
What consumers want … Programming to build business Significant research in consumer habits provides a solid base for coaches to build their tennis business. ANDY SCHYMITZEK and NATASHA KERSTEN report
U
Coaches can build their business around research into consumer patterns.
Social interaction is among the main motivators for tennis participation.
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29 percent for fitness.
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18 percent for relaxation.
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15 percent for competition.
Social play with family and friends are the key ‘occasions’ to play tennis, followed by coaching programs and weekly competition. Sixty six percent of current participants would prefer a pay for play model to access tennis and only two in 10 participants who have played in the last 12 months are members of a tennis club. Furthermore, there is a huge latent demand to participate in tennis which means that opportunities exist to grow participation even further. This indicates that coaches should focus on developing programs which require low commitment from participants, allow easy access and include informal social play opportunities. The high level of competition from the entertainment industry and other sports for customers has dictated that our larger tennis facilities be professionally managed, provide multiple entry points through a diverse range of programs, feature excellent customer service, have quality
infrastructure and in general are inviting and friendly places to play. The need to understand our consumers has never been greater and therefore the education of coaches in business management is of utmost importance to ‘Places to Play’ and is an area that is evolving rapidly. Coaches have access to a range of educational resources provided by the Places to Play and Coach Education teams, including: ■■ Professional development courses. ■■
Conferences and forums for current facility managers/committees.
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Tennis Australia Master Club Professional course conducted through Deakin University.
The continued high level of tennis participation in Australia is dependent on understanding our consumers and professionalising the management of our facilities and the delivery of participation opportunities. If you require any information or assistance from the Places to Play team please contact Tennis Australia or your state Member Association. Australian Tennis Magazine | March 2013
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nderstanding what your prospective customers want is no easy task, but luckily there is plenty of research to help coaches understand exactly what tennis programs and services the general public wants to get involved in. Research commissioned by Tennis Australia over the past three years has identified many changing trends in the way tennis is consumed by the general public. This research, provided by Gemba, has been used to assist in developing the strategic plan for Australian tennis into the future and should be utilised by coaches alike when developing their programs and competition structures. Tennis consumers in today’s world have numerous motivations for participating and as such tennis coaches need to offer a wide variety of programs that engage customers across all demographic ranges. Gemba’s participation research shows that: ■■ 38 percent of participants play for social interaction.
Improving Footwork & Movement Pattern Author: Joe Kubizniak
1 – Fast feet (Warm-Up)
Focus: Footwork and movement patterns
Time: 3-5 minutes. Objective: To introduce specific footwork/movement patterns
Stage: Orange 2 to Green Court
required to defend and attack while staying light on feet.
Equipment: Rope, court markers, cones, orange balls and drop down lines Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour C
Description: • Players line up along any line on the court. • Coach demonstrates fast feet over the line – one foot leads by stepping on the line and the other foot follows. Players start slow and then increase their pace using a wide stance. • Coach now calls out back or forward – players then move with small fast side steps to simulate moving to a short ball (forward) or moving to a deep ball (backward).
Coaching Point: Players must have a strong base in a low position with their centre of gravity directed over their outside leg when moving forward or back.
2 – Box X Drill Time: Use mainly as a demonstration and let players have a practise run as exercise continues in Activity 3.
Objective: To practise footwork/movement patterns that enable C
the execution of balls in the back court (red zone) and front court (green zone).
Description: • Coach sets up four cones of different colours which forms a three metre squared box. • Player starts “fast feet” exercise on a spot marker in the middle of their box. • Coach calls out a colour of a cone with each player moving to designated cone using same movement pattern as activity one – once at cone player to shadow swing then return to the centre of the box. • Initially follow a sequence; move back to deep forehand, move forward to short backhand, move back to deep backhand and move forward to short forehand. C
1st FH
4th FH
3rd BH
Coaching Point: Ensure players are positioned in a semi-opened stance when executing deep balls and in a neutral linear position for short balls.
3 – X Drill – Utilising the court
2nd BH
Time: 25 minutes. Objective: To practise footwork/movement patterns from random coach fed balls while working on shot selection.
Description:
MyCoach
• Coach sets-up box drill on side of court – one player to call out colour of cone while other is working through patterns. • Two remaining players work through patterns on-court – one hitting and other picking up balls. • Coach to set-up a rope and targets so players can work on shot selection – deep ball to be hit over the rope and cross court and short balls to be hit under the rope. • Progress to feed random balls and create a team competition where points are awarded for either consistent footwork/movement patterns, correct shot selection and hitting targets. Cone Rope 56
Australian Tennis Magazine | March 2013
Coaching Point: Players should be reminded to recover and move efficiently between shots. Coach to ensure players are executing shots to facilitate hip rotation.