SUMMER 2020
LINE CALLS USPTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
President's Message Jeff Miller
My Fellow USPTA Southern California Members, As I write this message to you, tennis courts and club operations are slowly coming back. I know it has been a long wait for this day, but hopefully things will continue to open up for tournaments, high schools and colleges. As we start to get back to teaching the game we love in this “new normal� here are a few guidelines to remember. Things are changing rapidly so please check with your fellow USPTA pros, Managers and CDC guidelines as well. Here are a couple of links for further information.
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2021, IT IS VITAL THAT EACH USPTA PRO HAS EARNED AT LEAST 6 EDUCATIONAL CREDIT UNITS, OR MET THE REQUIREMENT SENT TO YOU DIRECTLY FROM USPTA. THIS WILL BE VITAL TO QUALIFY FOR HAVING YOUR USPTA 2021 DUES COVERED BY THE USTA AND THE USPTA. HERE ARE THE TOTAL REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR 2021 DUES GIFT: 6 EDUCATIONAL CREDITS BY OCTOBER 1, 2020 BE A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING AND RESIDING/TEACHING IN THE UNITED STATES. COMPLETE SAFE PLAY & BACKGROUND CHECK AGREE TO A GOOD FAITH COMMITMENT TO INTRODUCE 50 NEW PEOPLE TO THE GAME OF TENNIS AS A BOARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER VALUE ANYWAY WE CAN. WE WILL BE HOSTING REGULAR ZOOM MEETINGS FOR OUR MEMBERS TO EARN EDUCATION CREDITS AND CONNECT WITH LOCAL PROS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. OUR NEXT ZOOM MEETING WILL BE ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 23 AT 6:30 PM WITH TWO OUTSTANDING SPEAKERS, ELIZABETH LUNA AND MEIKE BABEL, EMCEED BY OUR OWN EVAN PARRY. LOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS EVENT SOON. WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TENTATIVE PLANNING FOR OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR 2021 AND HOPE WE CAN ALL GET TOGETHER IN PERSON SOON. STAY HEALTHY AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
JEFF MILLER 310-948-1727 JEFF@JEFFMILLERCOACHING.COM
In Memory of Don Henson
July 23, 1943 ~ June 10, 2020 Tribute by Dave Hagler: This is about my relationship with Don. I met Don in 1994 when I was upgrading. Like many who upgrade, I was not thrilled at having to do so. When I took the certification exam my group lesson was on serve – and I had 4 players whose NTRP ranged from 5.5 to 2.5. I taught 4 private lessons, which you aren’t supposed to do. Don called and encouraged me to attend the CRIC (preparation class) which took place the day before the test. He said, “I can’t make you do this, but if you come I’m confident it will be worth your time.” So I drove up to Atascadero to take the test. A white haired guy who may or may not have been wearing a Fred Perry vest greeted me at the court entrance. He somehow knew my name, and said, “Hello Dave Hagler, I’m Don Henson.” I was already doing a lot of things in my lessons that were considered “unconventional” and best and “lunacy” at worst. Don was doing many of these same things as well as a bunch of other stuff I’d never thought of. I’m going to paraphrase a bunch of “Hensonisms.” Don was very picky about the way things should be worded, but hopefully the meaning will be clear. “The effectiveness of a lesson is largely a function of the clarity of its intent.” “Don’t have an agenda; make sure you deal with what is in front of you.” “Watch them (or him or her) hit first. Why waste time on something someone already knows how to do?” “Before you know where you are going, you’d better figure out where you are. It’s tough to give directions if you don’t know the starting and ending points.” “Learning is internal. If you can feel a difference you can make a change. If you can’t tell the difference between a ‘new’ and an ‘old’ stroke, how will you be able to replicate the new one?” “Ask the player what happens when he misses (for example) his forehand.” “Too much information turns a student into a motor idiot.” “Sometimes an appropriate target is ‘North’.”
“Don’t tell the player he hit a good one. Ask him to tell you when he hits one that he liked.” “Please say “hold.” Freeze is yucky; it’s stiff, inanimate and disgusting.” “Don’t tell the student what to do. Ask them.” “Show them, and have them show you.” When Don was helping people prepare for the stroke production portion of the USPTA exam, he’d say, “All you have to do is hit the ball with the right spin to the right place. It doesn’t have to be a lot (of spin), it just has to be what is asked for. My topspin backhand turns over twice on a windy day.” He made one statement that made me very uncomfortable “When you walk into a club, you should never have to ask who the pro is. You should dress and act professionally.” I had a personal bias. I’d seen teaching pros with beautiful Italian tennis clothes who were full of themselves but couldn’t teach a lick. It was my belief that the skill of a teaching pro was inversely proportional to the cost of his clothes. A lot of this was familiar to me, but the presentation gave greater context and clarity to this information. Some of it was brand new, and together the old and the new formed the foundation of my teaching, coaching and exploration. Don understood that teaching tennis was partly performance art. I asked a bunch of questions as did all of the other applicants and upgrades. At the conclusion of the exam, Don asked, “Can you stick around; I’d like to talk with you for a minute?” I said, “Sure.” I wondered what he’d want to talk with me about. “David, it is important that we keep in touch because someday you will be a tester.” We kept in touch. Don trained me to be a tester. He emphasized that the Certification Exam should be a learning experience for the applicant. The way we treat them (applicants and upgrades) affects their view of the entire organization. We can give them a chance to develop and achieve greatness. He said a few more things to us during the CRIC that I have written on many exams: “Have more fun, and they will too.” “Trust yourself, teach like you.” “You are on the right track, keep growing.” “You are already good at this, and you’re only going to get better.” Don trained a lot of us to be testers – me, Simon Paek, Eric Mann, Sid Newcomb and probably others. He educated, enlightened and taught us, and he made us better. Don’s influence will continue in the lessons of those who learned from him, and from those who learn from us, and those who learn from them. Because of him, we are better testers, teachers and people. Don would call at weird hours, in all fairness if he called during normal hours I’d be teaching. He’d ask questions – technical, tactical, psychological, motor learning, balance, visual. I’d ask him questions. Sometimes we hoped for verification, at others we sought an answer or a path to one, or hoped to explore novel ways of thinking. We’d talk about Tennis, Baseball, Hockey, the people who played and those who didn’t. I told his son Patrick there were times when Don and I fought like brothers, two stubborn, opinionated and passionate guys who loved and respected each other so much. The fact he told me I was the first person he bounced ideas off of and that I “got it” as well as anyone means more than I can say - because it came from him. Most of the time I was, “Dave.” When he was serious or upset, I was “David.” It was an honor to make several presentations for the Tennis Teacher’s Institute. I was fortunate that I helped Don during the last Certification Exam he gave for the USPTA. In 2021, there will be no more USPTA Testing as a new system is being instituted. In a way it seems fitting that this is the case, because when I think of a USPTA Certification I think of Don.
We spoke often as Don approached the end. I asked about his immunotherapy. Apparently it was as much fun as fighting Bob Probert, and then finding out you’d get to fight him again the next night. Don’s last words to me were, “It’s tough right now, and I’m really struggling but I’m going to try to hang in there – I’ll take two and hit to right.” Don loved his family and church, people, teaching tennis teachers and the sport itself. He was in many ways the finest tennis teacher I have ever seen. I thank and honor him by passing on his lessons on and off the court. A list of the people he impacted in a positive way would fill a book – a thick one. They are as diverse and different as people can be. But he helped us all. He changed the way tennis is taught. I personally honor Don by hitting drop shots that land in then bounce back to my side of the net. I miss him a lot.
DISTRICT NEWS District 1 President Martin Parkes Martin Parkes has over 22 years coaching experience at every level (beginner to professional) and carries a unique range of playing, educational and personal player development successes throughout his years in coaching. A former top junior and professional player from the U.K., Coach Parkes has been based in the U.S. over the last 18 years, where he has coached at the Saddlebrook International tennis
District 1: Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties
academy, Florida for nine years predominantly as the ITF Team head coach and academy mental performance director.After moving into college coaching and completing his MBA in Sports Business he coached the Saint Leo university men's team to a National final and #1 national ranking and also helped the ladies team to two final four appearances in three years. Coach Parkes moved to Pepperdine as
District President: Martin Parkes 813-618-0466 martin.parkes@pepperdine.edu
the men’s assistant coach for the 2016-17 season helping the team to 2nd place finish in the WCC regular season and to the championship final!In summer of 2017, Parkes moved roles to become the Pepperdine Crest Associates tennis program coach to better serve the entire Pepperdine and local community with his teachings and weekly engaging tennis program hosted at the Pepperdine Crest tennis facility on campus. Parkes’s coaching highlights include coaching at a NCAA national final with Saint Leo, acting as a sports psychologist and traveling coach to Jonathan Marray on the tour the "2012 Wimbledon men’s doubles champion", and influencing multiple players during their player development journeys - many that have gone onto become top professionals, represent their countries or play for some of the top collegiate programs in the country.
DISTRICT NEWS
District 2 President District 2: San Fernando Valley & Kern County
Tennis is a safe way to get exercise and stay safe during these uncertain times. SoCal junior tennis is getting back in the swing with UTR tournaments. With strict social distancing and protocols in place juniors are able to get back on the courts and do what they love to do. We are looking forward to seeing how your players are getting back
District President: Dina McBride 661-904-6237 dinamcbride3@gmail.com
on the court. Please send us your updates to dinamcbride3@gmail.com. Jordyn McBride the current #3 in SoCal hits a forehand in the quarters of the UTR Junior Sectionals at the Tennis Club at Newport Beach.
DISTRICT NEWS Follow us for the latest news and happenings.
District 4 Happenings
District 4: South Bay to North Orange County (Including Fullerton & Huntington Beach District President: Rhonda Rabanal 424-282-3675 hi@rhondar.com
“Strong Collaboration Between Decision Makers and Coaches� On Tues May 19 the Recreation Director and Recreation Supervisor of the City of Manhattan Beach hosted a Zoom conference meeting with tennis coaches formally affiliated with the parks and recreation tennis programs. Over the course of an hour, majority of the time was allocated to tennis coaches sharing concerns and brain dumping possible solutions while adhering to the regulations set by Los Angeles County. The collaboration between the decision makers within the Parks and Recreation Department at the City of Manhattan Beach have provided unyielding support to coaches since the start of the shutdown.
IN AN EFFORT TO ELIMINATE OR MINIMIZE UNNECESSARY PHYSICAL CONTACT, COURT RESERVATIONS ARE PRIORITIZED TO TENNIS COACHES WITH THE OPTION TO NOW RESERVE AND PAY FOR COURTS ONLINE. PRIOR TO THE SHUTDOWN, THIS WAS NOT AN OPTION. THE ADAPTATION AND WILLINGNESS TO BE AS HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE BY THOSE DECISION MAKERS HAS LED TO A SAFE RETURN TO THE TENNIS COURTS IN MANHATTAN BEACH. IT ALL STARTED WITH ACQUIRING FIRST-HAND FEEDBACK FROM THE COACHES WHO DEPEND ON TENNIS TO EARN A LIVING. I HAVE NO DOUBT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT AT MANHATTAN BEACH AND TENNIS COACHES WILL CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE AS WE ALL GET USED TO A DIFFERENT SET OF NORMALITIES.
DISTRICT NEWS
District 5 Happenings District 4: East LA County & North Orange County, San Bernadino & Riverside Counties District President: Evan Parry 951-694-2408
Greetings District 5 Pros! Although these past couple of months have been very
difficult for our profession and industry, I've been encouraged to hear of your resiliency during these troubling times. I've also been excited to hear that some of you have been able to resume teaching at your respective facilitiesthis is great news! After city approval, I was able to reopen my facility on May 22nd. We decided to resume private lessons, member play, and small group classes for our "Phase One" plan. I would encourage all of us to continue using recommended safety protocols when teaching, now that many of us are back out on the court.
evanmparry@gmail.com
Please see the USTA "Playing Tennis Safely" flier for more best practices when playing and teaching. Also, check out the video below in 'quick tips' on safe stringing practices.
DISTRICT NEWS District 6 Happenings Hi District 6, I hope you are all as busy teaching as much as you want to be and are enjoying the summer. Even if it is hot it's better than being on lock-down.
District 6: South Orange County (from Anaheim & Newport Beach) District President: Tim Ludeke 714-553-1473 Timludeke@gmail.com
I also hope you, your friends and family are doing well. Please take care of yourself, your family, and your students. Let's do our best to reduce the number of cases of COVID. Also, please save some of your hard-earned money just in case there is another lock-down. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me. Don't forget to attend our next virtual education event on August 23 at 6:30 p.m. The details are in this issue. We look forward to seeing you there. Also, as a reminder, registration is now open for the Virtual World Conference September 21-23. There will be world-class speakers and also many opportunities to network with your peers.
VIRTUAL TOWNHALL EDUCATION AUGUST 23, 6:30PM Join us for our next virtual education event on Sunday, August 23 at 6:30 p.m. Evan Parry will moderate as Meike Babel and Elizabeth Luna dive into 'Mental Toughness & Wellness During Difficult Times.' This presentation will be 2 hours and will be worth 1 education credit. Meike and Elizabeth will each present on this interesting and very relevant topic, followed by a Q & A moderated by Evan. Meike is a former world-class tennis player, reaching a career high of #27 in singles and #45 in doubles in 1995 on the WTA Tour. In 1992, Meike was nominated for the WTA “Rookie of the Year� Award. After retiring from the WTA Tour, Meike was the Assistant Coach for Women's Tennis at Tulane University and Vanderbilt University. In 2008, Meike graduated from Vanderbilt with a degree in Human and Organizational Development. She received further training from Duke University Integrative Medicine to assist clients in behavior modification and she is also a Mental Toughness Specialist certified by Dr. Jim Loehr’s Human Performance Institute. Meike is currently coaching in Denver, CO and works as Mental Skills coach with the Women's Tennis team at Vanderbilt as well as individual athletes from different sports. She is also serving as USTA Regional Training Center Mental Skills Coach. Elizabeth Luna is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who primarily works with children and adolescents who endure anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, and struggle with adjustments issues, behavioral challenges, and parent-child conflict. For the last 2 years, she has been focused on working with athletes, as a Mental Performance Consultant Intern, on elevating their athletic performance by teaching the importance of mental training and implementing the mental skills into their sport, career, performances, and daily lives, in order to achieve peak mental conditioning. Elizabeth believes in a client centered strength-based integrative approach focusing on culturally informed evidence-based practice, while facilitating the client to build empowering mental skills and learn how to effectively implement these skills into their daily lifestyle in order to build, thrive, and fortify a resilient mindset. Elizabeth holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and is completing, Summer 2020, a Master's Degree in Sport Psychology from John F. Kennedy University.
THE BIG 5 MILO BRYANT
A diversity in coaching styles is an absolute must if athletic development is the goal with our young athletes. That holds true for the single-coach shop and for the country clubs with multiple pros. Our athletes' bodies and brains go through radical changes during our first two decades. As pros, we want athletes to develop a love for the game that lasts a lifetime. Some of them may become touring professionals. Most will not. Yet, in the developmental stages we should treat those two athletes similarly. One person can be all five coaches, some are – most are not. Some organizations have all of these coaches, and they are coaching the right age groups. Other organizations have these coaches as well. But, they are definitely not with the proper age group. THE MOTIVATOR – This is the rah-rah-rah coach. The cheerleader. This is the coach who is the monkey-see-monkey-do coach. This coach gets on the ground and crawls with the young athletes. This is the coach who does not mind looking goofy. In fact, if you tell this coach what is being done is goofy, the coach looks at you strange and questions your motives with the athletes. This coach cannot be a rookie. The coach must mentally understand and physically be able to do everything that is being taught. Because, it is at this age (4-8) where the fundamentals are learned: of movement, of the swing, of the kick, of the shot, of the throw and more. Everything we want them to do as advanced level athletes in our sport starts here. Attention spans are short at this age. We get three, maybe four words to describe the intricacies of what we want them to do. The programming must be simplified enough first. Then it always must be conveyed in a fun and engaging manner. If you cannot be fun and engaging on a consistent basis with athletes who talk as much as Phineas or loves Shaun the Sheep’s adventures, maybe this group is not for you. THE PATIENT TEACHER – This coach must teach athletes everything they need to know about competing on the WTA and ATP tours. But, the coach must teach knowing that the athletes will not be able to do a large percentage of what is being taught with any consistency because they are simply not strong enough or dexterous enough to do them.
But mentally, these athletes can learn – a lot. This covers boys from a biological 9-12 and girls from 8-11. They are going through a neuronal explosion, a period of immense learning potential. This is when they can understand tons of educational concepts. They can learn languages easier. They can understand both linear and abstract concepts. For us, though, their ability to understand movement, feel, and touch is phenomenal. This is when we put them in the most difficult situations physically, and teach them to get out of that spot. Again, they will not have a tremendous amount of success. But it is not about success at this point. It is about the continued attempts, the continued learning. Some of the athletes may actually garner a lot of success during this stage. As long as that success comes from a developmental perspective, all is great! THE FAMILY PSYCHOLOGIST – This must be the team’s most patient coach because, at this point, the athlete is going through puberty. Mother Nature is taking the whole family on a trip and nobody can accurately tell how it is going to go or when it will end. The athlete and the family will need to get comfortable with inconsistency because growth is inconsistent. The athlete may have had success as a younger junior. But that same success may stop coming. And it is not because the athlete is doing wrong. Coaches, we need to understand that on July 1, a boy (pubertal growth is more dramatic in boys) could be 5-feet 10-inches tall. Then August 1, he could be 5’11”. That is an inch taller with limbs all growing at different rates. Yet, the racket has not changed. The court has not changed. The ball has not changed. It will take time for that athlete to adjust to the body’s changes. Sometimes, mentally, that is difficult for the athlete and the parent. This coach must continue building on the movement patterns of the last coach, but must also help the family navigate the peaks and valleys associated with puberty. THE FINISHER – This coach is responsible for putting it all together. By the time the athletes get to this coach, they are strong enough, dexterous enough, smart enough and they are motivated enough to totally screw up everything! Excessive amounts of testosterone, estrogen and several other hormones have given these athletes new abilities and strengths. The athletes have new man parts and woman parts and feelings and emotions and, yes, even desires. This coach must manage this hormonal, post-pubertal athlete while simultaneously showing them that they can now do all that stuff they learned when they were 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Throw in there, too, that this coach must funnel energy because once this athlete knows something is going to work, the athlete can get hamstrung by that one thing. THE COACH’S COACH – Finally you must have a person who can massage ALL of these egos – not of the athletes, but of the coaches. Every coach plays a role. One role does not have more importance than another. If the program is to have success, it is going to be because of a team effort.