MIDWESTconnection Spring 2020
USPTA members at the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Clinic
United States Professional Tennis Association Midwest Division Newsletter
In This Issue: 2 From USPTA Midwest Division President Mike Graff 3 From USPTA President Feisal Hassan 5 New Certification Pathway FAQ 6 Tips for Beating 7 Common Opponents 7 Exciting News to Share 8 Doubles: One Size Does Not Fit All 9 Learning to Transition as a Junior Tournament Player 12 Know Your Role 13 Job Openings 15 State High School Tennis Coaches Conferences with Midwest Division
From the Midwest Division President Spring Greetings, I am sure you have read enough in the last two weeks about “unprecedented times” and “an abundance of caution” to last a awhile. We hope you and your families are staying safe, keeping busy and using this unexpected time to your advantage. In this issue you will see a quick look back at our most recent education events in conjunction with the high school coaches associations in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana. The Midwest Division has always valued our tight relationships with high school coaches throughout the division. You will also see a look forward to the USPTA’s new certification pathways coming this year and next. In addition you will see links to some nice educational opportunities being offered while we may have some extra time on our hands. In the meantime be safe, help those you can, prepare for the future and come back stronger and smarter than you were before. As always, if there is anything the Midwest USPTA can do for you please do not hesitate to contact any of your board members. Regards,
Mike Graff, USPTA Midwest President
Thanks to our partners and endorsees for their support!
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2020 Officers
From the President:
President Mike Graff • 248-866-0508 mike@baselinetennis.net
Email originally sent March 20. Information updated April 7. Dear Members: During this time of unprecedented uncertainty, the USPTA Board of Directors is concerned about the safety and well-being of your families, colleagues, customers, partners, and the many friends who make up the USPTA family. Our hearts are with those who have been affected personally by the outbreak of coronavirus. The USPTA fully supports the USTA statement released on April 3, saying “ it is in the best interest of society to take a collective pause from playing the sport we love.” As each day goes by dealing with COVID-19, more and more facilities are being closed, tennis departments are shutting down or your income is being cut. If that is happening, please check with your employer regarding their human resources policies. As an Association, we will be doing the following: First, we temporarily removed the paywall on www.TennisResources.com until April 30. Members in good standing can access the following courses at no charge. In addition, on Wednesdays, we will highlight a video for education credits on social media. Just a reminder: each course is only eligible for credits one time. Second, we have created a closed Facebook group for members to discuss best practices, share innovative ideas and offer support to each other. Additionally, at the right are some links with helpful information about protecting your health and safety. I know that most of our members of the USPTA family have never experienced this level of uncertainty in our businesses and our way of life. We have been through turbulent times before, and what has always carried us through has been our commitment to our values, our culture and most of all, to each other. As the President of our organization, I am confident that we will emerge from this crisis as a strong, trusted Association that truly connects tennis professionals like no other and we will be become stronger for having gone through this experience together. I continue to be honored and humbled to lead our Association. I plan on giving updates if and when it is appropriate. Thank you for all that you are doing and most of all stay safe. Sincerely,
Helpful Websites
USPTA COVID 19 Support Group (closed Facebook page for USPTA members)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ usptacovid19supportgroup/
www.usta.com/en/home/safe-play.html Safe Play Training & Background Screening (Dec. 31, 2020 deadline)
Feisal Hassan USPTA President
TennisDrills.tv
https://tennisdrills.tv/
TennisResources.com
https://www.tennisresources.com/videosearch/?_sft_ld_course_tag=free-for-members
LIG affordable health insurance coverage
https://ligmembers.com/uspta/
More resources
https://www.uspta.com/USPTA/Membership/ Member_Resources/How_to_Prepare_for_ Coronavirus.aspx
Regional Vice President Matt Davis • 224-247-2483 tenace4@gmail.com Second Vice President John Frausto • 920-860-0751 johnfrausto@gmail.com Third Vice President Cathy Thomas • 513-218-0782 cthomas6@cinci.rr.com Treasurer-Secretary Matt Boughton • 715-559-3168 mboughton@ymca-cv.org Past President Scott Ansay • 262-241-4250 scottansay@hotmail.com Executive Director Carol L. Anderson - 503.941.5137 carol.anderson@uspta.org
State Presidents
Ohio Nick Bennett • 740-399-5057 nick@matchpoint10s.us Wisconsin Dan Oliver • 920-227-7005 danonhgb@aol.com Illinois Lindsay L. Geiger • 773-960-4117 lindsaygeiger@sbcglobal.net Michigan Chip Fazio • 313-670-3277 chipfazio@gmail.com Indiana Umang Chadda • 309-255-3224 umangrk@hotmail.com Head Tester Mike Lange • 630-978-6746 mike.lange@rushcopley.com
USPTA World Headquarters 800-USPTA-4U uspta@uspta.org
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New Certification Pathway FAQ Important dates to remember These are requirements new applicants must fulfill if they want to join the USPTA at the Professional level. Applicants must be 18 years or older. The new pathway includes: 1. 6 to 9 months of hands-on work experience under the guidance of a USPTA-approved mentor. 2. 300 hours of online and/or inperson education. 3. USTA Safe Play, including a background check. The background check must be completed every two years. The USTA will cover the cost of Safe Play and background checks. The pathway will take effect for all applications started on or after Nov. 1, 2020. All applications started on or before Oct. 31, 2020, will follow the current certification pathway and must complete all tested components by Dec. 31, 2020. Additionally, in 2021, the continuing education requirement will increase from 12 hours to 15 hours in a 3-year period.
Why is the pathway changing? The USPTA’s stated mission is to “elevate the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches.” This new certification pathway will ensure all USPTA-certified tennis teachers will at least meet, if not exceed, these standards. It is important to note that not all of these requirements apply to the Tennis Instructor category, which is also certified. The key difference is Professional level certification is for those that teach tennis full-time, whereas the Tennis Instructor category is for those that teach seasonally or part-time.
Tennis Instructor certification pathway: (begins Jan. 1, 2021) 1. Teaching Essentials 1 (14 hours in person) 2. 16 hours of online education, including Coach Youth Tennis b. USTA Safe Play, including a background check c. CPR/AED d. Additional 3-4 hours of online education
I am a certified Professional. Do I need to do anything? No. But please note, beginning in January 2021, your continuing education requirement will increase to 15 hours over a three-year period. To check your continuing education status, log into uspta.com and go to My Profile.
What counts towards the 300 hours of online education? The USPTA offers thousands of hours of online education, covering everything from teaching philosophies to fun drills for all ages and skill levels. These videos, courses and webinars can be found online at TennisResources.com. You can also submit other online education opportunities to the USPTA Education team for approval.
I am currently applying to be a certified Professional. Does the new pathway apply to me? Not if you started your application prior to Nov. 1, 2020, AND you complete all tested components of your application by Dec. 31, 2020. Tested components include: -The on-court assessment (teaching private and group lessons, 5 elements of stroke production: forehand, backhand, volley, serve, miscellaneous) -Online education and exams: PTCA 1, 2-hour written exam, 20-minute grips exam To ensure as many applicants complete their testing as possible, the USPTA is increasing certification dates by at least 15% across all divisions in the fourth quarter of 2020. Additionally, Los Angeles, New York and Orlando will have weekly testing, while Dallas and Houston will alternate weeks, during November and December of 2020 (holiday weeks excluded), if needed. If you started your application prior to Nov. 1, 2020 but DO NOT complete all tested components by Dec. 31, you will be required to follow the new certification pathway. *
September 21-15, 2020 Spring 2020 Midwest Connection 5
Tips for Beating 7 Common Opponents Matt Boughton, USPTA Elite Professional
1
The Pusher
Patience is your greatest ally. You have to prepare to suffer. Take advantage of their game and their weakness. Get to the net. You have to get them out of their comfort zone. You can do this by coming into the net. This means when you see a short or medium ball, you get to the net and force them to create the passing shot. This will force them to make errors and quick decisions. If you can, come in on their second serves. Bring the pusher to the net. Hit short shots and get them off the baseline. The pusher feeds off your pace. The harder you hit the ball the harder they hit the ball. Taking a little off your shot will force them to create pace which is something they may not be comfortable with. Hit all second serves. This will rob them of pace, and might allow you to serve and volley
2
Attacking your backhand
When an opponent wants to attack your backhand, you will want to be conservative with your backhand. No errors, force them to hit the ball. Run around the backhand when appropriate. If they are hitting at your backhand, but without pace, run around it. In this situation you should go for a winner, or a good deep forcing shot. Get to the net. They can’t force you to hit backhands from the baseline if you are at the net. Attack the second serve. This will take away your opponent’s chance to pressure your backhand. Take two steps in, hit, and move to the net. This is an approach shot, not a winner Play your patterns. If you are trying to guard a particular shot, then try to set up only forehand patterns. Don’t allow them the opportunity to hit the ball to your backhand.
3
The Player With Speed
You will know this player right away. Ever say to yourself, “They are everywhere.” or “They get to everything.”? Players with speed love to run and they will hit the ball well on the run. Don’t let them use their speed. Hit the ball down the middle. This will force the player to step away from the ball when they hit. Don’t try to make it harder for them to hit the ball, make it easier! Hit at them and take their feet away. Typically you will notice that their footwork will breakdown throughout the match as they become lazy.
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4
The Serve-and-Volley player
5
The Weak Serve
6
The Lefty’s Serve
7
The Big Serve
Watch for the correct moving object, don’t watch the player, watch the ball. Try to find the ball as early as you can. Hit a softer return. Take some pace off your return of serve. If you pound the ball at them, they will use your pace against you. Hitting a soft return forces them to create pace, and make a shot. Hit a heavy ball. Hit the ball with lots of topspin attempting to get the ball at their feet (target the service line). Hit your return at them. Seek and destroy. Stay in control and hit at their chest. Return crosscourt. Mix and Match. Lob. Use some of all of these tactics. Keep them guessing.
Force them to get more cautious on their first serve. You see this often on big points. Don’t over hit or make unforced errors. RIP. Returns in Play. Move inside the baseline. You need to take two steps forward. Keep moving your feet. The easier the shot, the lazier you get. Take short steps. Start your feet moving before they toss. Stay light and loose on the balls of your feet. Shorten your grip and your backswing. Grip down a little on the racquet, this will shorten your backswing and help you maintain control of the racquet.
Move over. Cheat! You have to take away the wide serve by moving closer to the ad court alley. It reduces their target area. Get closer to the alley, and take a few steps forward. You want to deny them the opportunity to hit their strength to your weakness. Make them ace you down the middle. Don’t give credit to a lefty. Remember that when serving to the lefty you have the same advantage on the deuce side. USE IT!
Move back three steps. Give them a different look. Force this player to react to what you’re doing. The extra distance will give you the time you need to react to the ball. Move in three steps. If moving back doesn’t work, move in. Grip down on the racquet and try to block the ball back. When they see you standing closer to the net, they will try to hit even harder, lowering their first-serve percentage. Shorten the swing. Mess with their mind. If someone is beating you with their serve, you’ve got to work on their mind. Changing your court position might just accomplish this if you MAKE IT OBVIOUS! *
Exciting News to Share John R. Embree, USPTA CEO
Originally published in ADDvantage Magazine January 2020
If you have been following my messaging over the last year, you are well aware of the changes that the USPTA will be undergoing as a part of our new accreditation status from the USTA. In case you may have missed it, here is what you need to know. Commencing on January 1, 2021: To become a USPTA certified tennis professional, new applicants will be required to accumulate 1,200 hours of hands on learning/work experience (generally 8 months to 12 months) at a club or facility under the watchful eye of an approved USPTA mentor. In addition, 300 hours of on-line and/or face-to-face education will be part of the new standards of the new certification pathway. The credibility of our members and the safety of their students are paramount for the USPTA. For that reason, we are excited that every USPTA member in good standing will be Safe Play trained and complete a background screening every two years. This cost will be absorbed by the USTA. The tennis public can rest assured that USPTA professionals will be well vetted and of the highest standards in order to ease the decision about who will coach their children. The continuing education requirement will increase 25% from 12 hours to 15 hours for all USPTA members who are required to participate. The USTA will be promoting these new higher standards to those who employ tennis professionals, so that these new higher standards mean something in the marketplace. Without question, this is a paradigm shift for our association. It is going to be a “heavy lift” to make sure that our entire membership and any new professionals
entering our industry understand what will be taking place 12 months from now. As difficult as this will be, this initiative underscores our stated mission of “elevating the standards of tennis-teaching professionals and coaches” and will help tennis attract and retain more players. As a part of the new certification pathway, I am pleased to announce an upgrade to the Recreational Coach membership category that will make it more attractive to those first time professionals, high school/college players or part time coaches who want to be a part of the new USPTA. Launching in Q1 of 2020, the Recreational Coach category will become USPTA Instructor which will be a new certified category that includes liability insurance for the same dues of $199. This USPTA Instructor level will require applicants to have face to face training in the newly developed Teaching Essentials 1 (2-day workshop) which focuses primarily on the all- important job of teaching entry level programs for beginning youth and adults. In addition, it will require approximately 16 hours of on-line learning that will include Coach Youth Tennis, plus Safe Play training, background screening along with CPR and AED. The remaining hours will be filled by other online courses that will be communicated once we are ready to go to market. More details on this category and the impact on Recreational Coach members will be coming soon.
In collaboration with the USTA, the Teaching Essentials 1 workshops are scheduled to start late in January so that interested professionals can attend. Please see the calendar in the back of this ADDvantage section for workshops near you. We will have a complete schedule of dates and locations of these workshops throughout the year. These Teaching Essentials 1 sessions will be administered under the capable tutelage of Steve Keller and Craig Jones of the USTA, in addition to other USPTA coach developers. The feedback from the initial pilots held in 2019 has been phenomenal. If there are any USPTA members who wish to host one of the TE 1 workshops, please reach out to me with your club information and potential dates so we can bake it into our planning. I cannot guarantee that your facility will be able to hold one of these work-shops but we will do our best to make it work. Finally, and because of the popular demand, we have extended the PTR equivalency for PTR members who wish to join the only fully accredited tennis teaching organization through August of 2021. Over the course of the next 12 months, we will be highlighting the changes that are coming with the hope that no one will be caught unaware when 2021 rolls around. The USPTA is the clear-cut leader in education and we will be positively impacting how tennis is delivered in the USA. Let’s get after it! *
Midwest Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner at the Western & Southern Open Thursday, Aug. 20, 5 p.m.
Midwest Summer Symposium
at the Western & Southern Open Friday, Aug. 21, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Spring 2020 Midwest Connection 7
Doubles: One Size Does Not Fit All, and That’s Okay Jon Pickett, USPTA Elite Professional The biggest mistake I made in my early years of teaching was thinking that “one size fits all” with student development. This was especially true when teaching doubles. I learned a very traditional style of doubles: serve-and-volley, win points with two players at the net, keep points as short as possible. While these are important skills in doubles, the problem is not all players have these strengths. While we can spend countless hours drilling players in these skills, our time may be better spent embracing their individual strengths to be the best doubles players they can be. I have three key pillars in teaching doubles development: •Promote doubles however you can! •Focus on players strengths, not what “should work”. •Encourage “out of comfort zone” development in practice. Promote doubles however you can! I usually get one of two reactions when I tell students that we are going to work on doubles. Half of the students give a fist bump and high five their favorite doubles partner, and half of the students’ faces turn white and are immediately scared about getting hit and having to play the net.
Drills for encouraging doubles diversity: Doubles has become lost in many play formats. It is now just a 6 or 8 game set in college tennis and in most youth tournaments. As players enter young adulthood and beyond, most people will play more doubles than singles. Yes, you can still play singles for a long time (some at our club well into their 80’s), but doubles is far more common in club tennis. If players do not like doubles when they are younger, the chances of them liking it as they grow older in tennis is also low. Why do players not like doubles? Well, to be harsh, they are probably bad at it. We need to make doubles fun! Focus on players strengths. 8 Spring 2020 Midwest Connection
So how do we make doubles for everyone? How do we take a “one size does not fit all” approach? It’s easy! Embrace players’ strengths and promote drills and strategies to continue to develop those strengths. If players are stronger at the net, get them to the net. If players are stronger at the baseline, keep them at the baseline. If a player has a strong topspin serve, teach them to serve and volley. If a team has strong forehands, teach them how to play “I formation” or “Australian Formation” on the ad side to use those forehands. If a player “misses too many volleys “at the net and keeps pushing back towards the service line, get them off the net! The traditional doubles model will not fit everyone and forcing it will only make some players frustrated and never want to play doubles. It is the same for singles; if a player does not like singles, you need to find a way to make their strengths work in singles. Even five years ago, I would have cringed thinking that I would ever tell a doubles team to play “two back” (both players play points at the baseline). The first time I ever told two players to play two back on their service game, I thought I may be going insane! I don’t preach this strategy often, but there are times when it may be the best fit for certain players, and don’t avoid it because it’s not the norm.Encourage “out of comfort zone” development in practice. The final pillar in my doubles development philosophy is to encourage drill diversity in practice. Once you have set a standard of embracing strengths, it is important that you are able to encourage (not force) play style diversity. There is no “one size fits all” approach on how to break this up but typically I spend about 70% of the time working on maximizing players strengths and 30% of the time focusing on their weaknesses (That is another article all in itself, but my general thought is that player weaknesses will probably never fully develop into strengths, and player strengths tend
to keep getting better at a faster rate). Utilizing a diverse collection of drills which target specific practice areas is a great way for players to develop skills that are outside of their comfort zone.
Alternate First Ball Drills 2 vs 2; each team is set up 1 up and 1 back. The pro will feed from the back tarp on either side; feed to the baseline player on the far side. The player receiving the feed has four options for their first ball: 1) slice cross-court, 2) attack the net player, 3) lob the net player, return and come in. The player receiving the feed is not allowed to hit a cross-court return and stay back. After the first ball, there are no rules for the rest of the point. Feed to the same player for a game to 7, then have all players rotate one spot (4 games total). This drill encourages players to try different first ball strategies. Variation: Set a rule that the player cannot use the same strategy twice in a row! No Break Doubles 2 vs 2; teams may start in whatever formation they like (two up, two back, one up one back, etc). The pro feeds from the net off to the side of the court. The pro can feed wherever they would like for any point (and as tough as they would like). Between points, players do not have time to reset; if the court is clear of balls, the pro should feed the next ball right away. Vary your feeds and make them difficult! Players will have to learn to communicate well and adjust fast. Pick a Card. I have a coffee mug on my desk with slips of paper that have different “doubles rules”. For set play, I often bring out the mug and have a team draw a special rule for their set. One team draws a slip of paper for that set; then the other team will draw a slip of paper for the second round. Players always have fun doing these “rules” because they are new challenges and give different practice focuses that may not be achieved in normal set practice.
Examples:
1.Your team is up 5-0 in games, but for the rest of the set, you start every game down 0-40. 2.Start the set at 3-3 in games. Your team must serve and volley; all serves for the rest of the set. 3.Start at 2-3 in games. The team that wins the first point of each game is up 40-0 in that game. 4.Start at 4-2 in games. Your team only gets a second every time you serve for the rest of the set. 5.Start at 3-3 in games. Your team must return two back for every return point the rest of the set.
Teaching tennis is not straight forward. I spent many years frustrated by this idea, but teaching and learning is much for fun when you are able to embrace player diversity and skill sets. This is not always obvious and requires developing trust and respect with players. Doubles has always fascinated me, and it is one of my favorite skill sets to teach. I encourage you to: promote doubles however you can, embrace players strengths, and encourage “out of comfort zone” development in your practices! Your players will enjoy it and you will develop stronger doubles players and teams. *
Welcome to the USPTA Midwest Division! Nik Artaev, Grand Rapids, Mich. Naomi Bhagat, Waukesha, Wis. Todd Buenting, Moline, Ill. Erica Heselman, Janesville, Wis. Taewon Koo, Palatine, Ill. Griffin Mertz, Farminton Hills, Mich. Tiago Neves, Fort Wayne, Ind. Nelson Nguyen, Zionsville, Ind. Casey Reynolds, Empire, Mich. Finley Sallows, Cincinnati, Ohio Samir Tewari, Carmel, Ind. Alfredo Velasco, Skokie, Ill. Elijah Wisser, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Learning to Transition as a Junior Tournament Player Manolito Kehoss, USPTA Elite Professional Playing the net is a foreign land to many junior tournament players and too often carries over into their high school career. As coaches, we must consistently find ways to encourage moving forward and put juniors in comfortable court positions. One of the most common coaching mistakes is putting students into scoring games (champion of the court) while asking students to play from areas of the court they usually don’t win points from. They can get frustrated and know they would have more immediate success if they stayed back on the baseline where they are comfortable. As soon as you challenge them with points against each other, kids go into “Win at All Costs” mode and forget about the concepts we are trying to teach! Instead put them in situations they can be successful so they can gain confidence and want to experiment.
Drill-60 foot court approach drill with only continental grip
Using only the 60ft lines, feed an approach shot to a player who must approach FH or BH up the line. The defender can only use a continental grip to pass or lob, still using only the 60ft court. Why 60ft when these kids play full court? Instructors can control most drills
to be neutral or have an advantage to a side. Full court will give the advantage to the defender and 60 ft will make it neutral since we are working with students learning to transition. Why slice only? One of the hardest elements of transitioning to the net is the timing difference from rallying at the baseline. By eliminating a huge forehand coming at them gives them time to use proper technique working on split step and set up to make a quality volley or overhead. Rotate out defenders with time not points. Attackers/ Approaching players get repetition with no negative consequences of losing a point. This simple concept drill was created by Tim Hartwick USPTA/PTR certified tennis professional. I was amazed at the success the students had and how much fun they showed implementing the transition game! At our facility, Wisconsin Athletic Club Lake Country, we team teach our High Performance Program so the tennis professionals can grow from each other and create lessons plans that flow. Each pro can lead the lesson plan rotating weekly which challenges each other to really think ahead and make every lesson special!
Drill-Outside 60 foot lines = 3 points This drill encourages students to gamble in lesson play without much risk. A neutral point is fed full court baseline to baseline. Once an opportunity is given for a player to take control of the point they are encouraged to hit outside of the 60ft lines to move the opponent out of their comfort zone. The point is now worth three if the point is won by the player who hit outside the 60 ft boundaries. If the player who has only played it safe and won by hitting inside the 60ft lines, they have only earned one point. Hitting outside the 60ft lines will lead to the opportunity of getting the short balls students need to control the court and gain confidence in attacking! After teaching with Tim, I created this drill to compliment his innovative lessons plan. Why and when should you be aggressive and transition? You will never be the best baseliner in the world! You must learn how to play a game that your opponent doesn’t like to play and not always focus on the game you like to play. At some point we need to learn when to take calculated chances. *
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Know Your Role Nicholas Bennett, USPTA Elite Professional We have all heard and most likely used the phrase, “Doubles matches are won at the net.” Most coaches would agree that recreational tennis players play doubles more often than singles. Therefore, teaching players to come to the net is crucial for players to learn. But, is teaching players to come to the net being over taught to the extent that other formations, like one-up versus one-back, is being underserved? Are we teaching more than one doubles formation to help make our players more well-rounded? Or, are we teaching that coming to the net is absolute? Almost every doubles point starts with players in the one-up versus oneback formation. An exception would be playing a team with a big server. Here, you may find yourself at the baseline during the return point in order to help your partner. Whether juniors or adults, I not only see more doubles points being played in the one-up versus one-back formation, but also most players failing to understand their roles and play the formation properly. This hinders their ability to maximize the effectiveness of the formation. Arguably, one-up versus one-back is the weakest formation because of the hole that is exposed in the middle of the court, especially versus a team that plays the net. For the purposes of this article, I am going to assume that both teams like playing one-up versus one-back. Knowing roles is essential to playing doubles. Whether you are serving, returning or at the net, knowing what to do and when to do it is crucial if players want to be successful using this formation.
Baseline Player
The basic strategy for a baseline player is to keep the ball away from the net player by hitting the ball cross court. A variety of shots can be hit in order to make this happen. Most of the time, the baseline player should be looking to hit as many forehands as possible (if this is the player’s strength). This goes for either the deuce or ad side court. However, there is more to being at the baseline than just making sure to avoid the net player.
Does the baseline player know the goal is to put the other baseline player under stress? Doing so creates the opportunity to effectively set-up the baseline player’s partner, who is at the net. Baseline players can stress their opponent out in one of three ways: 1. Push the opponent deep 2. Move the opponent to the right or left. 3. Move the opponent forward (short). However, are we teaching more than just these options? We as coaches need to be using drills, in both closed and open settings, to help players practice stressing out another baseline player. Practice hitting deep balls, short balls, hitting balls wide or even down the middle. If players are not practicing these during drills, we cannot expect them to be successful. If the baseline player can effectively stress out the opponent baseline player, their own net player will be set up for success.
Net Player (Server’s Partner).
This is the position where I see the most change needing to take place and it begins with basic movement, or lack thereof. Too many players are stationary during the point, never moving, except to turn their heads as the shot goes by. The net player position involves a great deal of movement. These basic movements are forward and backward. It comes down to this: If the ball is directly in front of the net player, move forward and try to poach or pinch. If the baseline players hit the ball past the net player, the net player moves back to the service line to cover the middle and focuses attention on the opponent’s net player. If their partner’s ball gets past the opposing net player, focus will shift back to the baseline player and the net player moves forward (middle of service box).
2020 Certification Tests & Upgrades
*schedule subject to change
May 23 Eau Claire, Wis. Eau Claire YMCA Tennis Center
Sept. 12 & 13 Aurora, Ill. Rush-Copley Healthplex
June 6 & 7 Aurora, Ill. Rush-Copley Healthplex
Sept. 27 West Bloomfield, Mich. The Sports Club of West Bloomfield
July 12 &13 Indianapolis, Ind. Indianapolis Racquet Club Dean
Nov. 14 Aurora, Ill. Rush-Copley Healthplex
Aug. 9 Chicago, Ill. Midtown
Nov. 7 Mequon, Wis. Elite Sports Club Mequon
Aug.19 & 20 Cincinnati, Ohio The Club at Harpers Point
Nov. 14 Big Rapids, Mich. Ferris State University
Aug. 22 Eau Claire, Wis. Eau Claire YMCA Tennis Center
Dec. 13 West Bloomfield, Mich. The Sports Club of West Bloomfield
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The net player’s primary job is to put the ball away; they are the hunters of the net. This becomes challenging if they don’t know where and when to move. In this formation, the net players will move in a synchronized pattern: as one moves forward, the other player moves back. If this doesn’t happen, the net player is considered to be out of position, which in turn causes more errors and weaker volleys. Many players are intimidated being at the net. We need to ensure we give them the proper tools and coaching needed to be successful in this position. The net player must make the decision to pinch or poach (discussed with server prior to the serve) the approaching return. This is based on whether or not the server can “stress” the returner out (see stress, above). For example, if the serve is down the middle on the deuce side, I highly recommend pinching or poaching nearly 100% of the time. If the serve is in the strike zone of the returner’s forehand, who is set up (stationary) ready to hit, I would suggest not pinching or poaching. Knowing more about the net player role gives the player more confidence to pinch or poach in turn allowing the player to cover the middle move to the net, placing themselves in position to be more successful.
Server
I want to be brief here as the emphasis of this article is on net play and baseline play. The server is there to help setup the net player. The server wants to stress out the returner and keep them off balance. This can be done by mixing up the spins and locations of the serve. The server will want to use what is
Jobs Chip Fazio, of First Serve, is looking for motivated tennis players who love sharing our sport with kids. Many locations in the Detroit metro area, part time opportunities, morning and evenings summer 2020 and into the school year. Free training provided. Must love working with kids! Contact information: 313-670-3277, chipfazio@gmail.com, ifirstserve.net
most effective to help the net player end points by pinching or poaching. The server and net player need to discuss serve location on every point and what the net player will do if the server hits the targeted spot. If the server is successful, the net player will be able to do their job and put the ball away.
Returner’s Partner
The returner’s partner, like the server’s partner, needs to move and is responsible for putting the ball away. Based on the strength of a partner’s return, the returner’s partner may find themselves between the baseline and service line (for a solid returner) or at the baseline if the returner in struggling with the return. The returner’s partner can help call lines but will primarily be focused on the server’s partner (net player). If the return gets by the net player, the returner’s partner will move to the middle of the service box and get ready to pinch, poach or stay basing the decision on the stress of the shot sent by their partner. If the returner’s partner can’t make a play, they need to move back to the service line to protect the middle of the court. The pattern would continue until the point is won or lost. Coaches are responsible for teaching these movements. This formation should be practiced more than it is, specifically with respect to the movement of the net player. This should be done in drills with no emphasis (at first) on the net players scoring points. Focus on the movement; this is what will make players successful. I truly believe players can have a great deal of success with the one-up versus one-back formation IF each player knows their role and how to execute them. We as coaches are responsible for helping players learn and apply these roles successfully in matches.If you and your players know your roles, you will play better tennis and win more matches. *
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Michigan Tennis Workshop Chip Fazio, USPTA Michigan President The Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association held its annual conference in Holland, Mich., on Jan 24 & 25 in conjunction with the USPTA Midwest Division. Friday was on-court workshops. Marti Capestany showed Cardio Drills for high school practices. These drills are great for conditioning and dealing with large groups and no-cut teams. Similarly, Kirk Anderson taught the group “Partner Drills-No Lines, No Waiting” also focusing on minimizing down time when you have large groups on court. Covering slightly different ground on Friday was Steve Bender with his presentation “Bridging, Bonding, Building”. He focused on connecting and building relationships with your athletes. Saturday was classroom presentations. USPTA CEO John Embree and Chris Michalowski of the USTA spoke about college Professional Tennis Management programs and how important they are for
grass roots, rank-and-file teaching pros to be aware of and to guide interested students towards. Professor Whitney Moore and doctoral candidate Keith McShan, both of Wayne State University’s Kinesiology Department, spoke about their and others’ research related to how athletes define success. They explained the difference between an ego and a task orientation and how it can be beneficial to maximize task orientation. They also touched on helping athletes deal with stress and pressure. Great researchbased information! Kirk Anderson spoke about the characteristics of great coaches. Spoiler alert, being a great coach has more to do with caring, creating relationships and giving athletes a voice than it does with being an expert tennis player or creating more W’s than L’s. Thanks to students from Hope College and Ferris State’s PTM programs for volunteering as hitters during the on-court
workshops. Thanks to USTA district and section staff who were on hand. Most importantly, thanks to the people who made it all happen, Peter Militzer of the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association and to Jorge Capestany of Hope College for organizing and hosting a wonderful event! *
New Member Referral Incentives $50 or $24.50 each! • $50 discount on USPTA annual dues for every new Certified Member Referral. • $24.50 discount on USPTA annual dues for School Coach Category Referral. • if the referral incentive exceeds annual membership dues, then the person would receive the difference at the USPTA Pro Shop. (would need to be used during the current year) For more information, contact membership@uspta.org.
Ferris State University Professional Tennis Management students with Mike Janz, FSU PTM Adminishtrative Assistant (second from left), USPTA Midwest President Mike Graff (second from right) and USPTA Michigan President, Chip Fazio (far right).
Spring 2020 Midwest Connection 15
Indiana Tennis Convention Cathy Thomas, USPTA Elite Professional The Indiana High school conference has so much energy with all the great speakers, numerous high school coaches and USPTA pro attending. The coaches and pros were very engaging with the vendors from the Wilson booth to the USTA The content of the seminars were very informative. The Midwest pros who spoke were Matt Boughton, Chip Fazio, Chris Chopra, Nick Bennett, Scott Mitchell, Derek Ameel and John Embree put so much passion into sharing their knowledge with the audience. *
Illinois High School Tennis Coaches Association Winter Workshop
Pickleball Workshop at Homewood-Flossmoor Racquet and Fitness.
One Idea to Liven Up Your Group Lessons Denny Schackter, USPTA Elite Professional
Butch Staples, USPTA - Become a more Effective Coach Principles that Make a Difference.
16 Spring 2020 Midwest Connection
We all know that teaching the same groups year after year and week after week can lead to some staleness. By accident, I came up with an idea that might add some “spark” to your lesson planning Perhaps it has been recommended before, but in any case, I think, it deserves a re-visit. With all the info we can gain by searching the internet, I typed in “music lyrics with a message.” One can search for all kinds of themes and find a song for whatever you are looking for. One of the best songs I found was “Stayin Alive” from the Bee Gees and “Saturday Night Fever” fame. Obviously, when I asked the class why I chose that song they knew right away that keeping the ball in play was the theme of the day. Another one was “Stuck in the Middle with You.” We worked on covering the middle both from the net area and all the way back to the baseline. Adding an element like this certainly makes the class fun and focused. When I put the song of the day on my phone and they listen to the lyrics, some of the class break out in in some dance moves. This has been humorous because some of us can dance and, others, well, need a dance class! *
Ohio Tennis Coaches Clinic Nick Bennett, USPTA Elite Professional; Ohio State President In conjunction with the USPTA, the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association held its 55th Annual coach’s clinic over the Feb 29 weekend. There were 144 registered coaches including 32 USPTA certified professionals. Overall the conference saw a 2% increase in attendance. Several venwdors were also a part of the event including the USTA, The Western and Southern Open and HarTru. The weekend started off with a USPTA Specialty Course conducted by Trevor Connor, a returning guest speaker from 2019.
Mark Faber, USPTA Elite Professional: Don’t Panic….Running a Practice to Help All Players Develop.
USPTA National Board Member and Elite Professional Mark Faber kicked off Sunday morning with a theme similar to his 2019 presentation (Focus on the 99%, not the 1%). Mark dialed in to the type of players that most coaches can relate to. Specifically, the number of players and the different levels of players you will encounter on a daily basis. Mark demonstrated how we as coaches can keep up to 16 people busy on one tennis court by using both the 36-foot court and the full court by creating different stations and quick moving singles and doubles drills. Coaches were given information on registering their program with the USTA to gain access to a new a new middle and high school curriculum (School Tennis). The program is available to download now.
John Embree, CEO USPTA: A Career Pathway for Aspiring Young Tennis Professionals USPTA CEO John Embree continued his Midwest tour presenting on the state of the industry, pointing out that the average member age is 51 and there will be a mass “exodus” of coaches within the next 5 years. John is an incredible leader and is very passionate about the future of the industry and it showed in his presentation. He challenged coaches to start learning and educating junior tennis players on the opportunities to coach professionally, while debunking certain myths about going to college and entering the
Professional Tennis Management Program (PTM). John informed attendees of the new education standards coming down at the start of 2021 and why it is important for the growth and good of the game.
Trevor Connor: The Big Four.
Like Mark Faber, Trevor is a return guest speaker, having also presented in 2019. He presented both Saturday and Sunday. He is the owner of Hearts and Minds and the author of Just ACE it. His specialty course presentation put a select group of both players and coaches through 10 rigorous station activities consisting of instructions each group were to perform. The focus was on ways players deal with both stress, anxiety with relation on what they can remember and execute.
Brian Heil, USPTA Professional: Coaching: Common Goals, but Different Role.
Local Ohio USPTA Professional and co-owner of Elysium Tennis, Brian Heil came to present even after having knee surgery two days before the start of the conference. From a sitting position Brian captivated the audience with stories, both good and bad that has shaped who he is as a coach. He was easily relatable to as many of us have had similar experiences to him. There were so may wonderful presentations over this past weekend. We would like to thank all of those who took time to present to the coaches in Ohio. Your passion, knowledge and dedication to the sport is changing lives and was a great benefit for us all. *
Spring 2020 Midwest Connection 17
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