Performance Certification Workshop

Transcription

1 Performance Certification Workshop Study Guide This Study Guide will prepare you for the PTR Performance Workshop and the Certification that follows. It is very important that you read and understand the information and answer online questions before you attend the Performance Certification Workshop, so that you are fully prepared for both the Workshop and the Certification testing. You will need to invest at least four hours to this preparation and to answering online questions prior to attending the Workshop. The questions will be part of the Certification testing. This process assures the clinician you are very familiar with the contents of this Study Guide. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 1

2 Introduction This Study Guide is intended to prepare you for the PTR Performance workshop and the Certification that follows. It is very important that you read and understand the information and answer the on line questions before you attend the workshop because the clinician will base the training on this Study Guide. The information in the Study Guide and during the workshop is also useful preparation for the PTR Master of Tennis (Performance) Programme. Should you be successful at attaining the Professional level in the Performance Certification, you may wish to apply for the MOT Programme at a later date. The PTR Certification workshop is intended to train coaches to work with year olds who want to become good tennis players. These are young players who appear to have the potential and interest to play tennis at the performance level. 10 years of age is too early to say that players have the necessary talent to become world class players, but by 16 the task is easier. It is very important that players are coached in high quality programmes if they are to realize whatever potential they may have. This certification is the first step for coaches who wish to work with young players with potential. Identifying and developing potential in junior tennis is important for players and coaches and for the game. Research shows very clearly that efforts to identify talent before puberty are fraught with difficulties and errors and are rarely effective. This is for a wide variety of reasons, some of which are identified in Section 1 of this Study Guide. High quality tennis programmes for every player will give more young players more opportunities to reach their potential. This Study Guide and the Performance Certification workshop are therefore concerned with giving coaches information about high quality performance programmes and coaching for year olds. Performance is ultimately about excellence and demands high standards in all the factors that underpin the opportunities for young players to become a performance players. This Study Guide will outline and discuss each of these factors in preparation for the PTR Performance workshop and Certification. Anne Pankhurst PTR Education Consultant, January 2015 PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 2

3 Contents Section 1: Defining potential and talent 4 Section 2: The Characteristics and Abilities of the Age Group 6 Section 3: Coaching year players with potential 10 The Performance Coach Coaching Skills 1. Relationships Communication Working with different learning styles Organisation Knowledge of Players Knowledge of the Game National and International Standards 16 The Performance Environment 1. Creating the Environment Evaluating and Monitoring Performance 17 The Performance Programme 1. The Performance Pathway Development Plan The Session Plan 21 Section 4: Coaching the Session: 24 Introduction and warm up Section 5: Coaching the Session: 25 Game development: game situations Section 6: Coaching the Session: 27 Technical development: stroke parameters Section 7: Coaching the Session: 34 Competitive development: tactical development Section 8: Coaching the Session: 37 Conclusion and cool down Section 9: Working with Parents 38 Section 10: Safety, Injury and Player Welfare 41 Copyright 2015 Professional Tennis Registry All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written consent of Professional Tennis Registry. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 3

4 Section 1 Defining potential and talent Performance athletes are those who have commitment and ability in a sport. There is a difference between potential and talent: both are important to the chances of young players becoming the champions of the future. Players can have talent, but may lack the commitment to fulfil their potential or they can have potential, work hard and be committed to the sport; in which case they can learn the skills that appear to exist in a talented player. In the PTR Performance workshop, potential is considered to be the possibility a young player has of becoming a good player if he or she is given the opportunity. The player has: physical ability technical and competitive skills a love of the game the desire to reach the highest level. He or she may not necessarily be winning matches at a young age, but has the commitment and the willingness to work hard and do everything he or she is asked to do. These attributes indicate the potential (not the certainty) for this player to become a high quality player. If the player is also given the opportunity of learning in a high quality performance programme with other players with potential, the likelihood increases for that potential to be realized. Talent is something different, is more difficult to define and certainly difficult to develop. It is generally recognised as a level of ability in a specific sport that is above average. The tennis player is judged to be more talented than other players. This talent may be movement, technical skill, competitive ability - or all three. The person making the judgement on talent needs experience and a long standing knowledge of the sport and the development of tennis players. In reality, talent is often decided from a series of tests (often physical tests, because these can be measured objectively), with the player who scores well in the tests being judged as talented. Often commitment, a desire to learn or even a love of the game is not considered. However, test outcomes could simply be the result of the player being bigger and stronger than others of the same age, of winning more matches or of having had more sessions and opportunities than others. However, gaining high test scores test scores often means that these players are selected for a performance programme because they are judged to be more talented. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 4

5 There are other issues in talent identification and development. The age and stage at which talent is selected is crucial. In most sports, including tennis, selection before puberty is frequently pointless. The journey from young player to adult performance player is a long one: at least 10 to 12 years. It is certainly not a straight one because young players move through puberty in their early teens and can change considerably. In addition, the skills needed in the adult game are not present in young players pre puberty. Luck and opportunity is important. The age when players are selected is vital because research shows that accurate prediction of talent is difficult. At years of age, the talent selection process is less than 10% accurate. At younger ages it is simply a haphazard affair! Others will appear to be good players because they mature early, but children who mature later will usually catch them up within a few years. Competitive success at a young age is a very poor predicator of adult success. Coaching and developing players who have other attributes such as commitment and willingness to work hard, not only widens the net but also gives a higher chance of long term success. Junior programmes in clubs should therefore give opportunities to as many young players as possible to develop their potential, in high quality programmes. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 5

6 Section 2 The Characteristics and Abilities of year olds year olds At the age of 10, young players are often progressing from the orange 60 court to the 78 court with a green ball. However, performance coaches will be able to identify those who show a higher level of either skill and/or commitment for the game. The coach needs to remember that 10 year olds are still young children, even if they appear to have potential as tennis players. The point has already been made that identifying talent in young players is a very inexact science! Some of them will be good simply because they have had more sessions or had more competitive success than other children. It is important not to ignore young players who have not had opportunities. As we have already seen, all these reasons indicate the importance of good programmes for as many young players as possible. It is also important for coaches to know and understand the characteristics and different skills bases of typical year olds, in order to coach them in an appropriate manner and increase the chances of them developing their potential. Players in age group: Are often beginning puberty, but at different times and at different rates Are beginning to show differences between the genders: girls are likely to begin puberty up to two years earlier than boys and so are often more mature physically and mentally. By the age of 13, many girls are beginning menarche and a few boys are beginning puberty and developing male sexual characteristics. Both are the result of hormonal changes and these can make social interaction a little unpredictable! The different ages for the onset of puberty mean that players vary in their levels of maturation and thus their skills and abilities. The notes below relate to the average for players ages 10 to 13. Obviously, players who develop earlier or later will be either ahead of or behind this average and so have different skills and abilities. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 6

7 Mentally, emotionally and socially, year olds: Are more able to concentrate and therefore can follow and develop the same task for longer periods of time. Are improving in self-confidence and therefore can often compete with assurance. Have decided for themselves that tennis is a sport they want to play and therefore need high quality programmes that are enjoyable and purposeful. Are able to set short term and medium term goals and therefore can measure their own improvement. Have an understanding of responsibility and leadership and therefore can be helped to develop both. Are able to make faster decisions and have more self-discipline and therefore can learn and play a more tactical game with specific patterns. Know the difference between effort and ability and are beginning to recognize players who have more or less ability than they do and therefore can understand the importance of working hard to be the best they can be. Physically, players of this age: Are growing rapidly Get tired quickly and may need to take breaks. Are not very strong (it takes time for muscle development to catch up with the bone growth). Need to develop their physical skill base, (according to the stage of development)t, of: Agility Static and dynamic balance Complex coordination Strength, using methods that equate to their own body weight Flexibility Linear, lateral and multi-directional speed Core strength Endurance The warm up is a good time to develop these skills, but performance programmes should also consider specific physical development sessions for players of this age. The physical skill base is linked strongly to the development of technical skills. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 7

8 13 16 year olds 13 to 16 year old players with potential are a challenge. They will all be at different stages of maturation and so have different physical and mental abilities and skills. Some will have moved through puberty and therefore be almost adult at 16 years of age, while some very late maturers will only just have begun puberty. In addition, girls of this age will be as much as two years ahead of the boys, play a different game and probably need to be coached as a separate group. Mentally, emotionally and socially, players in this age group: Are more independent and are playing tennis because they want to and therefore can arrange their own practice and tournaments. Have the commitment to be a better player and therefore can be taught new skills and develop old ones. Have increased self-discipline and are reliable and responsible and therefore can take responsibility for parts of their training. Are able to concentrate for considerable lengths of time and therefore can work at the same task over a whole session if necessary. Can set short, medium and long term personal goals, as well as group goals and therefore can monitor their improvement over time and see it in longer time frames. Are able to make increasingly complex decisions and understand the consequences of their actions and therefore can apply different strategies and tactics and change their game plan during a match Are more able to control their anxiety in the competitive situation and therefore they can handle the outcomes of winning and losing more easily and move on. Physically, players of this age: May still be growing rapidly Get tired quickly so rest and recovery is important in their schedules. Can lose coordination as they grow rapidly, and thus lose quality performance temporarily Need to develop (according to the individual stage of development): Agility Flexibility, especially during puberty Complex coordination PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 8

9 Strength equivalent to their own body weight until post puberty, then weight training Linear, lateral and multidirectional speed Core strength Acceleration and deceleration Endurance Power (after puberty). While the warm up is a good time to reinforce these skills, performance programmes for players of this age with potential should have specific and individual physical development programmes. (The development of these programmes is part of the PTR Master of Tennis (Performance) Programm). The physical skill base is closely linked to the development of technical skills. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 9

10 Section 3 Coaching year old Players with Potential The Performance Coach Coaching Skills 1. Relationships Performance coaches work with players, their parents, other coaches and sport professionals. While successful coaching at any level depends on sound interpersonal relationships, in performance coaching such relationships are probably even more important. This is because coaches and players spend increasing amounts of time together in different situations. Usually parents are more involved with the performance programme. The basis of the performance coach -player relationship depend on coaches being able to: 1. Put the player s needs first and modify their own behavior in response to the player 2. Be very aware of and able to control their own ego 3. Encourage young players to maintain the commitment and motivation for learning and improving even when success is not easily forthcoming 4. Demonstrate high standards of personal behavior at all times, and especially in terms of their real motives for coaching players with potential 5. Help players with their standards of social behaviour when under peer group pressure 6. Give players clear boundaries for acceptable behavior 7. Teach and demand consistent standards of sportsmanship and respect for others from their players 8. Treat players in a consistent and fair manner at all times 9. Set appropriate goals with players 10. Ask for, and expect trust from the player 11. Help players develop very high levels of responsibility, leadership and self-discipline 12. Focus on players strengths more than their weaknesses. The basis of the coach-parent relationship depends on: 1. Mutual respect, honesty and respect for each other s role 2. Putting the needs of the player first 3. Keeping the channels of communication open. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 10

11 2. Communication Successful performance coaches must be excellent communicators. They are in the people business! High quality formal and informal communication skills that can be adapted for different players are vital. Verbal skills (WHAT is said) increase in importance when young players reach 10 or 11 years of age. Younger players learn best by copying, rather than verbal instruction, but by 10 or 11 and certainly by 14 or 16 years of age, players are more able to listen, understand and apply more complex information and concepts. Coaches need to consider some important aspects of giving verbal information, whatever the age of the player. For example: Words used must be appropriate, i.e. understandable and relevant to the individual. Explanations should be short, to the point and perhaps illustrated with a demonstration. Open questions should be used to check the players understanding. The mental and emotional state of the player must be considered. Paralanguage (HOW something is said) is important with any age group because players pick up inferences quickly and from different things. For example: Voice intonation needs to be interesting to keep the listener s attention. The volume should be appropriate and said without shouting. Gestures and facial expressions can add to or detract from what is said. Non-verbal skills are important because most players still learn from what they see. For example: Listening skills are vital for performance coaches. Listening must be active: body language, such as looking at and leaning towards players, encourages them to explain what they need to. Obvious enthusiasm and energy, both facially and in body language, is essential. Professional behaviour at all times is essential because players watch and take note. Cell phones should never be used during a session: they are a major barrier to on court communication and indicate other people are more important. Demonstrations are important non-verbal skills for coaches because players can quickly copy and model the action. However, with performance players, demonstrations might not be so frequent because many skills are already in place. Some rules for demonstrations with players of 10 to 16 years of age are: PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 11

12 1. The whole action of the stroke or movement should be shown several times before it is broken down into parts. Players need the big picture of what to do and see what is important. They should try the whole action first. 2. With performance players, it is vital that the skill closely resembles their own. 3. Other performance players could be used to demonstrate: often young players find that more helpful. A video of their own performance is useful to players for the same reason. 4. The players should be focussed on what to watch and then the coach should check understanding through open questions. 5. Players must be able to see and hear the demonstration, while those who are kinaesthetic learners often need space to practice the action as they watch. 6. Any practice should be set up quickly after a demonstration, so players don t forget what to do. Young performance players learn consciously and subconsciously from different role models, such as players on TV or those on a nearby court, so the coach can use this to increase learning or to illustrate an explanation. Some players learn by working things out for themselves: trial and error. They benefit from trying out and modifying actions by themselves: they just need time and encouragement from the coach as they do so. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 12

13 Giving feedback is a very important skill for coaches. Feedback during practice should be: immediate, relevant and to the point focus on what has been done well give positive suggestions for improvement visual (body language) and verbal related to the performance, not to the player Motivating performance players will be necessary, especially when they are younger. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is necessary for success. Coaches need to: create appropriate reward structures in practice set appropriate goals with the player for both practice and competition to give confidence and competence give praise for effort as much as for ability 3. Working with different learning styles Different players have different learning styles: these can change over time. The majority of tennis players appear to learn visually (by copying what they see) or kinaesthetically (by feeling the movement patterns). A few players appear to learn better by trial and error, refining the technique as they work out what to do. Using the preferred learning style of the player, (which may not be the same one for the coach!) should result in faster learning and progress. Different players often improve with different coaches: in this case it is likely that the learning style of the player responds to the teaching style of the coach. 4. Organisation Performance coaches are always short of time! Developing players is a responsibility and means that coaches must be organized and be able to organize, work with others and plan programmes and sessions. Organisation in the performance environment Performance involves young players training and competing. This means that tournament and training schedules and performance budgets need to link together. Budgets need to be managed within the club and mean coaches need to work with other officials. The responsibility of parents, players and coaches for all procedures and processes involving PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 13

14 tournament entries, medical records and injury sign off and records, emergency procedures, travel and budgets need to be agreed through regular meetings. Planning schedules and programmes to budget is key for effective player development and enables maximum use to be made of the time available for each player. (Learning how to plan programmes is part of the PTR Master of Tennis (Performance) Programme). Every practice session should be planned with clear goals and be part of the larger, longer term development plan for the player. Practice must be organized quickly, safely and efficiently to maximize time, but also to give players the opportunity to take responsibility for their decisions and learning. Before each training session the coach must: Plan the session, basing it on the previous session and the goals of the weekly, monthly and development plan. Know the date of the next tournaments and the goals for the player for that event. Know how much time the player is spending in tennis training and competition, as well as other physical activities. During each training session, the coach must be able to plan: The total time available: the correct percentage of time needs to be spent on the different parts of the session: warm up, game situation, technical development, competitive development and cool down. Different complementary activities that contribute to player learning, improvement and development. Breaks for hydration 5. Knowledge of players Performance coaches will spend more time with their performance players than they will with other groups in the club, simply because of the nature of the performance schedule. They will also spend time in more and different situations: tournaments, travelling, training on court, in the fitness area and on planning and goal setting. In addition, the time they spend will usually be of longer duration with performance players. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 14

15 This means that coaches will and should get to know their players well and understand how they think and behave in different situations. They need to know how to motivate each player in different circumstances. The duty of care of young people is a very important role for the coach to understand. Professional standards and behavior can often be difficult for coaches to maintain when they are together with players for long periods of time, but they are essential. 10 to 16 year olds are growing and maturing: they will progress from being children to becoming young adults while they are in a performance programme. They will, and should become, more independent and able to think for themselves. Coaches need to ensure that they give players the skills to be independent on court, especially in match-play. For example, continually telling players what to do in different areas of their game does not prepare them well for match-play. In a match they have to think and make decisions for themselves. Tennis requires different personal skills to those needed in team sports. Coaches not only need to know their players well, but also consider and plan for the changing nature of the relationship as young players mature. In simple terms, the coach starts out as a teacher and as the player matures, moves to become a coach, friend and mentor. The objective should be to gradually replace coach dependency with player responsibility and personal leadership. The coach needs to know too, when it is time to step aside and enable another coach to help the player progress. 6. Knowledge of the game The way in which tennis is played, changes over time. As an example, serve and volley used to be a dominant game style, but is largely absent at the present time. Tennis is also a game that is played on different surfaces and men and women do not play the game in the same way. Equipment and strings change and change the game itself. The challenge for coaches working with young players is that they are preparing them to play at the adult level in 8 to 10 years time when the game will be different! Moreover, the coach could have competed 10 or more years earlier! Coaches therefore need to ensure that young players are given a wide range of skills and that they learn to play in a way that both suits them and fits the future. The coach also needs to give the player an opportunity to be creative and inventive, rather than a stereotype of the current world class players. Coaches have a responsibility to keep up to date; to know the techniques, movement patterns and tactics of the modern game, and to keep an eye on developments in the game. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 15

16 They also need to know and understand the tactics for different surfaces and plan to give young players the opportunity to play on these surfaces. Finally, the techniques and tactics of the men s and women s game are different. Often male coaches forget (or do not know) how women play the game and often train girls to play in the same way as boys. 7. National and international Standards Coaching in a club programme and in a local or even regional environment often means that performance coaches lose sight of the real performance standards that exist at national and international level. It is very important for performance coaches to keep up to date and give themselves the opportunity to see and know the skill level of players of the same age at higher levels. Parents too need help and support in understanding these standards, perhaps before they invest large sums of money and move their children into home schooling or an academy, on the strength of winning a few local tournaments! While it is important for the coach to be supportive and encouraging, it is also essential to be aware of and realistic about the real standards that exist. Performance coaches are busy people, but they do need to spend time at junior national and international events to ensure they keep standards of play in perspective. The Performance Environment 1. Creating the Environment Research and experience shows that the total environment in which a young athlete learns is a real contributor both to their progress and to the likelihood of them actually staying in a sport. This total environment is created largely by the coach, but also by parents, other adults, the peer group, USTA and the facility itself. The objective must be to create and maintain a positive environment both on the court and surrounding the young player. The following points are important: 1. Players learn faster when they are happy, when they are with peers and adults whom they like and respect and when they are treated with respect. 2. Players prefer it when their parents and coaches are working together and show a mutual respect and understanding for each other. They dislike being placed between their parents and coaches or being asked to support one against the other. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 16

17 3. Players make progress in an environment that suits them as individuals, where the expectations of them are high and where the challenges are exciting, but not overwhelming or lacking in interest. 4. Players progress faster when they have clear goals, are encouraged for what they do well and not continually told what they are doing wrong. It should be clear that performance coaches need to consider their coaching behavior and decide how much it contributes to and creates and supports a quality environment at their facility and on the court. Coaches could consider the following questions: 1. Are the young players able to meet with their friends at the club on a social basis? (The alternative is that they come for sessions and leave for home immediately). 2. Are juniors welcome at the club? 3. Do young players feel the need to perform in public because their sessions are always in a public setting? 4. Are parents treated with respect and seen as an important part of their child s tennis development? 5. Are measures taken to work positively with the few problem parents? 6. Is the feedback given to the player initially positive and always given in a positive way and on a problem solving basis? 7. Do the players know what they do well? 2. Evaluating and Monitoring Performance An important role for the performance coach is to constantly evaluate and monitor the performance, not just of their players, but also of themselves. Goal setting is a major tool for coaches and players not just in planning programmes of training and competition, but also for encouraging player progress and then reviewing progress. Goals should be developed in time frames that are understandable by players: 10 to 13 year old players will need shorter time frames than 13 to 16 year olds. The time frames should include short, medium and long term and set against specific principles such as S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Each player needs physical, technical, tactical and mental/emotional process goals. Competitive outcome goals should be a minor part of goal setting for young performance players. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 17

18 Evaluating and monitoring of players Coaches and parents obviously are interested in the progress players make over specific time periods. However, it is important that any assessment of players is objective, set against the individual player and takes many different factors into account. These should include: The age and stage of development of the player Other pressures such as school and examinations Injuries Progress in training The level and type of competition The outcome of competition Evaluating and monitoring of coaching performance Self-evaluation by coaches is of major importance. Many coaches review each session they coach and seek the views of players in order to modify the next session. More objective and regular assessment of current performance is also important and this should help identify any gaps in the knowledge or experience base. The coach should undertake regular and ongoing training to ensure the quality of coaching practice is maintained. The coach should also make sure that all insurances and professional memberships are kept up to date. Regular and on-going training should be automatically undertaken. Parents and managers can also contribute to coach evaluation and monitoring on a regular basis. In a programme where several coaches work together, there is also an invaluable opportunity for coaches to help and evaluate each other on a regular basis. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 18

19 The Performance Programme 1. The Performance Pathway: competition and training Every young performance player between the ages of 10 and 16 will be at a different level of experience, development and maturation. Coaches, player and parents need to understand that development in tennis (or any sport) needs a pathway that includes both training and competition at appropriate levels. Many sports have an Athlete Development pathway. The pathway developed by USTA is adapted below and could be used in club performance programmes with 10 to 16 year olds. The pathway is based on the key issues in the development of players. The Development Pathway for year old performance players Training Technical: dependent on development of physical skills. Sound technique on all strokes Development and use of spin Preparation for next shot Appropriate and quality footwork Control + placement of ball Tactical: linked to mental and emotional development Developing game style All basic tactics Building points Playing the early ball Different serve / return situations Taking control of the point. Understanding offense and defense Understanding patterns of play Taking control of the point Developing shot selection Programme structure and Competition 1.5 to 2 hour sessions with recovery hours of physical activities per week Development Plan At age 11, maximum of 40 singles matches per year in competition (practice matches unlimited) Unlimited practice matches Team tennis High School tennis USTA Sectional and National tournaments Training Technical: dependent on development of physical skills. Weapon development serve + one other shot All shots with appropriate power and racket head speed Adapting technique for different surfaces Baseline play using power and variation even under pressure Sound footwork and recovery on all strokes Tactical: linked to mental and emotional development Personal games style Using strengths and hiding weaknesses Using different tactics against different games styles Developing different patterns of play Programme structure and Competition 2.5 hour sessions with recovery hours of physical activities per week Development Plan At age 14, maximum of 40 singles matches per year At age 16, maximum of 90 singles matches per year in competition (practice matches unlimited) Unlimited practice matches High School tennis USTA Sectional and National tournaments ITF events PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 19

20 2. The Development Plan Each player will develop their potential at a different rate and speed because of previous experience, the length of time playing tennis and the individual rate of growth and maturation, so the development pathway must be adapted for each player. As a result it is important for each player to have a development plan. The coach should develop this plan with the player and the parents, for at least the next 6 months and preferably the next year. The plan simply sets out the training and tournament structure. Then session plans can be developed from this plan DEVELOPMENT PLAN Player: Age: Date of Plan: Week beginning TOURNAMENT Importance of tournament. Content if the week is a training week PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 20

21 3. The Structure of a Session The structure of each training session is important, because it gives the coach a framework that is consistent and develops the different skills of the player in a systematic and comprehensive manner. Each session plan should be linked to the development plan for the player. Typically the session duration for a year old should be a maximum of 90 minutes, moving to hours for a year old. The percentage of session time devoted to different parts of the session is important because this takes into account the priorities for the player, according to the age and stage of development. The percentage of session time will change as players get older and the learning priorities change. Players between 10 and 13 years of age should spend longer on the warm up (for physical development) and skill development than 13 to 16 year olds who in turn should spend less time on warm up (because they should have a specific physical programme outside the tennis session) and more time on competitive development. These differences are related to the maturation process for the different age groups. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 21

22 Date Session plan for year old performance players Time and length of session Number of players Age Equipment Objective for the session (linked to previous session and to Development Plan) Time Content Organisation Warm up: physical skills 15% of time 10% of time Game Situation (open) Role of the coach: observe and analyse Technical Skill development (closed) 35% of time Role of the coach: teach skill Competitive Development (tactical) (semi open to open) 30% of time 10% of time Role of the coach: develop and evaluate Cool down: static stretching Evaluation of player: of coach: PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 22

23 Date Session plan for year old performance players Time and length of session Number of players Age Equipment Objective for the session (linked to previous session and to Development Plan) Time Content Organisation Warm up: physical skills (open) 10% of time (also presession) 10% of time Role of the coach: observe, analyse /develop Game Situation (open) Role of the coach: observe and analyse Technical Skill development (closed) 30% of time Role of the coach: teach skill Competitive Development (tactical) (semi open to open) 40% of time 10% of time Role of the coach: develop and evaluate Cool down: static stretching Evaluation of player: of coach: PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 23

24 Section 4 Warm Up The physical warm up is the first part of the session and will set the tone for the session. Its intention is to prepare the players both physically and mentally: it is important for younger players to work on the physical skills they need, but also to be ready for practice. Performance players should learn a number of different exercises and activities that help develop the physical skills that are appropriate to their stage of development. Coaches need to prepare these activities in advance and also be prepared to join in. Too often, coaches stand and talk while players do the warm up, with the result that an opportunity is lost to help make contact with players, set the work ethic and work on physical development. The role of the coach is to observe, analyse /develop the player s physical skills and help players improve. For year olds the warm up should be based on the skills that underpin technical development: Agility Static and dynamic balance Complex coordination Strength, using activities that equate to their own body weight Flexibility Linear, lateral and multi-directional speed Core strength Endurance For year olds the warm up is based on: Agility Flexibility, especially during puberty Complex coordination Strength equivalent to their own body weight until post puberty, then weight training Linear, lateral and multidirectional speed Core strength Acceleration and deceleration Endurance Power (after puberty). PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 24

25 Section 5 Game Development The second part of the session is often seen by coaches merely as the racket warm up. This often becomes just a random hit, starting in the service courts and working back to the baseline, often almost standing still! Working with players of potential means that coaching time is often short so a better plan and one that concentrates the player s attention is to use this part of the session more purposefully and certainly link it to the goals set long term and for the session. So the role of the coach is to observe, assess and analyse the performance in the open situation of one part of the game. Tennis singles play has five game situations. These situations all require different technical and movement skills. The purpose of coaching, and performance coaching in particular, is to develop the ability of the player to play the game to a higher standard. Game development depends on mental and emotional development, but also on improved technical skill. However, sometimes coaches concentrate so much on developing technique, especially with young players, that teaching them how to play the game itself is almost forgotten! Technique will remain just that, unless it becomes a skill used in the game. Logically, developing the technical skills is only necessary if the intention is to play the game to a higher standard. Linked to this, young players will improve faster if they can understand the relevance of technique to their ability to play and compete to a higher standard. For that reason, after the warm up and a brief racket warm up, the session should progress to playing in one or more open game situations in order that the coach can assess the current level of technical skill in that situation. The situation chosen should link to the session content itself. In singles there are five game situations. The player is either: 1. Serving 2. Receiving 3. Rallying from the baseline with the opponent 4. Approaching the net in order to volley 5. Playing the opponent who is approaching the net in order to volley. The different situations are also a useful coaching tool in every session for two reasons. The first is that they serve as a framework for coaching the different techniques of other game. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 25

26 The second is that young players can readily understand why they are developing and improving a skill that then enables them to play in that situation better. In coaching terms, using the different game situations after the warm up enables the coach to assess a specific skill in an OPEN (and realistic) environment, before developing it in a CLOSED (technical) environment. Therefore, the coach needs to set up one or two specific drills in order for the player to both warm up the technical skills used in that situation and also to have a clearer understanding of the reasons for the closed technical session that follows. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 26

27 Section 6 Technical development: stroke parameters The role of the coach in this part of the lesson is to teach the technical skills, so the coaching environment is closed. This section should be based on the assessment by the coach of the technical abilities seen in the game situation. Maximizing the player s technical skills in each of the game situations helps the player play to a higher level in that situation. It will require the development of different technical skills. As examples: Serving requires the player to have at least two serve techniques Receiving requires forehand and backhand groundstrokes, with appropriate technical adjustments for first and second serve, coupled with good footwork Rallying requires forehand and backhand groundstrokes, the use of spin and pace as well as different movement patterns Approaching the net and net play requires groundstrokes, volleys, ½ volleys, swing volleys, overheads and different movement patterns Playing the opponent who is approaching the net requires groundstrokes as passing shots, lobs and using different movement patterns Each of these skills is most easily and typically learned first in a closed situation before the player progresses to a semi open situation (game like drills) and finally returns to the open situation of competitive play. However, players of different ages are more or less able to learn the different parameters of the technical skills. The coach needs to know what is appropriate and possible at different ages. The coach working with performance players must be able to identify the actual parameters of a stroke, and know the extent to which that parameter can be learned by the particular player. The technical parameters of the principal strokes in tennis are listed on the following page. They are especially important for young players with potential. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 27

28 Technical Parameters Stroke Parameter Issues SERVE Grip Continental Ball Toss Very important; arm should be fully extended on ball release Stances Foot back or foot up depending on player Use of ground Important. On balls of feet, use back/both legs for leg drive Knee flexion In synch with toss + hip and trunk counter rotation Hip and trunk rotation Rotation of body segments Cocking The racket arm position in relation to body at end of take back. prior to acceleration Shoulder over shoulder Lead shoulder down as back leg/shoulder moves up and forward Follow through Across body to decelerate RETURN OF SERVE Grips Between eastern and semi western on forehand, appropriate one or two handed on backhand Preparation: take back Racket back above hand: straight or loop action Unit turn Of upper body Load and stance Split step: move back, laterally or forward Contact To side and in front of body, dependent on grip Follow through In relation to stroke FOREHAND Grip Between eastern and semi western Preparation: Take back Racket head above hand, shallow loop shape of action Unit turn Of hips and shoulders Load and stance Square Semi-open Open Contact In front of body dependent on grip Follow through/finish Between shoulder and waist BACKHAND Grip 2 handed: bottom hand close to continental/top hand close to eastern, 1 handed: close to eastern backhand. Preparation: take back Racket back above hand to shallow loop action Unit turn Of hips and shoulders Load and stances Square Semi-open Open PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 28

29 Contact Follow through/finish In front of body dependent on grip Between over the shoulder and waist high VOLLEY Grip Close to continental Ready position Slightly to b/h side Shoulder turn Of upper body Load On outside foot Step Depending on time Racket face Open Contact Usually between steps, push with legs OVERHEAD Grip Close to continental Stance Foot back Use of ground Knee flexion Rotation Cocking Shoulder over shoulder Follow through Important. On balls of feet, use back leg for leg drive In synch hip and trunk counter rotation Hip and trunk counter rotation Arm position in relation to body at end of (shortened) take back and prior to acceleration Lead shoulder down as back leg/shoulder moves up and forward Across body to decelerate PTR believes coaches should be taught to identify what is possible and when, in terms of the technical development possibilities at different ages and stages of physical ability. The chart below highlights these for and year olds. (Other charts have been developed for 5-8 and 8-10 year olds). It is very important for coaches to know the technical parameters for young players and these will be a major part of the PTR Performance Certification workshop. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 29

30 Possibilities for technical parameters for year old players year olds Parameters Issues for the age group SERVE FOREHAND BACKHAND Continental grip Possible for both gender Toss - full extension Developing in consistency of extension with improved balance and coordination Stance foot position Foot back for balance at 10: can be foot up by 13. Knee flexion Use of ground is dependent on lower body strength and coordination. Increased ability to land on front foot as leg drive improves. Hip and trunk rotation Increasing ability to use separation angle of hips and shoulders on counter rotation Cocking arm position in Developing with improvement of serve action + relation to body development of upper body strength. Shoulder over shoulder Developing as result of above development Follow through Across body while maintaining balance and controlling momentum. Grip between eastern and semi western Preparation: Racket back above hand Unit turn Load and stance Contact Follow through/finish Grip: 2 handed: bottom hand close to continental/top hand close to eastern for boys, bottom hand semi western/top hand eastern for girls 1 handed: close to eastern backhand Preparation: Racket back above hand Unit turn Load and stances Contact Follow through/finish and followed by shallow loop action Developing Square in place Semi open in place Open developing In front of body dependent on grip Between over shoulder and waist -, but different for boys and girls: linked to elbow position on contact + ability to control the lever. Girls elbows bent on contact. One handed BH depends on coordination and followed by shallow loop action Square in place Semi-open in place Open- developing In front of body dependent on grip Between over shoulder and waist in place PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 30

31 VOLLEY RETURN OF SERVE Grip close to continental Ready position slightly to b/h Shoulder turn Outside foot load Split step (depending on time) Racket face open Contact usually between steps, push with legs Grip between eastern and semi western for FH 2 handed: bottom hand close to continental/top hand close to eastern for boys, bottom hand semi western/top hand eastern for girls 1 handed: close to eastern backhand Preparation:Racket back above hand: straight or loop take back Unit turn Load and stance split step: move back, lateral or forward Contact Follow through Developing Split step in place Developing Able to handle hard flat and wide serves Developing Developing Consistent Consistent OVERHEAD Grip close to continental Stance - foot back Use of ground: on balls of feet, use of back leg for leg drive Knee flexion Hip and trunk rotation Cocking Shoulder over shoulder Follow through Developing Leg drive increasing Developing Developing with increase in shoulder strength Developing PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 31

32 Possibilities for technical parameters for year old players year olds Parameters Issues for the age group SERVE FOREHAND BACKHAND Continental grip Toss - full extension Stance foot position Knee flexion Hip and trunk rotation Cocking arm position in relation to body Shoulder over shoulder Follow through Grip between eastern and semi western Preparation: Racket back above hand Unit turn Load and stances Contact Follow through/finish Grip 2 handed: bottom hand close to continental/top hand close to eastern for boys, bottom hand semi western/top hand eastern for girls 1 handed: close to eastern backhand Preparation: Racket back above hand Unit turn Load and stances Contact Follow through/finish Developing Preferred stance. Developing Increasing ability to use separation angle of hips and shoulders Developing Developing Across body Possible Square in place Semi open in place Open in place Consistent Between over shoulder and waist -, but different for boys and girls: linked to elbow position on contact + ability to control the lever. Single handed depends on coordination Square in place Semi-open in place Open- in place Consistent Consistent VOLLEY Grip close to continental PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 32

33 RETURN OF SERVE Ready position slightly to b/h Shoulder turn Outside foot load Step (depending on time) Racket face open Contact usually between steps, push with legs Grip between eastern and semi western on FH Grip between eastern and semi western for FH 2 handed: bottom hand close to continental/top hand close to eastern for boys, bottom hand semi western/top hand eastern for girls 1 handed: close to eastern backhand Preparation: Racket back above hand: straight or loop take back Unit turn Load and stance split step: move back, lateral or forward Contact Follow through Possible Possible Possible : able to handle hard flat, wide and top spin serves Consistent Consistent OVERHEAD Grip Close to continental Stance - foot back Use of ground: on balls of feet, use of back leg for leg drive Knee flexion Hip and trunk rotation Cocking Shoulder over shoulder Follow through Use of ground increasing Developing with increase in shoulder strength Developing PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 33

34 Section 7 Competitive development: tactical development Players with potential want to improve as competitors. That is why they play and is the reason why coaches need to include competitive development in training sessions for performance players. By 10 years of age, most young players are able to cope with winning and losing and are beginning to make decisions reasonably quickly. Tactical skill development, however, depends on both experience and the level of mental, emotional and social development of the individual, just as technical skill development depends on the level of physical development of the player. This part of the lesson is therefore more open and coaches need to develop and evaluate the performance of the player in the increasingly open situation of the game. Competitive skills hinge on the player s ability to incorporate the technical skills into tactical play. This needs to happen in training, before it happens on the match court. The basic concept of five game situations in singles should underpin the competitive development and goals for young players. The games situations define the technical skills needed to play well in each of them. Competitive development depends on using specific tactics in relation to both goals and age and stage of development. The basic tactics of tennis are: Get the ball over the net and into the court: be consistent Hit the ball to a place that makes it more difficult for the opponent to hit it back: be accurate. Keep a good position on the court and try to move the opponent into a poor position: positioning Do what you do best more often: play to your strengths Identify what the opponent finds difficult: play to the opponent s weakness. Tactical development depends on the stage of mental and emotional ability of the player as well as the goals set. Both define how the player will compete and therefore determine the what the coach can teach in terms of competitive development to that player. The charts below highlight the priorities and possibilities of tactical development, first for year olds and then for year olds in singles. They are different! PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 34

35 The singles priorities and possibilities for Competitive Development for year olds Games Situations Basic Tactics Serve Consistency Flat and slice possible. Consistent especially off 2 nd serve Accuracy Depth to alley and centre Movement and positioning Playing to strength Playing to weakness Recovery for 3 rd shot Placement, slice Identify weaker return of opponent and playing to it Return of serve In court, deep. Learning early ball Cross court good, down line improving Offensive if possible, otherwise use neutral return Flat and spin Controlling tempo, isolate specific serve. Rallying from baseline In play Cross/down line/change direction purposely, developing angles Situational,to developing style of play, recovery improving, learning court geometry, anticipation Change of pace Isolating weakness first (e.g. movement or a stroke) Approaching net to volley Correct decision for situation Depth and control of placement Bisect angles, reduce options for opponent Use of slice, ball control Isolating opponent s position Opponent approaching net to volley Deep returns, Reduce options for opponent. Keep ball low Control ball to pass down line or lob deep over backhand, Awareness, recover quickly, learn court geometry Pass, 2 shot pass or lob Isolate opponent to expose weakness (movement or side of body) PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 35

36 Singles priorities and possibilities for Competitive Tactical Development for year olds Basic Tactics Serve Consistency Slice, flat and top. Off both serves and when under pressure Accuracy Depth to alley, body and centre. Angle to alley Movement and positioning Playing to strength Playing to weakness Recovery for 3 rd shot Aggressive. Variety of placement, slice, flat and (possibly) top Isolate weaker returns and play to them. Exploit poor movement Return of serve In court, deep, return to feet or angles. Take early ball Cross court, down line, change of direction, short angles off wide serve Offensive asap, hit neutral returns when necessary Power/pace with flat and control/ pace with spin. Change of pace Controlling tempo, isolate specific serve. Games Situations Rallying Approaching from net to volley baseline In play, using depth, angles, spin, place and pace. Cross/down line/change direction, short angles, hit to open court. Ball control Situational to style of play, quick recovery Use court geometry and previous experience. Closer to baseline Change of pace, spin and power. Use of patterns. Percentage play. Use of goals Isolate and force weaker serve or movement. Control temp. Correct decision for situation Use depth, angles and control of placement Bisect angles, reduce angles for opponent Use of slice, topspin, ball control and disguise. Isolate opponent s position. Place self in good position Opponent approaching net to volley Deep returns, Reduce options for opponent. Keep ball low Control ball to hit angles, pass down line or lob deep over backhand Awareness of position, recover quickly, learn court geometry Pass, 2 shot pass or lob. Draw opponent to use own strengths Isolate opponent to expose weakness (movement or side of body) PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 36

37 Section 8 Coaching the Session: Conclusion and cool down The conclusion of the session is very important, but is often left to chance or players are allowed to drift away. The coach needs to make sure that performance players follow a routine to ensure they cool down appropriately. The coach also needs to: quickly evaluate the work completed in the session, in relation to the goals set. encourage the players on their effort as well as their achievement set out the plan for the next session (related to the goals for the week) ask the players what they learned and improved remind the players to re-hydrate and to have a protein snack or meal within 45 to 60 minutes after the session. All of this can be completed while the players are cooling down. Performance players should know a series of STATIC stretches to complete at the end of every training session and match. The coach should oversee the cool down with this age group and help the players individually. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 37

38 Section 9 Working with Parents Parents of performance players There are some specific issues that coaches and parents should discuss jointly concerning players on performance programmes. 1. Parents should be asked to provide any medical data that would help coaches ensure a safe and professional environment for each player. This should include the provision of medical data for coach records, consent forms and medical sign off forms after injury. 2. Parents should also provide contact information in case of accident or injury. 3. Parents and coaches need to develop procedures jointly for dealing with injury to players and similarly for returning back to play after injury. There should be an agreed and written medical sign off procedure. 4. When a player is injured, parents and coach should work together to make sure the player is supported mentally and emotionally during and after the injury. This should include making sure the player remains a member of the performance group, is helped to deal with the mental and emotional concerns of the injury itself, does not lose contact with other players in the programme and is supported during return to play. Parents of year olds 10 to 13 year olds are becoming increasingly independent. The relationship they have with their parents typically changes during the 10 to 13 year old time frame. Parents are still important, especially for players with potential, because they are responsible for much of the domestic organisation of training and competition. However, by the age of 13, the peer group is increasing in significance for young players. Research shows that a coaching environment that does not enable young players to mix with their peers and friends is more likely to lead to lose players from that sport, irrespective of any success. Parents have also been shown to be important, encouraging the work ethic and teaching respect for the sport and coaches as well as for other players and especially officials. They PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 38

39 also have a huge responsibility to teach sportsmanship to their children. Coaches need to indicate the necessity for positive parental behavior when watching matches and in car rides to and from tournaments. Parents also have to balance the family needs, especially those of siblings, with those of a performance player who takes much of the family time. Parents can often be ambassadors for the performance programme itself, communicating the wider aims of the Programme in the local community. Regular informal and formal meetings with parents are time consuming, but likely to pay dividends for the coach and the Programme. With parents of performance players, such meetings are also part of the process of keeping adults and young players on the same path and working to the same objectives. As discussed, parents should always be involved in formulating the development plan. 10 year olds are likely to be moving into puberty while most 13 year olds will be in the middle of their growth spurt and therefore maturing very quickly by the age of 13. Often parents (and coaches) do not understand the effects of maturation and become concerned that young players who were showing all the signs of being successful, are no longer doing so. Coaches can help in this respect by pointing out that young players do mature at different rates and the late bloomers will catch up. However, sometimes early success is based on, and is the result of, early maturation. Parents and coaches need to be very sure that what they are seeing as potential is not simply that the player is bigger, stronger and/or has played more tennis than other players. Parents of year olds The role of parents with this age group is clearly very different from that of 10 to 13 year old performance players with potential. Players have increased their commitment to the sport and so training and competition are taking more time. Schoolwork may need to be adjusted as players get older. The relationship between players and their parents is also changing as players grow older and become more independent. However, parents still have an important, if different, role in terms of providing background support, teaching sportsmanship and sometimes in balancing the demands of tennis and education. They are also clearly still likely to be the base of financial support. The sport is also becoming increasingly expensive as the player improves and plays in higher level tournaments. Coaches and parents often need to work together to develop sound financial strategies for the player to stay in the performance Programme. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 39

40 Parents frequently struggle to understand and cope with the process, implications and outcomes of maturation in their children. By the age of 16 almost every player will have moved through the growth spurt and puberty itself. The impact this has on tennis performance can be important, with many early maturers losing their status to the later maturers. This is a real reason why both parents and coaches need to keep a balanced view of early success in sport: research shows very clearly that early success is no true indicator of adult success. Regular meetings with parents at several stages during the year are important to set the framework of the coaching Programme (training and competition) and discuss the needs and abilities of the player. Parents and coaches also need to work together to establish policies and procedures in relation to social behavior off court,including a zero tolerance policy in relation to alcohol, drugs and anti-social behaviour. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 40

41 Section 10 Safety, Injury and Player Welfare Safety Safety is an important consideration for any tennis programme. Safety issues range from: 1. Facilities and surfaces. Clay court lines are an obvious concern, but the coach must also be aware of slippery surfaces and debris on court, fences, umpire stands and net cranks and posts. 2. Equipment. Balls, ball carts, rackets, racket bags and other equipment left on court are all potential safety hazards for players. 3. Environmental conditions. Rain, lightning, heat and humidity are all conditions that can affect practice and play. The coach and the programme should have policies and procedures in place to determine when play should be cut short or not take place. 4. Having plans in place for adverse and dangerous environmental conditions. 5. Having contingency plans in place in the event of an accident on court. Injury The coach needs to be aware of the types of injury that can occur with young tennis players. These fall into two categories: accidents and injuries during play and those related to overuse. Accidents and injuries sustained during play or practice. These are accidental injuries such as a twisted ankle or a fall on court. The coach must have sufficient first aid knowledge (or be able to call on another coach or person) to help the player quickly. The agreed procedures must be followed. At least one member of the coaching or programme team should hold a first aid certificate and be able to administer CPR. First aid equipment should be readily available. The facility MUST have an emergency procedures plan that is known to all coaches. This should include injury, fire and security plans. The performance programme or the club programme itself should also have agreed and written procedures that take place in the event of accidents or injuries on court. A reporting and recording process is also necessary. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 41

42 Overuse related injuries. Young performance tennis players often play and practice for long hours: the coach must be very aware of too much play for the age and stage of development. Players can suffer specific injuries that are associated with growth and maturation. These can be overuse injuries such as stress fractures or shoulder, wrist or back issues from too much play. The coach should make sure appropriate exercises for, example for shoulder stability, are a regular part of the player s training regimen. Early specialisation often leads ot player injury, either short term or, sadly, often long term. Player Welfare Young performance players should be taught to follow appropriate hydration and nutrition routines. Hydration should be discussed and monitored in terms of volume, timing, frequency and type of fluid. Nutrition should be discussed with both players and parents to ensure that players are eating properly and at the right time, especially during competition. Players returning form injury should remain in coaching programmes so they maintain social contact. Coaches should also be aware of psychological issues (e.g. loss of confidence) as players return to play after injury. In some parts of the US, heat and humidity are real issues for young players and the coach must be vigilant in monitoring the performance to ascertain if the player is coping with the conditions. As players develop, the need for travel to different tournaments will increase. The coach must then be prepared to help with hydration and nutrition when traveling, and with adjustments for different time zones and possibly for altitude. The coach should also be concerned with the well-being of young players and be able to help and support them with their social behaviour. This should include discussions on the use of alcohol, tobacco and recreational (and performance enhancing) drugs and supplements. The coach holds a position of trust with a young player and is therefore in a strong position to give advice on dealing with the social pressures encountered by young people. The programme should consider a policy of zero tolerance for both players and coaches on drug related issues. The coach is responsible for the safety and welfare of players at all times. PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 42

43 PTR PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP STUDY GUIDE 43