How to make your practices fun and engaging for the Junior Performance Player. Oliver Stephens. PTR Master of Tennis (Performance and Development.
Introduction. As coaches we have a responsibility to not only teach the game of tennis but also to ensure that our athletes stay in tennis as a lifelong sport and help promote the game to others. Tennis skills can be life skills!
Responsibility Everyone who remembers his or her own education, remembers the TEACHERS not the methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system. (Sydney Hook 2014). Coaching is unlocking a persons potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them to learn. (Timothy Gallwey)
The Bad News 70% of children quit youth sports before the age of 13, the top 3 reasons are: 1. Parental Pressure. 2. Coaches Pressure. 3. Its just not fun anymore.
The Good News In the recently released US Sports, Fitness, and Recreation Participation Report from the Physical Activity Council (PAC) a consortium of six sports, recreation, and outdoor trade associations despite fluctuating participation trends among traditional sports, tennis continues to lead the pack in long-term participation growth, which is up 31% from 2000-2012.
What makes a good coach? According to other coaches (92 responses) According to parents (38 parents) According to 13-18 year olds (44 kids polled)
Group Discussion What do I, as a coach, think makes a good coach? What do I, as a parent, think makes a good coach? What did I, as a student, used to think made a good coach?
Coaches top 3 results Passion, which we display in our enthusiasm, interactions and daily behaviors. Patience, which is tested daily and can be our biggest challenge. Ability to cater to students individual needs, athlete centered coaching.
Parents top 3 results Ability to keep kids engaged: This comes from having new and exciting drills and games to choose from (even for Performance Players) Challenge kids in a fun way: Making them WANT to be at practice Help my kids improve: Is this the most important thing?
Students top 3 results (15.7 yrs) Can make me play better? The coach keeps practices interesting The coach makes training fun.
WHAT IS FUN? (group discussion)
Fun is: Friendly and approachable coaches. A positive learning environment. Marked and noticeable improvement (How do we track this?). Hard work! Being able to PLAY. Coaches who show a genuine caring for the well being of their students, on and off the court.
Fun is not: Being shouted at. Being punished with physical exercise. Being ridiculed or teased. Setting impossible goals or tasks. (SMART) A win at all costs environment.
5 golden rules for Performance Coaches: 1. Be fair. 2. Set and maintain standards. 3. Have a coaching philosophy. 4. Bring energy every day. 5. Communicate with everyone, no favorites!
Standards. Midtown Performance Program standards: 1. Never be late, be early by 5 minutes. 2. Use appropriate language 3. Put forth 100% in every practice 4. Respect our team-mates. 5. Use appropriate language. 6. Respect your coaches. 7. Communicate with coaches, ask questions. 8. Warm up and cool down properly. 9. Write in my diary every day. 10. Out work the opposition!
Philosophy At Midtown, your children will learn to play and love tennis in an open, fearless environment. Your children will enjoy learning tennis and will be encouraged to improve their skills through guided discovery and learning. Our defined Junior Development Pathway will enable them to learn to PLAY tennis quickly.
The warm up: 8-15 minutes long. Should include: Dynamic element (traditional warm up) Movement patterns relevant to tennis. A team Game! Coach should be involved as much as possible.
Give responsibilities to your athletes.
Offer more than just lessons: Hold tournaments (non USTA and USTA) Junior Team Tennis, both in house and USTA. Tennis, Pizza and a Movie Social events, season kick-off party etc.
Australian Masters Tournament. Based around the Australian open. Red, Orange, Green and Yellow Ball divisions. Australian flags and pins given out. Round robin format. Music. Points awarded towards end of year championships.
Midtown Junior Season Kick off party 2016.
Have more than just drills YES, we must Master the Mundane. We must also play tennis, a lot! Situational Training can be a huge part of your program. Be creative. Use props!
Install a growth Mindset in your athletes. When a child tells you they don t like or are no good at something, encourage them to use the word YET. I don t like this YET, leaves room for change. I m no good at this YET, leaves space for improvement. YET CAN BE A VERY COOL WORD!
3 things to take from today: 1. Your personality is EVERYTHING. 2. Treat everyone as the individual that they are. 3. Understand your importance and your affect on a child s long term development.