TENNIS / July 1990
By Stan Smith with Cindy Hahn
I’ve known a lot of parents in my life. As a junior player, I knew them as friends’ moms and dads. As Director of Coaching for the USTA, I work with fathers and mothers of our nation’s top juniors. And, as the Father of two racquet-wielding children, I am a tennis parent myself.
Jim Loehr, the sports psychologist who oversees the USTA’s sports science program, says “When I work with kids, the relationship with their parents and how it affects their tennis is always my number one concern”
Some parents do a wonderful job. Others make me wish there were remedial parent-training courses. But all struggle with the pressures junior tennis places on tennis parents:
Has our son outgrown his coach? Can we afford the airfare to the nationals? Is our daughter burning out?
There’s no course to teach you how to handle this enormous financial and emotional investment, nor is there any tried-and-true answer for even the most common questions. But I can share with you some guidelines that may help, based on the research of sports psychologists, USTA studies and my own experience.
First, to get a sense of how you rate as a tennis parent, take the quiz below, which is based on one in Loehr’s book, The Parent / Players Tennis Training Program.
Use the scale below for your answers.
5 = Always | 4 = Almost always | 3 = Sometimes | 2 = Almost never | 1 = Never
1) Do you coach your child?_______
2) Do you watch all your child’s matches?_______
3) Do you look nervous on the sidelines?_______
4) Do you treat your child differently when he/she wins?_______
5) Do you ignore your child’s bad behavior on the court?_______
6) Do you tell your child he’s being unrealistic when he talks about a pro career?_______
7) Do you believe your family’s standard of living has suffered because of the expense of your child’s tennis?_______
8) Do you think your child should give up other sports to concentrate on tennis?_______
Total up your score and refer to the chart below:
8-16 = Good Job, as a tennis parent, you are a pro
17-32 = Slight problem, work on your strategy and consistency
33-40 = Problem parent, re-learn the basics fast.
Tips to Improve your Performance
1) Be a Parent, Not a coach.
In the beginning, it’s great to be your child’s “coach” to introduce him to tennis. He will be more interested in tennis if the initial exposure comes from you because kids naturally want to do what their parents do.
However, eventually, the parent needs to hand the coaching duties to someone else. Most parents don’t have the technical knowledge to instruct their children. But more importantly, the roles of coach and parent are so conflictive that it is nearly impossible for one person to play both.
A coach’s job is to build strong tennis players, the coach must criticize and compliment based on performance. The parent’s job is to build a strong person; they must provide unconditional love that instills self-esteem in a child. For one person to tackle both of these jobs is a formidable task, and the results are often disastrous.
2) Watch no more than 75 % of your child’s matches.
Your child needs to learn that he is the only person who can control the events on the court. It will also give him the confidence to know he can compete without his parents watching.
I also feel parents should watch 25-50 % of their child’s practices. Practice is the coach’s domain, and he needs your absence to develop a relationship with your child. Your absence will also promote your child’s on-court independence.
Parents that watch too many practices are sending a subliminal message to their children that tennis is so important, that they have to be at everything about it. It can also show a lack of trust that the parents may have in the coach’s ability to get the job done.
3) Always look positive during a match
Your child inevitably will look over at you, and your body language can make or break his confidence. Always maintain a calm, confident air, even in the third set tiebreak. If your child sees you with your head in your hands or pacing nervously, his feeling of pressure will only become more intense.
I know it’s difficult because all parents are nervous about their children. Charting your child’s match can help (we recommend momentum charting). This will give the parent something to do with their hands and something constructive to take their mind off the on-court drama. The charted results may also be useful to the coach.
4) Keep an even keel.
You may feel elated by your child’s win or deflated by their loss, but don’t show either emotion too much. This will help them realize that losing isn’t the end of the world and that winning isn’t everything.
Always say something positive (that’s easy when he wins), but even if they lose, avoid the temptation of becoming the coach. Let the coach do that job at the next practice session. Something like “Bad Luck, you competed well, you can get them next time” would be a good thing to say after a loss.
5) Reprimand your child for on-court misbehavior.
If cheating, racquet throwing, or abusive language becomes a habit, take some dramatic action. Pull the child off the court and reprimand him. Make it understood that under no circumstances is that acceptable behavior. If you ignore this misbehavior you are condoning it – and that is failing your responsibility as a parent.
6) Let your child dream.
Never take away your child’s dream, as unrealistic as it might be. Dreams are the fuel that keeps young people striving, learning, and exploring.
If your child says he wants to be a pro someday, and it’s obvious that he doesn’t have what it takes, don’t say “You’re just not athletic enough”, instead say something like “That would be great, But first you need to work hard at getting a national ranking. Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, and other pro players all competed on the national level before making it to the pros”
By helping your child realize what he needs to achieve to reach the goal, gradually he will see pro tennis is not the right track. He will begin to revisit the dream finding alternatives that can be just as fulfilling and more realistic.
7) Explore financial options.
Loehr recently talked to a woman who took out a second mortgage on her house to pay \for her child’s tennis. That is clearly too much of a financial sacrifice. When a family’s standard of living is eroded because of tennis it places enormous pressure on the child, even if the subject is never spoken about. The child is likely to feel responsible to win because of the major sacrifices the family has made for his tennis.
If your child is very talented, there are two ways to support their tennis. Families, friends, or local businesses are often willing to sponsor a talented junior, but make sure out check out any possible NCAA rules before accepting money. The USTA is another avenue of possible financial assistance. Check with your USTA sectional office about any assistance programs for talented juniors.
8) Encourage your child to play other sports.
Usually, when junior players get older (around 14 years old) they will have to forgo other sports if they want to reach their full potential in tennis. Until then, they should play all sports they enjoy.
In 1987, when the USTA analyzed other countries’ tennis programs, it found that nearly all their best players played other sports until the age of 12 or 13, and many until 14 or 15. A child will only develop half to three-quarters of their athletic potential by playing only tennis. Also, distractions from tennis help keep burnout at bay.
My 11-year-old son, Ramsey, has played baseball (he is a pitcher) for the last three years. This year, my wife and I thought maybe he shouldn’t play so that he could concentrate on tennis. But we decided that he should continue baseball. The benefits of playing a team sport, combined with the eye-hand coordination baseball promotes, and the pressures of being a pitcher ultimately will help his tennis.
MLTC Newsletter – 19 April 2024April 19, 2024
Final Badge 2024 Gradings ReleasedMarch 31, 2024
Scott Blackburn: 40 Years as The Professional Face of the Club
/in Goss, Tennis Centre /by RobCourt size and net height are the only things that have not changed in Tennis Director Scott Blackburn’s 40-year tenure at the Club. What has changed is the way the game is played, due to the wider range of player ages, balls, racquets, clothes and court surfaces.
Developments in racket and string technology mean that tennis can now be played, and played well, from ages 9 to 90. Even so, the true essence of tennis: low intensity exercise, social interaction and friendly competition, remains constant.
A new constant, says Scott, is the accelerating use of mobile phones and social media which is rapidly altering the way we interact, exercise and engage in tennis. As the public face of the Club, the Manly Tennis Centre (MTC) is using these technologies to make it easier for players to book courts, lessons and competitions.
It’s a far cry from when Scott first held a racquet at the age of ten – introduced to the sport by his father Boyd, a keen social player despite being a footie tragic.
By the age of 15 he was a member of the historic Manly Lawn Tennis Club (MLTC), going on to play 1.1 Badge for the Club on what was then a grass court oasis in the heart of Manly. However times were changing at Manly Lawn and in the late 70s, two of the grass courts were converted to the new synthetic surface. The general public could use these courts, so the hiring of courts and scheduling was handed over to a local Manly sports store.
The young Scott, together with a mate, saw an opportunity. Backed by his experience working part time providing coaching and general management duties at a local Dee Why centre with indoor tennis and squash courts, Scott put a proposal to the MLTC Committee and in February 1983, while still a playing member of the Club, he began the full-time management of the facility, continuing what was to become a 45 year relationship with the Manly Lawn Tennis Club.
By the end of 1984, the grass was gone and all courts were synthetic, opening up the court usage to members and non-members alike, irrespective of time or conditions for play. Scott continued to co-ordinate usage of the courts in conjunction with the Club and under the banner of MTC, developed coaching opportunities and competition programs open to all players.
While Scott’s playing might have slowed a little, as Tennis Director, life continues to pick up the pace. With the recent re-launch of the Manly Tennis Centre post COVID, Scott, his wife General Manager Carmela Blackburn and their support team marry their playing experience with today’s communication technologies to access and fine-tune their programs and services.
Programs which include extended coaching, play and tennis camps for juniors, midweek day and night competitions for men and women, intensive coaching sessions for adults and the holistic Tennis Whisperer program.
“Tennis is a sport for life”, says Scott. “And at MTC it’s tennis for today’s life. Electronic payment facilities, online booking, QR codes (quick response via your smart phone) to get immediate information to determine which program or support service is the one you’re after, are all services we provide to enable you to choose in what ways tennis can best fit into your life.”
Today, after some 40 years at the helm, Scott potentially holds the record as the longest continuous manager of a Club/community tennis facility in NSW, possibly in Australia. He is a well-known and gregarious identity in Manly and has helped position the Club as a critical part of Manly’s local and international attractions, including the Manly Seaside championships
“As a sport, tennis is a fantastic social tool for players at all levels. You can travel anywhere in the world and turn up at a local court for a game,” he says. ”As Tennis Director of the Manly Tennis Centre, I’ve made a lot of great friends.”
Good Luck for the future, Scott!
Pamela Lloyd, Goss Editor, interviewed Scott for this article.
MLTC Newsletter 27 Feb 2023
/in Club News /by RobThe Combined Age Championships were completed over the weekend and the high standards continued as per last Saturday, Sunday..
Gordon and Quinton won The Mens 60+ Doubles Round Robin by one game where the result went down to the last game.(and line calls)
Krista/Sarah won the Womens 40+ Doubles quite convincingly from 4 other pairs. This completed the double for Krista who won The Combined 100 Womens Doubles last weekend.
The Mens 40+Doubles was played in 2 pools where a single game or two decided both pool winners.
In the final Geoff Dunstan/Stephane Fontes defeated Jon Corney/Gavin McVean 6-4. Gavin stepped in for Milton who was officiating at the NSW Nippers Surf Carnival. Milton’s daughter was a winning member of the NSW Girls Beach Relay Team so congratulations to her.
On Sunday 9 pairs contested The Combined 100 Mixed Doubles which was divided into two pools.
Krista/Howard played Michelle and Steve Nettleton in the final and a 5-4 victory completed a winning trifecta of events for Krista.
They paired up for the first time as did Michelle and Steve and the final was a thrilling set played in hot conditions.
Congratulations to all players who participated over the last two weekends. To those non winners, club spirit and friendship were the winners and your Participation Certificates are in the mail!
Congratulations also to Ruby Quigley who made the final of The NSTA Womens’ Open Division Singles Final on Sunday after some great wins along the way against older opponents. She lost to Sarah Munroe in the final. Ruby continues to improve and is a great representative for Manly Lawn Tennis Club.
All Badge Teams were entered last Friday and all Team Members should receive a log in email from Sydney Badge which you need to click on to register yourself. Their system only allows six players in your team, if there are more than 6, you will get registered just before you play your first match. The gradings will be available in two weeks time and another few weeks for the draw.
Denis
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au
Ruby: Runner Up NSTA Women’s Open
/in Club News /by RobMLTC Newsletter – 21st Feb 2023
/in Club Championships, Club News /by RobCLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS SATURDAY FEBRUARY 25
MENS 40+ DOUBLES AT NOON
MENS 60+ DOUBLES AT NOON
WOMENS 40+ DOUBLES AT 3PM
SUNDAY 26
COMBINED 100 MIXED AT 9AM
Last Saturday the Mens 60+ singles was won by Rob Muir in a round robin of 5 players. Richard Badham was runner up.
The Mens 40+ plus saw some tough sets in hot conditions. Fernando Alves won his pool as did Geoff Dunstan his pool. The final between them was a long struggle in very hot conditions and with Geoff leading 5-4, play was stopped as Geoff was feeling unwell. Sportingly Fernando did not want to accept a forfeit so the title was shared. Both players will go down as joint winners in our records.
Fernando should be congratulated for his sportsmanship and club spirit. This is what the Club Championships are all about! So well done Fernando.
Sunday saw The Hilton Mace Trophy decided in the Combined 100 Mens Doubles. Sean White/Ray Dummett won their pool as did Alec Badham with his old man Richard. In a great final Alec and Richard survived a seesawing set to win 6-4. All 4 finalists then shared drinks afterwards in the clubhouse.
The Womens 100 plus doubles was then played with some close sets again. Krista Oates and Johanna Isherwood were the winners from five pairs. Congratulations to them as I believe this is the first time they have paired together.
Several members asked me if I had checked birth certificates as all the ladies looked so young!
Killara Tennis Club has asked if any of our teams are interested in playing a practice match against them? Either at our courts or theirs. Any Captain who is interested please contact me.
Good luck to all this weekend.
Denis Crowley.
TRIVIA FRIDAY 3 MARCH
Arrive 6.30pm pre drinks and pizza trivia will start at 7.30pm.
Cost:$15 per person, pay into MLTC account BSB 062-197 Account 1000 0562, include your name and Trivia
RSVP by Wednesday 1st March
For seating purposes, teams of 8 should be arranged between yourselves and advised prior to the evening at the following email; [email protected] (
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au
MLTC Newsletter 17 Feb 2023
/in Club News /by RobTRIVIA FRIDAY 3 MARCH
Arrive 6.30pm pre drinks and pizza trivia will start at 7.30pm.
Cost:$15 per person, pay into MLTC account BSB 062-197 Account 1000 0562, include your name and Trivia
RSVP by Wednesday 1st March
Upon arrival you will receive a complementary beer, wine, cider or soft drink of your choice from the bar. Pizza will be provided. For seating purposes, teams of 8 should be arranged between yourselves and advised prior to the evening at the following email; [email protected] (Michelle)
The Badge Teams have been selected and are listed on our website and the notice board.
In the Mens Teams some players have been rewarded for their high percentages by being upgraded to a higher team. The selectors felt a few changes needed to be made from last year. The new members have been placed in the lower teams as they have not played Badge before and need to show the selectors their talent and if successful will be promoted next season. Consistency is the key to success in Badge. So good luck to all our new members.
A few Mens teams are light on numbers. This is unavoidable as we also tried to keep some friends together and an extra team was created. The new rules this year only allow 6 players to be listed in a team. Six reserves only can be added over the course of the season. So teams with more than six players need to add the extra player as needed each week. You do this by notifying myself or Virginia.
Players can also play up or down the grades as long as the replacement player has a UTR of no higher than .5 of the player he or she is replacing.
So a UTR of 6.5 in Division 8 can replace a player in Division 9 with a UTR of 6 for example. If a player has no UTR, permission is needed from Tennis NSW. Virginia and I will do this. All Badge correspondence must be through Virginia and myself as delegates.
You can reserve multiple times up or down the grades but still remain a member of your original team. The 3 match rule has been scrapped.
You need to play 3 matches during the season to qualify for the finals. If a match is washed out, the players listed down to play will qualify as one of their 3 matches for finals.
The Captains need to be aware especially of these rules.
Keirle Park
Since we have 4 Womens Teams and 8 Mens Teams, we have to use Keirle Park for two matches each week. All Teams except Womens 1 Team and Mens 1 and 2 Teams will play a match or two at Keirle Park.
Two Social Courts will be available each Saturday from 11.30am to 2.30pm.
We will play the higher grades in the later time slots unless an early time is requested.
Badge begins April 29 and gradings will be available in mid march.
Practice courts will be made available on Saturdays and Sundays for Team Practice in March.
A lot of news here but if you read it twice it will be beneficial. All teams should be aware of the rules.
Good luck to all our Badge Teams this year ( And The Bulldogs In NRL)
Denis Crowley Club Captain.
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au
MLTC Womens Badge Teams 2023
/in Badge, Club News /by RobWOMENS BADGE TEAMS 2023
MLTC Women Team 1.
MLTC Team 2.
MLTC Team 3.
MLTC Team 4.
Thursday Ladies Mid Week Badge
RESERVE POOL- SATURDAY BADGE
RESERVE POOL – THURSDAY BADGE
MLTC Mens Badge Teams 2023
/in Badge, Club News /by RobMLTC MENS BADGE 2023
Approved 16Feb23
Senior Club Championships Feb 18
/in Club Championships, Club News /by RobSenior Club Championships
MLTC Newsletter 14 Feb 23
/in Club News /by RobHappy Valentine’s Day! Lots in this one, please go all the way to the end.
Trivia Night Friday 3 March 6.30pm
Cost:$15 per person, pay into MLTC account BSB 062-197 Account 1000 0562, include your name and Trivia
RSVP by Wednesday 1st March
Upon arrival you will receive a complementary beer, wine, cider or soft drink of your choice from the bar. Pizza will be provided. For seating purposes, teams of 8 should be arranged between yourselves and advised prior to the evening at the following email; [email protected]
If anyone requires vegetarian or gluten free pizza please advise. Mobile phones are not permitted while Trivia is being run.
Hope as many members and partners can join us with what will be a fun filled night while getting to know new and existing members better.
Look forward to a great night
Cheers
Michelle – Social Secretary
Badge – What you need to do if you are playing Badge this year.
Teams will be entered into the upcoming Badge Season at the end of this week. You must have supplied your current UTR rating as it needs to be included with your entry, if you haven’t provided it, it may affect the grading of your team. Please follow the steps you need to complete a player profile.
Unsure whether you have a Competitive Player Profile or whether your Universal Tennis Account is linked to your Tennis ID. Follow the steps below:
Aged Club Championships
Club Captain
Best wishes,
Virginia
MLTC Secretary
www.manlylawn.com.au
Tennis Parent’s Quiz | ATP
/in Club News /by Rob1) Be a Parent, Not a coach.
2) Watch no more than 75 % of your child’s matches.
3) Always look positive during a match
4) Keep an even keel.
5) Reprimand your child for on-court misbehavior.
6) Let your child dream.
7) Explore financial options.
8) Encourage your child to play other sports.
Eight Keys to Competing | ATP
/in Ask the Pro, Goss /by RobI hear it all the time…a parent, coach, friend, or even the athlete themselves explain away poor behavior because “they are so competitive”. Or, “they don’t like to lose!”
Examples of competing poorly happen when we observe broken rackets, verbal abuse and, generally, a player going ballistic. Google Nick Kyrios top 10 ballistic moments to see a few examples. In all these situations, let’s be clear, there is nothing competitive going on! Being competitive is about focus, adversity management, regaining calm, and never giving up. Certainly, when a player gets defaulted, they have given up their choice to be competitive. And when the player goes ballistic, they also are not focused, and managing adversity. If they were being competitive, then the player would be focused on what’s important now (W.I.N) at that moment in the match.
So, what does it mean to compete? Just look at Rafael Nadal’s entire career and especially the 2022 Australian Open come back against Daniil Medvedev, few would argue the importance of competing consistently in achieving long-term success.
I’d like to highlight eight keys that indicate a true competitor.
1. Focus on what you can control: A competitor stays focused on what they can control: such as effort, energy, patterns, routines, attitude, breathing, and bouncing back from adversity—to name a few. They understand that they cannot control how well their opponent plays, court conditions, winning, losing, and their draw.
2. Humility /Sportsmanship: It’s important that an athlete respects themselves, their opponent, and the game. Their focus is on trying their best. A competitor plays with belief but checks their ego at the door. This allows them to play free and adjust to situations. They acknowledge their opponent for putting him or herself on the line and understand that their opponent is not an enemy. Rather, they view them as a challenge, an opportunity, and a partner that is necessary to take their game to the next level.
3. Respect for the process: A competitor understands that their development is a process, and while a loss may hurt in the short term, there are lessons that can be learned. They see setbacks and losses as an opportunity to grow, not as a problem.
4. Never, ever, ever, ever give up: A competitor never gives up. A true competitor understands that not every day is going to bring top-level performance. Perfection is not even possible. Such a player cam embrace adversity, especially the adversity of having to figure out what to do when their game is not on. A true competitor doesn’t mind winning a tight, or even ugly, contest. They have perspective; they prioritize learning from the experience over the result.
5. Adapt and adjust to situations: Constantly adjusting and adapting within a match is imperative. Momentum shifts are a given in a tennis match. What’s most important is to be aware of what is happening and adjust and adapt. Too often in the heat of competition, athletes get caught up solely on the result. This singular focus takes them away from akey question: What do I need to do now, or to get back in the match?
6. Be ok with being uncomfortable: A competitor understands that during competition they may have to take a calculated risk, try something new, or hit a shot not quite the way they would ideally like to. They understand the idea of being ok being uncomfortable
7. Be aware and make high percentage choices: A competitor makes high-percentage choices during all stages of their competition. For example, they don’t try to hit a screaming winner down the line that may appear on ESPN, rather they counter with a neutral shot that will get them back in the point. Usually, the best choice is to stay patient, stay in the point until an opportunity presents itself.
8. Learn from mistakes: Mistakes are only bad if the player does not learn from them. Mistakes provide a player the opportunity to learn and adjust, essentially correcting their mistakes from the previous setback. Nothing great was ever achieved without mistakes.
source: Compete: The Key to W.I.N’ing | Long Island Tennis Magazine https://longislandtennismagazine.com/compete-key-wining
How Long Does It Take to Get Fit Again? | NYT
/in Goss, Tennis4Life /by RobWhat does it mean to lose fitness
What can you do to keep fitness loss at bay?
How long does it take to make a comeback?