A Nice Bit Of Press In Today's Courier Post. Don't Forget That Each Ranked Team Is 0-0

Terry had some nice recognition too. See 'Players To Watch,' to the right of the rankings.

Three Very Simple But Important Points For The Return of Serve, Doubles Communication And Footwork

Bill Tilden(left)- best player, 1st half of the 20th century
Rene Lacoste(right) - one of best French players of all time
and the man who birthed the polo shirts with alligators
you all must have seen or may have. link is a history lesson
http://www.lacoste.com/rene_lacoste#/rene_lacoste-rub-1

We worked on our return of serve today, and as always our footwork. We did our sprints, wherein we haven't done the mile run in a week. We mixed in the deep knee bends and carioca movements. Please view the simple and short video tips below, as these are also things that I have spoke of before. WHEN WE'RE AT THE NET AND THE BALL IS IN THE AIR OUR FEET ARE MOVING!!! WHEN THE BALL IS IN THE AIR OUR FEET ARE MOVING!!!



doubles communication



Ball is in the air my feet are moving



Return of Serve Positioning

Doubles And Singles Tips That Are A Necessary Part Of A Game Plan For Success

A good practice on a sunny but cold day at Paul VI. We've been working on serving and volleying with the varsity members the last few practices. We also had two very important challenge matches today. I got to spend some time and work with some JV members on some simple doubles principles, wherein below are two short video clips on "Doubles Principles." which I want all doubles players to watch and use in their upcoming matches.

You'll also see a video on singles strategy. This can be helpful to all players on the team. The singles strategy talks about shot tolerance.




doubles principles I



doubles principles part II



singles strategy - shot tolerance

Jazz and Tennis - Guitaritst Wes Montgomery For The Saturday Night Jazz Piece

The Saturday jazz piece,viewed at the bottom, is a crisply done video of Wes Montgomey performing 'Four on Six.'(1965) Wes has influenced many great guitarists, including Jimi Hendrix, George Benson and Kenny Burrell. I love this video, with the close-ups you can really see the musicians work.

If you ever get a chance, say in the summer time, do make a trip to Newport, RI. One of the world's premiere Jazz Festivals is held in Newport. The International Tennis Hall of Fame is also in Newport, RI. This beautiful seaside town with legendary mansions from the 'Gilded Age' is a priceless trip, and where jazz and tennis share a home.



http://www.newportjazzfest.net/

http://www.tennisfame.com/

I have always felt that jazz and tennis have a unique connection on many levels. Sport and rhythm, jazz beats and tennis played with power which could be closely followed and complimented with finesse. Tennis players and jazz musicians need to sense when and where to use power and touch, and they must balance and practice both. This can come from observing and replying to what your opponent(s)are giving you. Jazz musicians listen and respond to what each other is playing. Both of said occurrences are often unpredictable and happen in the moment, and require an immediate reply. We both need our opponent(s) and partners to create music or a game.

BACKSPIN - The Volley & Continential Grip - Click On Article Below - I Mentioned Backspin In Yesterday's Volley Blog Post

The correct way to hit the forehand or backhand volley is with the continental grip. Your volley will stay low and you'll force your opponent to hit up, typically from below the net. This will then give you(singles) or your partner(doubles) an easier return shot from which you can then hit that ball down. In a nutshell, that's the simple essence of what doubles is about. Think about the return trajectory. If the ball sits up your opponent(s) have more time and options when hitting the ball. When your at the net volleying you want your shots to stay low.

You can't get backspin with the Eastern Forehand Grip. See the backspin piece below. The backspin is only accessible to you by volleying with that Continental grip. Wherein the racquet face becomes slightly open at contact, by the way you hold the racquet. This is what the Continental grip affords you for the volley. You'll see the diagram in the picture below where the racquet face is open. See the practice exercises also, you could do them in your room. No need for a court. I gave these same exercises to you last year in the blog.

Our Volley In Pictures And Video - I Saw Some Need For Improvment Here, And Here's Some Help

Continental Grip ... Bevel 1 ... Eastern Grip Bevel - Right Side ... Left Side for lefties. We are using that same Eastern forehand grip for our backhand too ... we're using 2 different grips, so to simplify ... notice the circled area on the hand print ... its just a quick shift up or down from that circled point on your hand. The racquet angle you see in the pics below is the same no matter the height of the ball received.

Don't forget to lower your head with your racquet's head, and step forward to met the tennis ball. A little bit of looseness in the wrist, but increased pressure on your grip with your forefinger and thumb, same as with the serve. Keep your elbow firm, and lead with it and your front shoulder. We practice our volley, but every time we practice our serve we are using the same grip as we use for our volley and overhead. This grip is crucial to getting backspin on the ball, thus keeping the ball low as it bounces on our opponents side.

The Volley - A Short USPTR Video

Your Racquet needs NEW Strings Every 50 hours or 3 months - Information On Strings, Grips & Shock Absorbers

I started that first meeting reminding all to have their racquet re-strung to start the season. I will continue this conversation with your parents when we have our meeting on Monday. The information below gives you more necessary information on your racqets needs. Your tennis racquet is your tool for the sport, so properly maintaining is vital for success on the court. You spend many hours playing and practicing, this is a mutual investment. I want to maximize this learning experience for you by making sure you are properly prepared.

The proper shoes are a no brainer, as your safety is first and foremost. Re-gripping your racquet, which is something I've reminded a few of you about, is done without thought for those who have played the sport for a long period of time. The shock absorber is a personal thing, which some like, but some don't. Most pros don't use them. It is personal preference, and could be purchased for a $1.00 at some tennis establishments and even Walmart. You can also buy a three pack of over-grips at Walmart for $3.00. I helped many of you with this task, and I recommend you all have an over-grip in your bag. Cherry Hill Health and Tennis has a small tennis shop, where you can find a variety of grips and over-grips. Dicks and Sports Authority has a bit more variety than Walmart or Target.

Other sports require a heck of a lot more investment in equipment. I've heard from a few of you the cost of soccer equipment and league play. Tennis is minimal in comparison. You can buy a replacement grip at Walmart for $4.00, which I can help you put on. This should be done every 6 months. A good pair of 'Tennis' shoes may only cost $45-60.

One racquet that I am recommending, Prince's Hornet Hybrid O3 Mid Plus, with stringing, is only $75.00. This is a racquet that balances power and control. A string job, which I can have done, is only $20. Head's Liquidmetal 4 is another racquet that properly balances power and control. Both are not too light, over 10oz and under 11oz, and the head size is no more than 100 square inches. Both have been highly praised by various tennis publications for their quality and value. You do not need to spend $200 to get a real good tennis racquet.

In all honesty every varsity player should have two of the same racquet. If you break strings on your primary racquet while playing a match, your play may be affected with a back-up racquet that is different in weight and feel, and has year old strings. I am certain that varsity players at the good to top Olympic Conference schools have two of the same racquet. I understand this maybe perceived as costly, thus it isn't a requirement.

This is something to think about for some of you as we go forward. I also would want any of you interested in purchasing a new racquet to ask me for some advice. Tennis Warehouse is an inexpensive online retailer where you can purchase the aforementioned racquets and necessities. You may also purchase the same grip you have on your racquet now from them. www.tennis-warehouse.com They have a dearth of information for every racquet they sell, including customers reviews and specs. I can help you with this too.

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Prince_O3_Hybrid_Hornet_Midplus/descpageRCPRINCE-PO3HH.html

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Head_Liquidmetal_4/descpageRCHEAD-LM4.html

"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves." + The OVERHEAD - Short Video Tip

I found the excerpt below on a website about pre-game speeches which a coach may make to his team. We work on all the little things each and everyday in practice. We work on our service toss, our serve, our lobs, cross court ground strokes, our footwork and discipline. Our serve is the only stoke where we have total control.

Take Care of the Little Things
(this speech can be adapted to any sport. It can also be easily lengthened or shortened depending on your time constraints.)

"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves." Most of you have heard that phrase before, right?!?! Did you ever stop to think about what it really means? What are the little things? What are the big things? And, how do the big things take care of themselves?

As an athlete you need to focus on the "little things", the aspects of your game that you directly control. You have control over how you execute your offense and defense. You have control over your hustle, your speed, your drive and your effort. You have control as you are positioning your body against your opponent. You have control over your attitude, your spirit, your passion, and your good sportsmanship.

The bigger things are not in your direct control. Don't concern yourself with the referees (or officials), or the way the other team is performing. You can't control the crowd, the coaches, or your teammates. Don't focus on these aspects. The bigger things will take care of themselves.

If you focus on the bigger things- the score, the calls, or the opponent, then your individual effort will suffer. Blocks will be missed, rebounds will be lost, turn-overs will happen. Keep your mind and body focused on only the items that you can control and that you need to perform.

When you execute the little things to perfection, then the score and the victory will take care of themselves! The victory will happen. It will happen because each one of you has done your part. Your collective efforts will come together as a victory.




Two Little Things About A Stroke We Use - An Effective Way To Hit An Overhead

Bicycle Inner Tubes & The Crab Walk

See the picture & short amount of information below. We've used the inner tube during practice as a resistance band, for our core, shoulders, forearm and wrist. I have tied quite a few of them on the fence. We'll use them more often in the future, but they are there for anyone to use when waiting during drills. We've also done the crab walk outside, but more inside. We'll do that as part of a Indoor routine, and you can do any one of these on your own.

I have a bag of tire inner tubes, and I will surely give you one if you desire. You can take it home and tie it wherever and do 3 sets of 10. Do it slow forward, hold, and slow back. See below the recommended way to do one exercise with the inner tube tied to the net post. I'll show you one for your shoulder, with the inner tube tied to the fence.

Important And Simple Tennis Strategies - And How Jazz Can Be Related To A Successful Business or Athletic Team

We work on keeping the ball deep in the court, everyday in practice. We work on extending any given rally, everyday in practice. Remember the pressure-less balls and our simple short court/cross court game. This is for consistency and extending a rally. The cones I set up when we are drilling are targets related to how deep in the court you need to hit the tennis ball. See the shaded area at on the second picture and make note of what 'depth' means. Though these two pages reference 'singles strategy,' being consistent and keeping the ball deep are part of the 'Doubles' game too.

Please read the jazz article by a great Trumpeter, and New Orleans favorite son, Wynton Marsalis. He penned this piece for a business medium, and noted the similarities a successful business has with a successful jazz group. I think the same can be likened to a sports team, and especially a tennis team. Where we're all on a team, but also compete and act as individuals and often pairs, within a team framework. This is one of my favorite articles, and I hope you enjoy it.

Enjoy the unique style and beats of one of my favorite jazz pianist, Thelonious Monk. He'll be performing 'Epistrophy' for the Saturday night jazz piece.








Thelonious Monk - 'Epistrophy'

Paul VI 5 Pitman 0 - A Good Warm-Up To Start Our Season, But There Are Bigger Olympic Conference Fish To Fry

1st Terry Long 6-3, 5-7. 7-5 v. Torey Langlois

2nd Frank Roggio 6-3, 6-2 v. Drew Shirley

3rd Mark McShane 6-2, 6-1 v. Jeff Dutill

1st Marcos and Nick Lamberto 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 v. Josh Pacana and Fernando Roman

2nd John Villari and Mitchel Rogers 6-1, 6-3 v. Hayden Delia and Ryan McIntyre


We had a good day with beautiful weather for our first road win of the year. Pitman has a nice program which has had much success over the past 10 years. They have built a nice tennis facility in a local park, which also hosts summer tournaments. Their team is re-building this year, but did have 3 starters back from a Group 1 state finalist team of last season. Enjoy the pics below of today's action.

Our Serve - A Graceful Movement Meant To Be Short and Simple

Read both short pieces related to the serve and the correct grip. One is informative and explains pronation. The wrist snap, to be done effective, must be done with the continental grip, with a wee bit more pressure with your forefinger and thumb on the grip. The forefinger and thumb are right next to each other. You have a little bit of looseness in your wrist, which you'll also have when volleying and hitting overheads.

These are all strokes performed with the same continental grip you use for your serve. Your forefinger is extended up the grip just as you do with your eastern forehand grip. Look above, 'Bevel 1 One' is where you place your palm for the continental grip(hammer grip) if your a right handed player. See the circled area, this is where you rotate up or down for the grip change. Palm on the 'right side' or 'left side' for your ground strokes(handshake grip). A Handshake has a bit more pressure in the palm than the fingertips. I've joke about it before with the team, wherein nobody, say a potential employer, likes a 'deadfish' handshake. REMEMBER a firm handshake, not a death grip. Don't forget to look he or she in the eyes.

The other is a simple activity to practice the service movement. You need not practice it with 'tight' clothing on, as you'll read in the piece. However please do it in front of a mirror. I was working with a few of you on this today. This is important to practice the weight shift in relation to the entire service movement.

Start The Season Working On Consistency - Control Your Mind And Body And You'll Control The Ball

I had Nick read this article to the team before practice on Friday. The article described Collingswood's tennis team prospects for the up coming season. In it Coach Topeka specifically talked about consistency and working on the little things during practice. He spoke to his boys about ball control and how it is unnecessary to over hit. He reminds his boys that they don't need to serve a 100mph. These are all things that I've had us work on since our beginning. I imagine all coaches are running their practices along the same lines. So take heed that you are doing pretty much the same practice as everyone else.

I now remind us for the hundredth time that we warm-up our serve at 70% power. I understand young men, heck probably all men of any age, love to serve the ball as hard as they can, from the first moment on court for the day. This will lead to shoulder problems. I see many trying this and I hope this article and now blog post will hit home my point.

The Inner Game of Tennis - A Chapter From The Most Read Tennis Book Of All Time

I want you all to read these 6 pages. The information seen here about the mental aspect of tennis will be invaluable to your success this season. In varying degrees, we all know how to hit a tennis ball with ease and success, when we don't feel the pressure of a match situation. The information below will help you feel the same thing you feel in practice, that can often be fleeting in matches. Ego, nerves and confidence can ride a roller coaster during any given match. Point by point concentration is a point I've touched on before. This clarifies that point anew.

You will learn how to gain a mental edge in your tennis game. You'll learn about the two selves. You'll hear about confidence and how to avoid losing streaks related to points, while grabbing winning streaks and not letting go. I've been waiting for the right moment to present this information to you and I think the time is now. This is the most read and printed tennis book of all time. I will ask for your reflections on Monday. Enough said, start reading now.

DOUBLE CLICK EACH PICTURE TWICE TO ENLARGE IT SO TO READ MOST EASILY

Remember The What & Why Of Our Anarobic & Aerobic Workout For Tennis - Clearly Reasoned By Dr Jack Gropell

We had a good practice today. I had to reel us in a few times, but I remind you with the videos below why we do what we do, without the ball. Remind yourselves where we finished last season by looking at the newspaper clipping here. This is the first time the boys team at PVI, your tennis team, finished the season ranked. To be the first to do anything for your school should be enough incentive to put a soild effort each day at practice. We have much to gain by working hard and always thinking of the bigger picture.

I know it isn't that fun to hit balls and run in the cold. Not everything we always do will be fun. I knew that and tamed some of our activities. We know if we arrive at the end of the season and what we think will happen doesn't, that won't be fun either. We have a simple and realistic goal. We won a playoff match last year, and our goal is to win two this year. If we win two playoff matches, we will play for a NJSIAA Sectional Title, the first in your school's history. We sit at a very reasonable 60/40 possibility of winning that match. Each moment from now until this match we can increase that percentage. We could also decrease that percentage with time wasting shenanigans. We are better than that, and its my job to hold us to a representative standard. Never forget, the harder you work, the luckier you get.

The All Important Service Toss

I found a cartoon book called 'Snoopy's Tennis Book," and thought I'd add it to the blog for a little variety. Please watch the short video on the service toss below. (2min) I took an excerpt from a previous post about the service toss. This is the only shot we control, and frequently when we are tightening up in a close match our toss will fail us, affected by nerves. See the form of Venus Williams in the picture above. She is holding those fingertips to the sky with the ball already released. Her chin is up and her eyes looking at the ball.

Notice the target dot in the video that he uses to practice the toss. Please hear where Brad recommends to start the toss and where to release the toss. Remember put a very little bit of pressure on the ball with the forefinger and thumb of your toss hand. Notice Brad holding his toss arm up after the release of the ball. See his eyes and head still held up after the release of the ball. Notice where he holds the tennis ball in his hand. It was great to find this new training aid product, on brad's "square hit" website.

When we all do this simplest task perfect, I am certain that you'll see how it can increase your service percentage, while giving you a certain piece of mind.

Head Still, Eyes On The Ball & Bend Your Knees.

Good practice today. These are two points which I have stressed before. I saw some today adhering to such and some not so much. These are two points that we all need to refresh as tennis season begins and we adjust to playing again. I have played the sport a long time and know that these two points are things I have to concern myself with after any layoff.



We need to remind our knees that the tennis season began.






We need to remind our head to stay still and keep our eyes on the ball
as the tennis season begins. See the 1 minute video for further explanation.

http://paulvitennis.blogspot.com/2010/02/head.html - original post link

'Friendship' and 'Team Spirit '

This is what I spoke of before our practice yesterday and on Friday. 'Friendship' and 'Team Spirit.' See the circled areas below. Read each and truly grasp their meaning. I expect these two descriptive definitions will continued to be followed by all members of the team. John Wooden's formula for team success, seen below, is what I have followed since day one with the team. His 'Pyramid of Success,' worked quite well at UCLA, so I think it'll work quite well here. It worked last year. 'Loyalty' will be the next talk. These three words and what they mean, go to the core of who I am as a person and how I approach coaching.

http://paulvitennis.blogspot.com/2010/06/video-essays-coach-wooden-pyramid-of.html

This is the blog post I wrote in June '10 which described his recent passing. and The post also includes a biography video of his amazing life. Three short videos.

Don't forget to scroll down and see yesterday's blog post if you hadn't already.




DOUBLE CLICK TO ENLARGE THE PICTURE TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND READ IT.