Return of Serve And The Split Step

We had a great practice today, and it was great to see the sun. We had some tough challenge matches and I truly understand the nervousness they present to you. We are at the end of said challenges matches now. We have some doubles challenge matches still to play. Tomorrow we will start right after-school and must end at 5pm sharp, moreover we'll talk about a Friday or Saturday practice that I felt strong about having considering all the time we missed due to rain.

Here are some 1 minute videos on the return of serve and split step to give you a visual that can ENHANCE the learning. I always have heard and now believe that such visual learning is both successful and powerful.






That this type of learning translates well to all and thus easier for you to replicate on the court. This is why I have done so many blog entries now that I've learned how to use this computer and embed the videos here. A point to that, I have completed scanning with Norton, all the videos and pictures you see here on the blog. Its been fun and I really hope all of you are checking in on it daily, and watching the video tips. The split step tips you'll see here are a case in point to the visual learning.

I truly believe if you are it will be part of your success here this season. I am psyched as I truly am not in awe of anyone we will compete against this season. You should never be in awe of ANYONE you play. That is a very bad way to play tennis. Don't be in awe before, during or after the match. In fact I want to remind you to act or be a little cocky, even if it doesn't come natural. This is a great way to approach tennis competition/match play. This is something that i'd remind the girls team about.

I insist you be a little cocky, but in a way that isn't arrogant, mean or entirely outward. I believe in you 100% and you should understand this. Think your "INNER VOICE," from the previous mental video tip. But remember I'm your coach and will continue to challenge you in a good way to be better than you think you are. Please understand that statement when I ask you do something.

If anyone doesn't believe me and thinks I'm being to tough or to honest, and thus needs a hug. Sincerely, I'd be more than happy to give a hug at anytime for any reason. If I hadn't said it before i'll say it here now, as your parents may have said such to you once. "Firm yet nurturing," is a motto I go by. I say such to the parents of students in my private and group lessons that I teach in the surrounding area. For two + hours each day your kind of like my kids. Believe it or not I worry about you and your well being when your not at tennis.









1st video - split step
2nd video - return of serve
3rd video - split step

all are less than a minute as usual

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow, Bet Your Bottom Dollar That Tomorrow, They'll Be Sun !!!

Until then enjoy this great video of Andre Agassi and Roger Federer playing tennis on a special court at the top of a enormous hotel in Dubai(middle east). You'll see sun, boats and beaches. You'll sense its warm where they are, and it'll make you THINK of the SUN that is almost here.

Tomorrow we will meet right afterschool for our practice, as the school where I do my afterschool indoor program has off this week. We'll run practice till 545. We've missed so much, so we'll go a little latter. I wish we could have gone indoors today but many Paul VI teams, of different seasons vie and have scheduled time for the gym space thus it wasn't available.

The other video is of the need to volley with depth. It starts with the volley ready position with your knees bent and your feet alert. You use your lower extremities, your legs, knees and POSTURE to assure that deep volley. WATCH his and think your FEET, KNEES & POSTURE please. Have a long follow through on your volley, not a short one. Notice his follow through in the video, and hear him mention that.

These are all points I've made MANY times while instructing and feeding you practice volleys. I want all of you to always volley deep in the court, this is a very good thing. It puts more pressure on your opponent to make a difficult shot. While giving you more time to prepare and likely sets you up for an easier next shot. Your opponent may frequently make an unforced error if you volley deep. I'm thrilled to have found this tennis tip.













1st video - dubai extreme tennis
2nd video- David Wheaton - Volley with Depth - former top 5 in the world - aka The Minnetonka Mauler

This Is Where The Sun Will Shine When It Reappears

YES I CAN !!! Now say that 10 times, and keep reminding yourself, of what I already am convinced of, that we'll add 2010 to that banner. Say that to yourself, using your inner voice, once each day.

Visualize your success before it happens, see yourself serving a ball out wide, and see your opponent giving you a short ball that you can hit deep into the other side of the court. Think and picture similar scenarios/points(a long rally) where you win such a point, game, set, tiebreaker and match against our conference rivals. See their uniform colors. Plant these positive thoughts in your mind.

We, members of jv and varsity, are equal parts of this success. It'll happen on a sunny day not far from today. We'll work hard to assure this. I'll continue to work hard to improve our chances. Maybe a jacket of sorts could be in our future, who knows. We have to do it first.

By reading this blog and thinking about your game each day. Working hard in practice by taking it seriously at times when I ask. We can have fun and work hard at the same time. Even doing some core exercises or the grip change exercise each day, in your room, will enhance our chances to add 2010. Do one thing to get better everyday outside of practice. This is a group effort with a group mindset. Lets put your fingerprints on that blue felt, and your mark will still be there long after you leave.






Thanks Henry for this crisp photo of our banner hanging in the gym.

Remember!! We are the Sun and each of us a sun ray. Together as one we can be a powerful and confident team. The sun is strong. Here comes the sun!!!

Here Comes The Sun !!!

This is a song written by my favorite Beatle George Harrison(video below). George, it is fair to say now was the sun, the enlighten Beatle that surely inspired John, Ringo and Paul's lives in various ways. Remember it was George that took his three band mates to India on a spiritual pilgrimage of sorts. I always thought it weird and sad that the biggest news event on the eve/day of the new millennium, 1999-2000, was someone breaking into George's home to rob it and almost killing him. But remeber George was the sun, and such an event wasn't going to take him from this earth.






Anyway I want you all to watch this, and let George's positive thought plant in your mind. Remember the "Zen Tennis" video clip about planting positive thoughts. After you watch the video say "here comes the sun," out loud 10 times. I believe if we all do this right now, the rains that have plagued us over 2 seasons now, will be a problem no more. You may think it strange, but you have to do this. Our voices together will mean strength in numbers that the rain gods can't ignore.

So we had an indoor practice today, and it was good. With lots of the plyometric exercises that we normally do, much jumping and various running for strength and quickness. They didn't call it this fancy word when I was a kid, but now I realize I was doing much the same stuff.

Mr White has all his pupils do many of these exercises as you've all seen. I always view tennis as a lower extremity sport first(legs), and I should have you do more core, arm and shoulder work. We did a little of said today, and that's my bad.
Someone wikipedia "plyometric" and tell me what it's definition is.

BACKSPIN - The Volley & Continential Grip - Click On Article Below

It oh so easy to have, hold and hit the forehand or backhand volley 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, closer to the net, from which you can then hit that ball down. In a nutshell, that's the simple essence of what doubles is about. You want your opponents to hit up so you and your partner can hit the next ball down. If the ball sits up, typical of those volleying in the Eastern Grip, your opponent(s) have more time and options when hitting the ball.

You can't get backspin with the Eastern Forehand Grip. See the backspin piece below. 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's face is slightly open. See the practice exercises also, you could do them in your room. No need for a court.

The old tennis picture is from that same first day of tennis at the White House in 1922. It goes with the picture from the previous day's post.

Tennis Doubles Tips

Two great doubles tips. We had a good practice today. I wish more of you were there, but if you had other things to attend to I understand.







Video Tips - Doubles With Master Pro Leslie Allen

1/ Doubles Positioning and Court Coverage

2/ Doubles Return Of Serve



The picture above is of President Warren Harding christening the first White House tennis court on the East Lawn in 1922.

Tomorrow/Saturday We'll Have A 4 - 530 practice

I'd love for you all to come, but it'll be optional in case you have something else planned. We missed so much practice this week due to rain I feel it necessary because the season starts next week.

Volley and Serve Grip ... Continential, and Proper Equipment Video Tip

Continental Grip ... Bevel 1 ... Eastern Grip Bevel - Right Side ... We are using that same Eastern forehand grip for our backhand also ... we're only 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

A good practice today, as the rains held off for us cause someone above loves tennis here at Paul VI. Well that's probably not true, but wishful thinking none the less. Really I wish and hope that tomorrow it doesn't rain, as it seems most certain to rain and cancel our scrimmage. If it rains we'll have a short practice with Mr White(till 400), so I'll met you dressed in sweats and ready at 245 in our normal classroom for meetings. If it doesn't rain we'll leave on the bus at 245 and be back by 530. Haddon Twp is 3 minutes away, and has 8 courts. Everyone will get on right away.











Here are two videos, one on the proper grip for the volley, which is the same grip for the serve and overhead. This was the very first thing I tried to implement in our daily practice routine last season, through our extended practice of the serve.


Notice in the volley video about the contact point and keeping the ball in front of you while still improving your technique. This is something I've always stress when were drilling you on the volley. The second clip is a video is about the need for proper equipment to avoid injury.

Grips and shoes are discussed. Tennis specific shoes have extra side support, that cross trainers and running shoes don't. We have never had an injury, which is a fact that I'm very proud of. KNOCK ON WOOD RIGHT NOW PLEASE!!! That is the central reason I've been tough on your need for the right footwear. Injures to the feet, leg, knee and ankles' are all to common to tennis.

Tennis requires much running with frequent starting and stopping. You do all of this on essentially asphalt, which isn't that soft. Playing tennis for 2+ hours a day without said shoes would put you at an unnecessary risk. I don't want you to get injured !!! How much would and MRI cost due to a tennis injury, then compare that to the cost of a pair of tennis specific shoes? $50-$60 compared to maybe $1000 for the MRI on your ankle to check for ligament damage. Whatever you'd pay I don't know. Safety 1st, 2nd and 3rd !!! I think I remember a teacher once saying that phrase???

Have A Thoughtful Warm-Up ... Not A Mindless One

I got my morning lesson in and so far so good, but the clouds are lurking. So I'll see you soon for our practice. Please watch this video and take notes to the need for a thoughtful warm up. Such a warm-up sets a tone for your alertness, focus and proper mindset to begin a tennis match with. Notice the breathing recommendation Ms. Mendoza offers, as I noted such in a previous blog post.

Practice breathing in your warm-up. When your nervous and tense during a match your often restricting your muscles by forgetting to regulate your breathing. Your brain and body want you to breath. When you don't your mental and physical reactions and movement are adversely affected. When your tense and nervous you make errors that you wouldn't make if you were just hitting during practice. When you hear many of the pro tennis players GRUNT they are actually breathing, exhaling upon contact with the ball. There is frequently a timing mechanism that is intertwined within that same action/grunt. That'll be for another post.

WINDY !!! How To Play In The Wind!!!

When your playing with the wind at your back you have to get more topspin on the ball to assure you don't hit the ball long. You can get a lot of topspin on the straight back forehand that many of us use, but you have to remember to use your hips to lower your knees even more to get that spin. Try to "see below the ball." BUT DON'T POP UP, keep that front knee bent and "foot to the ground," till your follow through is complete. Same with your backhand. This will increase the amount of topspin you get on the ball.

We had a great win today over Holy Cross. We beat them 5-0, and thus was our AD Tony Mitchell's first win as a tennis coach, after too many to count as a baseball coach here at Paul VI. Holy Cross used to have a boys and girls tennis coach named Tom Camp. He's a history teacher there still but coached both teams for 30 years until very recently.

Mr Camp was the first person to introduce me to tennis at the age of 5. I did a summer session at Wedgewood Swim Club where he was the instructor. Really I was trying to get out of swimming cause those swim suits were uncomfortable.

I promised to take up tennis so I could I then get out of swimming that summer. I also thought it stupid that I just got done school and now I have to wake up again every morning at 6am for swim practice. Tennis started at 9am.

Point here you never know what path life will lead you on. I'm here now coaching you cause I fell in love with tennis the first time I hit a ball at age 5. Mr Camp was a great tennis teacher, and who knows what would have happened if he was a bad teacher. I was thrilled to get to relay a greetings message via the current Holy Cross tennis coach to Mr Camp thanking him for his inspiration. I've always wanted to do such, but wasn't sure if he was still at Holy Cross. I was glad to hear that he was, and this made my day.










The picture above is of me back then hating swimming. I was 5 and wouldn't finish my leg of the relay.

I see a bad weather report on our horizon, this is very upsetting. So if in fact we are rained out tomorrow, we WILL met in that very same classroom we always met in. Be dressed in your sweats and ready to go. We'll have a workout we must have because of lost days, and be finished at 4pm. If not we have a few challenge matches and a normal practice.

Here Comes The Rain Again !!! by Annie Lennox

Here are two tips, one is from Tracy Austin. She is a two time US Open Champion and Tennis Hall of Fame member. Notice what she says about footwork and hitting the ball deep in the court. Please notice this as this is something I've stressed from moment one last year.

Think the yellow rope line I'd use in many of our drills and games. Everyone has to hit the ball with more depth. I see too many balls hit short and usually near the service line. I saw this all to often in the challenge matches. I say this constantly as we're practicing volleys. Remember we are constructing a tennis match and our necessary skills, not deconstructing it and our skills without thought.

Please take notice of the detailed picture of the tennis court. 90% of the balls you hit, from near or a bit behind the baseline should not land in, "no man's land." This is a bad shot for all of singles play and most of your doubles play.
If its a shot that your opponent hits, by all means step into the court and hit for angle to pull your opponent wide or attack it. In singles play you should hit an approach shot down the line, moreover in doubles play hit the same short ball deeper cross court or down the line but out of the reach of the net person. This should set you or your partner up for an easier shot or volley.

Your either going forward(net) or backwards(basline) from no man's land in both doubles or singles. Think net first. See how its looks like a sandy color in the picture. Pretend from here out that it is quicksand.

I feel and know that many of you don't hit with enough depth. Hitting the ball deep is the cornerstone for any strategy you'd want to use on the tennis court to force you opponent to make a mistake or give you an easier shot to attack or create angle.

The second is simple tip involving score of the game and strategy.

Good Luck tomorrow, I will get there at 445, per our normal Wednesday practice schedule. You may have a scrimmage, if so AD Mr Mitchell has all the necessities and the line-up. If not, Mr Mitchell will have it announced before noontime. If Holy Cross has a busing issue and can't come, we'll start our normal practice at 445 and go to 615pm. See you tomorrow. Someone pray to the rain gods to help us get through this mess, as I feel we are at the same place we were at last year.

Baseball and tennis – more in common than you think!

This is an awesome article(weblink at the bottom here) comparing the two great sports of baseball and tennis. I always love to be able to so easily see these sports as so much alike. Really more so than other sports may be. Just think the pitcher as server and the receiver as the batter, and many more similarities.

Coach here threw out his back lifting mulch bags at Home Depot this morning, not a good scene in their garden supplies center. So back to the advil bottle I now crawl. Get outside and soak up this great day. I'll live it vicariously through you. See you monday.

USTA MiddleStates - News - Baseball and tennis – more in common than you think!

click onto the above sentence with your mouse, which has USTA to start it You'll then be directed to the link for the great article, comparing baseball and tennis.

another psycological tip or two

The Perspective of Having Fun during Match Play In Order To
Overcome The Lost Point by Jack Groppel



Ed Tseng A Great Zen Tip

Match Play Tips - Strategy Mental

Ed Tseng Zen Tennis Tip Power of Positive Thinking

Mental Component of Tennis - INDEPENDENCE Jim Loehr

Skillful Storytelling - Mental Tip - Jack Groppel

Ball Control And Intelligence

We had a pretty good practice today. Tomorrow we'll meet in that same classroom we've met in before. We should be done our short workout by 4pm, and if anyone wants to stay, I'll find a place to set up the tennis ball tree. I also want to go over any questions concerning tennis rules and scoring for those who are new. Everyone must think of one question to ask, concerning anything we've gone over thus far, here or on the courts. There you have it, so start thinking.

I did want to have a Saturday session for some of you, but there is a 70% chance of rain. We've only gotten to practice for a few days and we need a bit more work, before challenge matches start on Monday. This is a tad frustrating.

This is a short clip on 'ball control,' defined by two USPTA master professionals. You'll hear the term we used yesterday, 'balance' and you'll hear 'spacing' and 'contact point. The second gentlemen you'll hear will surmise many of the key points I've noted on our blog.

Here are two of my favorite quotes from "The Tennis Lover's Book Of Wisdom." Both are related to ball control. I also used a quote that I heard once, but I don't know who to credit it to.

"Start with steadiness and smarts and then add aggression and power."
Arthur Ashe

"Before you learn tactics, learn ball control."
Pancho Segura

"Its hard to be a smart tennis player, if your not smart."
???

Remember the famous "A sound mind lives in a sound body," quote as I'll continue to challenge each one of you physically and mentally ... to be better than maybe you think your capable of. This approach has positives that I feel go beyond the here and now and beyond the tennis court.

Everyone on our team is quite smart, and I'm very proud of that fact. As its a joy to be around such intelligence. I feel we play a sport that requires and attracts intelligent people. This is part of the reason I give you such information here. Tennis is the most heady of sports. I've actually always believed, if you've read the '34 Reasons,' that playing this sport can enhance your intelligence.

When was the last time you heard of a professional tennis player have any of the off court problems and fiascoes that you see from individuals in many of the other professional sports. Can you name one? Could this be the an indicator of some smart people.

Balance!! A Very Short Piece

We had a good practice today, and I'll see you all tomorrow at 255 at the courts. If it rains we'll meet in the same classroom where we've had our previous meetings. We'll then have a short workout session in the gym, and those who still need help on the ground-strokes I'd be glad to, and i'll set up the tree, after our training session is over at 4. And you'll go to 445. Let's hope it doesn't rain.

Here is a simple bit of advice on the need to be balanced in all your movements on the tennis court. You can't be moving when your hitting the ball. You need to 'put your foot to the ground.' But you need to be moving at all other times, so your spacing and timing is optimized.

That movement needs to be balanced. That balance comes from my posture, and or how wide my feet are spread. They are always shoulder width. By the time that ball crosses the net my stroke decision is made and my racquet is already back.

Heights Girls Tennis Reached New Heights

My first experience coaching an actual team was in '07 when I filled in for Mrs Smith who was taking the fall off due to the birth of her second child. I was skeptical at first, as I was only going to be there a season, and wondered how much I could really get accomplished in 4 months. So knowing that, and then taking the job and responsibility of a team, I jumped in with gusto. I knew I had to work hard and fast, with purpose, if my time there was to mean anything for the future.

This was my first note(see below), before emails or blogs, that I ever wrote to some of the members on the team at the end of the '07 season. I used to photo copy articles back then, and give them to the team once a week. The Heights AD Joe Cramp, always looked at me funny as I sat in his office burning through his printer ink. Mr Eppright, the boys soccer coach, was equally annoyed, as all he wanted to do was make a few copies.

Anyway the girls and I had our ups and downs, as some of you may imagine. I was only doing what I thought and know to be right, even if they didn't see it at the time. I'm doing it the same way right here and right now. I wanted to make tennis a bit more relevant to them. I wanted them come to practice everyday and work hard, even if some had taken different paths to get to tennis. I knew tennis may not have been their first choice, or first sport.

I established a goal of making the playoffs in '07, which we did and won a round. I hoped that would help them start to see the sport of tennis as desirable thus could be a fulfilling conduit toward team and individual goals. I wanted their hearts in the sport, with me knowing that they could have a skill and experience that was worth more than I could clearly show them at that moment.

The honest truth is that these girls had more heart and determination than I initially gave them credit for. I thought they had some, but like you guys at times, I would leave practice thinking that they may not had thought the experience that useful or meaningful. I kept at it and tried to motivate them by various means. By the end of that season I began to see that heart and determination come out on the court. I could start to see some confidence being projected and a little brashness, which I hope would rub off from me to them. It was the last match against Audubon, a match we lost earlier that season. They were starting to believe, so I decided I needed to set a goal for them to work towards next year, as the baton was going to be passed back to Mrs. Smith.

I penned the short letter and gave it to Jackie, Gina, Alex and Kara, at the season's end Colonial Conference tournament. The letter references a Courier Post article that details all the high school tennis teams vying for South Jersey Sectional Championships, that fall of '07. The article isn't included here.

This was the last time I had the privilege of calling myself their coach. I gave the letter to them along with a three ring binder, that they would put the accumulation of the season's 'tennis articles' in, which I had them bring that day. The binder could protect them for the future. I was really curious to see who had actually saved them and who had not or used them as scrap paper. Each one had saved all their articles, which was impressive.

They are a very special group of young ladies, that I will never forget. They truly taught me more than I ever taught them. I just lit a little spark. I fanned that spark in various ways till my last moment there. The next year, as you'll read in the Philadelphia Inquirer article here, they carried the torch the hard final leg, in the clutch as the underdog. They upset the #2 seed Haddon Township at their place, as such was a big obstacle for them the previous year.

I remember quickly exiting after they won the match, leaving them and their coach to celebrate. I was so excited, running away from the courts and down the street, that I forgot where I parked my car. They then won their semi-final match 4 days latter at Middle Township. They finished their run against Haddonfield, in the '08 SJ Group 2 Final. This wasn't a tennis match per say, but a deserved moment in the sun and a celebration of a team and their journey.

They had made history for their school's tennis program, and got a great article in the Philadelphia Inquirer. This helped substantiate that someone did notice their accomplishments. It also laid proof that what they were doing as a tennis team, and what I was trying to encourage them towards did really matter. This article was in the paper the same day the Phillies won the National League Pennant in '08. I thought this was doubly cool, as many people would have read the 'Inky' that day.



 

This is the Knees Point That I Stressed Today !!

If you don't adhere to this simple rule, your deflating your power and compromising your control at the moment you strike the ball. The key phase i'll use in the future to remind you is put your foot to the ground. Please read this short piece.

The Forehand

This is the forehand style which I teach. We are in the Eastern Grip. Please watch both videos and notice the take back, footwork AND FINISH

Tomorrow I will break up the groups and set up the tee, so we can isolate all the moving parts of your stroke, without the ball moving. We'll work the practice in stations, after we do the short and long running. I like the first one for the majority of you who are just getting your feet wet. As you'll see in the picture above, using the forehand from the first video clip. You'll be able to grasp the beautiful feeling of hitting the ball on the rise, in the most efficient and simplest way possible.

We had a good practice today, and we'll get better and learn more tomorrow. I'm excited, and I have a good feeling if I can keep you focused we have an outside chance at winning our division in the Olympic Conference. Go in the gym and look up at the banners and tell me when the last time the boys team won such. Would you like to make history for your school.

Remember put that front foot on the ground when hitting your forehand. That knee is bent thru contact and full follow thru. This keeps you balanced at contact, so your shoulders and hips aren't moving at the exact moment of contact. If you don't do this your just arming and wristing the ball taking away any power or control you need to have.





The Tom Stow Forehand - Notice the end of the follow-through, and which foot pivots first... and the take back, where the racquet head pauses ... 2nd vid clip





Kid version with key phrases

This Is A Fantastic Tip On The Need To Breath

Please watch this short clip and listen for the connection between breathing and your muscles when making contact with a tennis ball. This is a fantastic tip. Remember a couple deep breaths though the nose can do wonders for your body, mind and soul. It can help you relax and refocus. Do it as your sitting in a classroom and taking a test. This was something I always reminded the girls on the team about.

34 Reasons Tennis Is The Best Sport? Tennis Participation Is Growing !

Why tennis is the best sport? << click this sentence, after you read below

Jack Groppel, a noted expert on the science of sport, gives you 34 simple reasons, with noted research, on why you should play tennis and what are the physical and psychological benefits of doing so. This list of reasons is awesome, as anyone can see themselves in it. I think I may have noted some to you already.

I write these blog posts so you spent some time each day thinking about tennis. I feel the posts here serve an important function. I think they are all simple reads that will make you think, but most of all will have you mind right BEFORE you walk on the court. This has been our pre-season warm-up daily activity.

I hope some posts have been fun. A few weren't about tennis per say, and many were filled with instruction. I feel I had a good variety of relative topics and i'll try to continue that. I hope you enjoyed it, and I think that if you did well keeping with them that I'll see it on the court. I know I had fun writing them. I hope your parents enjoyed them and got a feel for what we'll be doing this season, which the longer I did this the more important I felt that point to be. If you or they have any suggestions on a topic or how I can make our blog better, I'd love to hear them.

I won't be adding as many articles once the season starts, as we'll have challenge match results and team match summaries to use for posts. All the information you've seen here will show up in our practices and matches as advice I'll remind you of, along with drills. Posts on doubles and singles strategies are coming this week, as we have challenge matches starting on Friday or Monday.

See you all Monday, from 255-525. You can feel the warmth coming. NO MORE SNOW!!! Please have your sweats, shorts and both running and tennis shoes. You can not play tennis in running shoes, as they have no side support. Of course your re-gripped and re-strung racquet. Be prepared, as I remember from my Boy Scout days, and as I've told you for many weeks now.

FYI - The NJSIAA has new requirements for coaches, due to recent litigation. This is a NJSIAA rule now. I have to take attendance everyday and hand that report in with a weekly lesson plan to our AD. I'll have notebook, and you'll sign-in and I'll then note the time you signed in, next to your name. We'll do this one by one. I actually like the idea, a record of your attendance helps me avoid any unforeseen problems.

Keep Your Eyes At The Contact Point As Ball Leaves The Racquet

Here's a final short article that I feel ties the other ball tracking pieces together. Its got a few invaluable tips on how to hold your head and eyes at the contact point. The contact point is where the ball meets the racquet. I want to remind you that many if not most still have limited experience in learning this sport. You all have played some, but have more experiences and practice hours in youth sports such as soccer, baseball and swimming. I'm certain you learned technique in those sports many moons ago.

Tennis technique and the correct fundamentals are vital for you in the here and now, so a good foundation continues to strengthen. If it isn't, and you learn and do such technique incorrect. It will take longer to correct any flaws in your game, thus extracting them from your muscle memory. Tennis by nature is repetitive learning and practice. This is why I feel so strongly about my approach and why I can be a stickler at times. I am very passionate about this idea.

My experiences the past couple seasons, teaching and coaching a team at Paul VI and Haddon Heights have reignited my love of tennis, wherein I thought I may have lost it. I got a second wind, with the love of teaching this sport for a lifetime the correct way to you and others, as that catalyst. You can see that passion in my big goofy bag, with all the teaching tools I haul to the courts everyday. I use them to simplify and exact the tennis teaching process to quicken and enhance your learning in many little ways. Remember the 'Pyramid of Success' and its block describing the idea of the passion of the teacher inspiring others.

With that thought, and discounting that you may not feel anywhere near the same. I will continue along this path and hope that I will leave no stone unturned in insisting that I teach you the right way so the foundation we've been setting here will flourish long after you leave these courts and Paul VI High School. I will continue holding true to this idea from the first day of practice to the last day of the season. This is the correct way for the teaching of tennis to occur. If I don't do it this way I'd be doing you a disservice and you'd be wasting your time. Those who were here last year can attest to these truths. They all got a lot better and they should be very proud of themselves individually. I know I am. My first "YESSS!!!," of the season is close by, but I can and will go the opposite way when needed.

A new season brings new challenges and new possibilities for individual and team success. All I ask from any of you individually is that you show you do care about learning this sport, by being at practice and listening to the instructions and following them without problems, grief or excuses. Being at practice and prepared is crucial. I'm only asking you to do this Monday - Friday. That is the essence of the contract you'll get Monday.

Remember the quote from the first day by the famous economist.

"Its better to do the right thing wronger, than the wrong thing righter."

Tracking And Watching The Ball

The very first bit of information that I gave you last year was an article about watching the ball. This is another simple one, two pages, that stress the same point. Its written by Bill Tilden, who for the first half of the 20th century was considered the greatest tennis player ever. When Rodger Federer won the US Open for the 6th straight time last year he tied Tilden's record which stood for 80 years.

The video clip defines and expands on tracking. It referrers the viewer to the important idea of "tracking the tennis ball." This is along the same line as, "keeping your head still." You should now be able to see how these many simple 'ball/eye' concepts connect, that I've presented here on our blog. Watching the ball, and keeping your head between the lines when your on the court practicing and playing a match. This will allow your brain to go on auto pilot, as it send signals to your body and feet, that you don't even know they are getting. Your muscle memory is taking over.

You may occasionally be in this zone where all you see is the ball and nothing else. The more you practice this, then the more you'll do it without thinking and the bigger the ball will become. If this is executed all the things we'll practice, footwork, spacing and timing will work for you in harmony and rhythm. You may even find beats to work with.

Baseball players have been there, as Chase Utley was last year during the World Series, tying Reggie Jackson's record for home runs. The baseball must have looked like a grapefruit to him at times. However we have it a bit easier considering you all have a big circular racquet to hit a ball with. I see many a tennis player take this for granted. "How can I miss a ball with this big racquet in my hand, do I really need to look at it that closely?" However I see this concept as making you a more effective a tennis player, in a simple way. Really its part making your racquet that much more effective as a tool, as you work on centering the ball. The "SWEET SPOT" is where your racquet maximizes its' control and power. Remember I said it's all in the eyes.

So I want to take this time for that simple concept to begin re-settling into your sub-conscious, so it kicks on sometime in the near future when you retake the tennis court again, and place yourself between the white lines. I say this knowing that some of you haven't played in a while, and some of you are new all together.

Remember Coach Wooden's quote in the "Pyramid of Success," Little things make the big things happen. Tracking and watching the ball is appropriate to that point. This is such a little thing that is so often forgot. So say to yourself during practice or a match forget about everything else and think about the bright green tennis ball, with its black lettering and white seams. You will see them spinning if you try hard enough.

Quick, Balanced And Controled Footwork Is Everything

The video clips seen here are about footwork and tennis. Pay specific attention to the "term adjustment steps." Hear in the one clip how many small adjustment steps most club players use to get proper spacing before they plant and then strike the tennis ball. Think about how your footwork relates to tracking the ball coming from the other side of the net. Brain and feet in synergy. Remember the fitness ladders I would put out everyday for us to practice those same small steps. One had smaller steps than the other. There was a reason for that.

The picture here is of the "ball of a foot." Where the pad is. The fitness ladder forces us to be on them while isolating these small steps. We often use the "Balls Of Our Feet," to make those little adjustment steps. The fitness ladder is an invaluable tool that I use for the majority of my teaching, as it aids in quickness and strength. I suspect most coaches in a variety of sports use fitness ladders for the same reason. It all starts with the feet. See you all tomorrow, in that same classroom at 245. Please be in your sweats and ready to go

Pauction Info Our AD Mrs. Harris Asked Me To Forward To You & Parents

Attention PVI Coaches:

As mentioned previously, one of PVI’s primary goals this year through the annual Pauction Event is to build community with our sports teams, and alumni athletes. At the coach’s breakfast a couple of months ago, Sister Marianne McCann, Dave Kittridge, the chair of this year’s event, and Tony Devlin, our past chair, discussed what this event is all about and how the sports teams can really help build enthusiasm and encourage participation in making this the Paul VI signature fundraising event.

The event is May 1^st… it’s right around the corner … invitations will be mailed next week. We already have tables reserved for parents of Girls Varsity Basketball, Boys Varsity Basketball, Varsity Football, and two tables of cheerleading parents. Ideally, we would have a table sponsoring each sports team (tables of ten). It would be great if each team would identify some parents, and if possible, a few team alumni names and encourage them to join your team table at the Pauction. We will put sponsor signs on each table with the team name. We know you are busy and we’d like to make it easy for you to engage your team community. If you would give me a list of names, we’ll take care of looking up their contact information, draft, and mail out the invites (preferably with a brief cover note under your name that we can draft). We are asking that you consider helping us with one or more of the following:

1. Email your team parents with the attached flyer and letter (you may revise the letter as you see appropriate)

2. Email me a list of some of your sport team alumni you think may be interested in attending or even organizing a table

(note: if you don’t have contact information, just email me the names and we will get their contact info and send the invite.)

Please refer to the attached Pauction flyer and car raffle form. If you’ve never been to a Pauction event, it is something to experience. First of all, you won’t recognize the school as it will be transformed into a Jersey Shore Resort. For $75.00 per person, you’ll be served hors d’ oeuvres, a top shelf open bar all evening, a gourmet dinner, and an opportunity to win cash … $500 cash giveaways will be drawn throughout the evening. If you’re interested, there will be a Ford Mustang Convertible Raffle, a really impressive live auction, and 300 auction items to bid on. And, this year, we will have Atlantic City gaming tables in the cafeteria. We promise a really a fun evening.

I would love to hear any suggestions or thoughts you may have in moving this forward. Please let me know if you have any questions or how we can assist your outreach. You can respond via email or give me a call anytime at 856-858-4900 x43 or contact Barbara Caruso, x22 (bcaruso@pvihs.org).

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email me or contact Barbara Caruso at bcaruso@pvihs.org .

We sincerely appreciate your support.

Best regards,

Mary Anne Yeager

Director of Institutional Advancement

Forehand Volley - Slo Mo and the Contact point

Here's a slo-mo Forehand Volley clip from you got emailed to you last year. The second clip is about holding you HEAD STILL at contact. This is in-line with the other video(Nick Saviano) about keeping your head still and BEING with the ball as you hit it. Take notice of the volley ready position, the knee bend, the eyes held still at point of contact with ball for a TWO second count, after the ball leaves the racquet ... the slight elbow bend of the racquet hand, as that racquet angle is what you'll always use, no matter what the height of the volley. See the player stepping towards the ball, and releasing the the free hand, with BOTH shoulders slightly turning in that direction. Do you see in the both clips a small step forward with the left foot on the forehand volley, if your right handed. Your need to move forward a bit, to cut off the ball, right before it gets to you. Keep the ball in front of your body. Volley the ball with your wrist in front of you. Sounds like some fine motor skills are involved here.