Good Practice Today ... A Good Test Tomorrow Against Cherry Hill West

We had a good and well needed practice today. I feel good about our readiness for our match tomorrow against Cherry Hill West. I believe tomorrow, that both varsity and junior varsity players will have competitive matches against opponents of similar skill level. I am excited for such an opponent, and the opprotunity to compete and polish your tennis skills during match play. We should be ready to leave at 245 and I expect us to be back no latter than 6:00.

Here is one quick video tip. It is about feel, something we all forget about, so here is a reminder. Remembering 'Feel' may help settle your game down and channel your focus when you need it. I know it can give you more power.



Feel Video Tip

Confidence and Shot Tolerance Vid - THE Rain Is Dampening Our Tennis

Here are two tennis video tips. Each is no more than 1 minute. One is 'singles strategy,' and one is a general tip on confidence. There are good points in each video which we all can benefit from. Do a little each day to improve your tennis game. Thinking about tennis and watching the instructional videos here, is a little something you can do each day to assure improvement. I am sorry that the rain has put a damper on the growth and improvement of our team. We will be back on the court tomorrow, practice will be from 145-415.




Confidence - David Porter


Shot Tolerance - Singles Strategy Vid Tip

The above picture is of Bill Tilden and Suzanne Lenglen, and taken in the 1920's I think. They are two of the all time greats of the sport. Tilden is a UPenn grad and the best American tennis player, of the first half of the 20th century. Lenglen is the greatest French female player of all time.

A Good Ending To Our Week ... With A Win At The Eagles Tennis Nest Against Triton

A beautiful Friday it once was, and the end week win takes the Lady Eagles to 6-4. Our feet survived a tough test Thursday at Wilson, and for that Nicole got a rest on Friday. We had many good moments during the week and they had nothing to do with wins and loses of matches you played in.

I saw a ton of growth and increased confidence during match play. That is the goal of the season. I am thrilled when I see it and I hope you feel great when you see improvement. I saw it with Sam in her focus while attempting her service toss during the Eustace match. I saw it with Kaitlin, as I caught her 3rd match Saturday, at the Camden County tourney. It was a moment where she was a bit frustrated during the match, when in a moment she found her groove on her serve. She found confidence from her serve ... and then in a flash, she found herself right back in the match, winning the 2nd set and taking it to a 3rd.

We'll keep on working on all the little things next week so we can all grab increased confidence when we succeed using these skills on the court. Think our 'Service Toss Activities.' Click on the picture below. Its John Wooden's 'Pyramid of Success.' One of Wooden's ideas is a time honored coach's cliche. 'The little things make the big things happen.' Its a simple idea and one of many I ascribe to, from Wooden's Pyramid Theory. I think his ideas are priceless, for use in team sports and life. I want you all to read it. Here's another post I did in June on Coach Wooden. http://paulvitennis.blogspot.com/2010/06/video-essays-coach-wooden-pyramid-of.html We will talk about the Pyramid in the near future as rain may throw a money in a wrench.

Zen Video Tip, Today's Ice Tea - AND We Have A Home Match vs. Triton Tomorrow Against Triton ...

Tomorrow we will have a home match against Triton HS. They will have enough players for us to field 4 more JV doubles teams. I want everyone to come dressed. We will have a short practice from 240-325, right before the start of the match. JV who won't play can stay and or go at this time. I understand. We should be finished the team match by 530. I was alerted to this match by our AD right before our 5-0 win today at Woodrow Wilson HS... so what to say, we know its not on our schedule.

Triton should have a nice squad with competitive matches at all positions. I see them as maybe a small step down from the competition we got from Timber Creek. I expect the JV competition to be equal, with maybe a slight edge to our Eagles. Please get to the courts asap ... so we can get in our normal pre-match practice routine ... footwork, flexibility and strokes.

The above picture is of the ice tea we've been having thus far ... for those who are interested. Today we had that 'Red Mango Tulsi' blended with a little 'Organic Cranberry Herbal Tea' ... I did a blog post on tea and great places in our area you can get HQ Tea, if you are interested ... tea is perfect! http://paulvitennis.blogspot.com/2010/06/ice-tea-recipe-which-i-brought-to-our.html



Ed Tseng is a respected tennis pro from the Princeton area ... listen to his Zen Tip and don't laugh ... please use his advice to to stay focused during our matches ... and even in preparation for a match ... and to help us deal with the ebb and flow of any match we play in ... During a match many points are played and many won and lost by you and your opponent ...

Great Match Against Bishop Eustace = Best Learning Experience Thus Far

We played this same darn good Eustace squad just two weeks ago. We were at different points of learning and had less polish to our game then we did today. This was another great experience for all of you. I observed each and everyone of our tennis team members taking full advantage of the opportunity to improve their tennis game...AND we all took on the challenge with GOOD ENERGY.

Great attitude from each and everyone of you. It was another beautiful day and once again thanks to the parents who came out to support the team. Below are 2 short '1 min videos' I want you to watch them, and start to see the mental part of the sport. Tracy Austin, one of the all time greats, speaks in the 2nd video. Tracy is 5'4 and never had any huge wepons, but did have a mental toughness that separated her from all other competitors. Tracy Austin won 2 US Opens and is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Tracy is a tennis expert and one of the greatest American tennis players of all time.



What are 4 areas of tennis improvement?





Tracy Austin - Mental Toughness ... listen to what she says about keeping the ball deep and footwork

Great Win Against Winslow Township. And Another Beautiful Day !!!

We stand today 3-3 fresh off a good win against a game squad from Winslow Township. That was a great way to begin the week. Everyone played great and nearly gave up more than 3 games in any set we played. I see much improvement on everyone's service toss and first serve percentage ... with that 'no doubles faults' goal.

I think Bishop Eustace will give all of us a great test today that I am thrilled to accept. Have fun competing today, don't worry about the score but only worry about the point your playing in the game your in. I hope you have a blast. It'll be another beautiful day to play tennis. Thanks to all the parents who came out yesterday to support the team. I'll see you at the courts at 245 where we'll get a quick warmup in. Bishop Eustace will have a full JV squad and we will all play.

Lindenwold Success First In Play Second in Score

It was a stunning Friday afternoon and a great moment to play some tennis and feel success in many ways. Once we walked on the court to play our white horse pike foes we were focused and held it throughout our matches. Everyone got out front early, wherein you all settled in nicely and held that focus. AND Everyone got to play and practice all the little things needed to improve our whole tennis game.

Its good to start a match with a dash of discipline. The first game 'feel out.' You wanna take that beginning to look at a small picture of there strong and weak points...Whose the weaker doubles opponent? Are my opponent(s) fast or slow? Which ground stroke is weaker.

Look for those strengths and weaknesses during your warm-up, but concentrate on grooving your strokes first. Hold on to one or two pieces of information you've observed. That first game is where nerves may show the short comings of your opponent's tennis game ... let them make a mistake or two. There are moments during a match where you may be helping or letting your opponent beat themselves.

Here's a short video on what to do when playing in the wind ... please watch it. This is something we'd communicate with our doubles opponent. Thanks to all the parents who came out to show support.



How To Play In The Wind - 1 min video

Doubles And Singles Vid Tips - Lindenwold Tomorrow ... Everyone Will Play

We had a rain shortened match today that will be completed when we travel to Seneca and play them this season. My Verizon has been down ... and then on and then quickly disconnected. I have been short on email and blog. So here's four ... 2 for singles and 2 for doubles ... thus get this back on track. Please use the weekend to refer back to the vid tips seen below, and spend a moment each day thinking about your tennis game ... we have a match on monday.

I am sorry for the JV who didn't get ... but got washed out by the rain. You will all play on friday. Be out at the courts as soon as you are dressed and ready so we can get in a condensed practice. I will be at the courts by 240. This 'home pre-match' routine is the way we've been doing it for home matches and we will continue as such ... so no matter what curve ball we are thrown, we have spent part of each day this week improving and practicing our service toss, serve, ground strokes from both sides and volleys too.

We should be complete the full varsity and jv match shortly before 6pm.




Singles Strategy - please see the "21" and "12" patterns




GET VERY LOW, BEND YOUR KNESS - Vid Tip



Volley At Different Heights

New Blog Post for Girls Team - Labor Day '10

This is a a funny ESPN TV commercial with Maria Sharapova. I'll try to have some fun with the blog this season with tennis related stuff. (30 secs video)

Read and watch the short pieces on tennis instruction seen below. These information pieces are always references to things we have gone over at tennis practice or a few points that we will go over in the near future. The learning is important and especially if you are new to the sport. All that is seen her on our blog is meant to be simple to grasp. I believe such visual learning will enhance and quicken you the improvement of your tennis game.

You all had a great first week of practice and I saw much promise and a good degree of effort. I hope you all felt a degree of improvement with the many aspects of sport we worked on together over the last 9 days. I certainly saw some. From our first practice and now with the time we've spend together on the courts. I without a doubt know that each one of you are talented and very capable of success and improvement over the course of the season.

I am excited for the upcoming season's journey. I think we have a very coachable group and I promise to work hard and encourage all of you toward such improvement over the course of the season. I assure you that by season's end you will be thrilled to see how you've improved through the sport of tennis.

I've posted one 2 minute video and three short tips. Watch the first video and think about the fine and gross motor skills you've learned thus far. The gentleman you see in that video is the author of the study '34 Reasons,' that you'll see at the bottom of this introduction piece, just double click on it.


These reasons actually are a simple framework for what we do and talk about everyday in practice. Team members, after they read the '34 reasons' will see the connections, think foot work for one reason/connection. Read the 34 reasons why tennis is a great sport, so to see all that is to gain through this great sport, 'sport for a lifetime.' I think I've said that many times by now.

I posted an easy wrist/hand/forearm exercise here that I'd like you to do, its simple and not strenuous at all. Try one of the three listed, moreover think more stretching work. Strength in these muscles is a good thing for your improving tennis game. Finally see some simple rules of doubles that you should follow.


Hope you and your family are having a happy and relaxing holiday weekend. See you tuesday, 1-3pm.



Fine And Gross Motor Skills

Less Running ... Hip Hip Horray ... Volley Vids ... Please Watch

I guess I am getting soft in my old age, as I don't like to sweat as much as I once did. I do a bunch of small and large group tennis instruction for most of the summer. By the end of the summer I've spent a good portion of the previous 2 months, and say 5 hours each day covered in sweat.

So you guys won today as we ran less than we normally do. That said I see the upcoming weather forecast wherein today may have been the last of the really hot days of the year. We'll run again and the temperature will be much lower. I promise to toughen up my new soft self.

Please watch the short vids to give you a different and enhanced visual aspect of the learning we've been doing with the Volley. Please email me your challenge match scores and opponents so I have a record of such.





Volley With Your Feet





Volley with your eyes - See Volley Ready position - your base may not be as big as the instructor in the video