WINNER OF THE BEST TROPHY!
Has anyone arrived at the club and given you a present you were not expecting? The proverbial apple for the teacher! How did it feel to think that just for doing your job and doing it well someone gave you something special? It may have been small but it was valuable. You didn't enter a competition,
PARENT PRESSURE!!
There are six times when a kid and others look to a parent as if to say "You should have the answer here and know what to do!" We parents don't always know what to do and most of the time are just trying to do our best! These are the times we would appreciate your
WHAT’S IN A SMILE?
The buzz on my phone was to remind me that it was time to leave for my Covid vacination (a day that brings relief to almost everyone) .. So out of the gate and off for a walk like Hairy McCleary from Donaldsons Dairy (if that is lost on you then you missed out reading Julia
THE WORST QUESTION TO ASK A KID!
We post a lot here about developing programs but also spend much of our time invested in being better coaches. So prompted by a comment from Adam Kohlbeck last week I thought it would be nice to revisit this! I ask this question a lot on workshops! What is the worst question in the world to ask a
REDEFINING WINNING!
You get the chance of a lifetime! To hit with this guy! After a warm up he asks you to play a practice set! You know you won't win on the scoreboard so what does winning look like? The gladitorial nature of tennis means you can't control the result so how do you redefine winning for your
OOPS A DAISY!
He stumbled, tried to recover and with arms outstretched bounced into the ground! I remember thinking I wish i only had that far to fall and bounced like that, but then he was 2 and I am 52. "Oops a Daisy!" said his mum in a cheery voice. The face screwed up, the was a momentary pause
MY BICYCLE GOT A PUNCTURE!
It was my fourth three day workshop in China on this trip. I was struggling from a lack of Starbucks coffee and before me in the converted warehouse were 40 eager coaches, and the humidity was through the roof. Today was the part of the workshop where we worked on managing large groups! Beyond explaining the
DON’T RUN A KIDS TOURNAMENT!
It may sound like a weird statement but let me explain! There are multiple posts on the value of competition in this group, so of course we think kids tournaments are important (in fact I would venture it's the most under developed and greatest need in kids programming today!) but look at the headline again! It's
USING STEALTH MODE WHEN CHANGING YOUR PROGRAM!
So you made a decision to make a big change in your program? Maybe a new curriculum, maybe a whole new approach! You are excited and you want to tell everyone that this is a great new offering! But before you throw up the posters and blast your message over social media curb your excitement. To
WHAT SHOULD I WORK ON WITH MY KID BETWEEN LESSONS!
Ok so you have have enthusiastic parent! Great! But he wants to "work" on things? Hmmm maybe not so great! But the kid gets to practice and they are committed! Great or not? It's a dilemna most of us have faced and of course there is no perfect answer but here are a few things to consider!
LEARNING TO BAKE – CHILD LEARNING IS MESSY
Today is my birthday so I am not sure what I am more excited about, the 5000 presents that will no doubt arrive from my facebook friends (feeling sorry for the mailman) or my giant birthday cake? It’s weird how my brain works! Everything becomes a metaphor for child learning, programs or some form of development. So let’s
LANDED IT… THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPLORING
Looking like a strange cross between a scifi landscape and a warehouse a skateboard park takes a whole lot of thought. They don't scribble a sketch and build some random hills. The curves are calculated and connected from the angles to the run off! There is something deliberate about this very expressive and creative place! Kids roll,
THE GANG’S ON BOARD!
Why did you become a coach? Why do you coach now? Why did you pick up a tennis racket in the first place? (Ok mine had to do with a girl but that is a whole other story!) We talk a lot here about the WHY for kids but one of the keys in evolving your program
THE GREAT SKILLS DEBATE
Most of us have heard of the concept of Long term athlete (player) development. As part of this there has been a big discussion around the ideas of early specialisation. Should a player choose one sport and stick with it or play multiple sports to develop an multi-dimensional skill base. Most experts agree that from a
IS LEARNING A GOOD THING?
Woke this morning to a thread on another group. Where someone described a Kids Tennis Program as a LEARNING program! Innocent enough comment that made my heart sink. Really interested in your marketing headlines following the comments yesterday from the dynamic duo of Lara Suarez-Neves and Christina Mihaela Carare. It occurred to me that while we
I’M SPECIAL … RIGHT?
Did you know that the average child in your program creates a spend of around 150 x what they pay for a group lesson? Do the math, if a child pays $10 for a group lesson chances are if you keep them that they will spend $1500 on average per year! Ok so flip this round. You
The Three Worlds
The Three Worlds - Taking Your Program into 2021 and Beyond So that was it? Done! Probably the worse year in tennis history for us all! And yet most are still here. The head scratching of course is not over and the way ahead is far less predictable as we thought possible. If you are like me
Are You Ready to Each Your Veggies?
Are You Ready to Each Your Veggies? If you have ever scratched your head and wondered "why this kid is just not getting it" then this post may shed a little light, but more than that you may refine and improve your coaching just by adding one key element, understanding why motivation is so important! We all know
A New Chain for a Bike with No Wheels
A New Chain for a Bike with No Wheels! Yes it's shiny! New parts always are. The question is not is it better than the last chain. The question is
