Is it a flaw or just a mistake?
I was a national champion swimmer as a junior and technique was very important as in swimming which is closed skill sport, your success as an athlete hinges on how efficiently you can move through the water. Air is 784 times less dense than water and requires an entirely different set of technical skills than any
My daughter is a bit of a numbers wizard
I say this not to brag (well maybe a little bit!), but to illustrate an interesting point. NB. She gets that from her mother, definitely not me! She is 4.5 years old (going on 15) and numbers have always come fairly easily to her. She very quickly learned to count to 100, to count up in 2's
The New Improved Normal!
Many people are actually reporting increase in demand for tennis as we move tentatively out of lock down. It is THE sport for safe distancing and because we have a managed environment (coaches and staff) we can position tennis firmly in the driving seat. But what if we can also build a better car! Month before the
IS MARY ATTACKING MY BRAIN CELLS?
Ok, I am that age where you start to name things, my car is called Doris and my GPS has always, always been Mary! Of course she is now on my phone not in the dash (that is Mary Mark I, still there but rarely gets used) but Mary is the one I pull for when
Schooled by a Pipe Smoking Yoda
There are some tennis memories that are burned on my mind, branded and permanent and they will never leave me. One for example, is watching a Borg McEnroe Wimbledon final, one saving up to buy my first second hand Donnay Borg Pro and then one is Susan Molyneux's legs (sorry for that one but it was
I HAD TO SCREAM AT SOMEONE!
Her face was red and eyes watering. After 15 minutes of yelling at me she took a pause, a breath and said. “Thanks so much, you have been great about this!” I was in a state of shock and nearly fell over. I knew Mary, she was a good parent, although a little too attentive; her
Why play we all know who is gonna win anyway!
That was his response when I asked Mark to sign up for the tournament! "Mark, it's a round robin you will get to play lots of matches!" "Great more opportunities to lose!" came his response and he went back to watching the TV in the clubhouse! Some kids are just not competitive I guess but I didn't get
WHY TENNIS IS THE HEALTHY INTELLIGENT CHOICE FOR YOUR CHILD!
Of course we are biased. We love tennis, but every once in a while it is worth reminding ourselves that those that don’t yet play may not see tennis as we do. As we move into a new era of sports it is worth reminding ourselves why tennis is the among the healthiest ways to get
The Crying Game
Am I weird that I like the noise of babies crying? I know for some it's like nails on a chalk board and others with look at me like I am the devil incarnate for saying this but I love kids and unless it's 3am in the morning, a baby crying is just a child asking
DONT ARGUE WITH A LINEBACKER
So this is an issue we get asked about a lot and actually has a really simple answer. It starts like all puzzles with the key question. Why! Why do organisers feel that they should give trophies for participating, and the common response is that they don't want some kids to feel left out or upset. First
WANTS, NEEDS AND DREAMS!
To what degree are you coaching based on the motivation of your players? Kids today are more involved in the decision making of what to do than ever before and so may opt for the short term gain and social credit more than what they actually need. How are you balancing teaching tennis over athletic skills
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,
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
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
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
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!