Tennis Lesson

Make your tennis lessons “likeable” by avoiding these 4 undesirables.

1. Lines – avoid having your students stand in lines and waiting for their next turn to play.  Make it a “moving experience” by using cones, donuts and games so the players are purposefully moving.
2. Yelling – don’t yell from across the net.  Learn to coach from the same side of the net they are on by using ball machines, other feeders and games.
3. Picking up balls – don’t make them pick up balls.  Use that time to teach them how to exercise their hamstrings, quads, glutes, groin and learning how to do a split step.  These are the 2 exercises a personal trainer would use to get them in shape: lunges and squats.  We don’t even charge extra for the personal training during our lessons.
4. Shadowing – they hate to “shadow” – it’s not real tennis.  It’s not shadowing, its free practice time.  It takes 10,000 to 12,000 hours to become a high level player.  The more swings you get in during this hour the closer you are to being good.  Besides, if you can’t do  the skill without the ball – how can you do it when the ball coming to you?

A masterful tennis professional will make learning fun by using these  “4 Undesirables” in a positive way so students will learn tennis in a fun environment. They will make lesson time “likeable” by doing the following “4 Desirable” things with their students:

1. Be organized – so time passes quickly and is used efficiently so they get true value.
2. Teamwork – use games and competitions where students learn to cooperate to improve.
3. Play – give them a game situation so they can see the progress of their skills they have worked on in the lessons.  They take lessons so they can become better players not lesson-takers.
4. Learning – they want to improve.  Remind them of what they worked on during the lesson and how much they have improved. Also point out how to practice so they will improve faster for the next lesson or their next big match.

Photo Credits: Joe Shlabotnik

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All Adult and Junior Clinics are still on the week of the 15-20th either with Rudy, Jesse or Reno.

I will be attending continuing education courses and on Sunday I will be awarded the PTR International Pro of the Year Award out of 14,000 pros around the world for my contributions to tennis.

On the 19th I will be in Kansas City to present a 4 hour course on “Strategy and Tactics for all levels of players” for the Mo-Valley USPTA Pros.

By the end of February, I will have all 5 of my DVD”s completed:  The Best of Ken DeHart, Defeating the Monsters in Your Mind, Myth Busting and Corrective Techniques, Intermediate Drills and the 3 Secrets to Championship Doubles and 13 Best Drills.  They will be available through my web site www.kendeharttennis.com

Visit my “In the Game” Blog on my web site for lots of FREE tennis tips about Doubles Formations and tennis tips.  Go to my web site and in the upper information bar, click on Blog.

I will be home early Saturday morning the 21st to teach the 10-11:30 adult drop in clinic and will be available for afternoon Saturday or Sunday lessons for players seeking lesson time.

Thanks for all your support and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Photo Credits: 1

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