Ken presented a 4 hour continuing education course on Strategy and Tactics to more than 80 tennis teaching professionals and high school coaches attending the course designed to assist pros and coaches in teaching strategy and tactic to all levels of players.

The course addressed the importance of balance and footwork in allowing a player to be able to produce efficient and effective  strokes. World class players average about 10-12 steps between each ball they contact during a point.  That number of steps typically decreases in groups of 2 steps with lesser players.   The progression continues downward to a beginner player who averages about 2-4 steps between shots.

Once a player understands how to produce their particular strokes, the player needs to recognize the available targets on the court they can aim for during a point.  The player must also determine the correct speed and spin to use in producing the shot based upon their position and the position of their opponent.

Using the concept of 4 target areas on the tennis court, the 4 squares on the tennis court (square 1 being the deuce service court, square 2 the back court area behind the deuce service court, square 3 being the back court area behind the the ad service court and square 4 is the ad service court).

These target areas combined with using 3 speeds with which to send the ball to the target, (level 1 being the slowest and spiniest of the shots, level 2 being the rally ball speed and level 3 being the hardest they can hit the ball with out missing) players select the target and speed or spin that is the correct tactic for the position they are in and the position their opponent has taken.

Ken presented drills the coaches could use to allow a player to practice these tactical skills where the coach calls out the correct choice for the player initially.  As the player becomes more familiar with the concepts, the player will make those judgements and call out the appropriate target and speed before the ball contacts the court on their side of the court.

A call made by a player after an opponents ball contacts the players side of the court will put the receiver of the ball in a difficult position.  In this position, the ball often eliminates several options of the receiver and the player will appear to have to rush to produce the shot.  This typically causes the player to over-hit the ball based upon their position in the point and experience “unforced” errors.

Ken also addressed how to play the 4 doubles positions on the tennis court and what would be a typical job description for each of the 4 positions, before as well as during a point.  The more difficult positions being how to move when your partner is moving to the ball or learning to move when you are not the hitter.

Several “unusual” doubles formations were presented to demonstrate how doubles teams could compete against a stronger team or to change the momentum during a match.

Examples included:

1. Starting both players on the deuce court side of the baseline to begin a match.  When the server serves the ball into the deuce court to start the first point of a game, whomever returns the ball will then become the deuce court player for the rest of that set.
2. Playing an “I” formation where the server’s partner straddled the center service line in near the  service line in a crouched position.  When the server directed the ball to the opponents service court, his partner would stand up and move left or right in a pre-determined direction to distract or intercept the return of the receiver.  The server would move in the opposite direction to cover the open court created by his partners forward movement.
3. A similar position would be with the server’s partner kneeling in front of the baseline and directly in front of the server.  When the server served to the opponents court, his partner would stand up and have at least one chance to control the point for his team.  The server would move to cover the open court left by his partner.  This is best used when the receiving team is able to keep the return away from the stronger net player due to a weaker serve.  This position gets the stronger or more aggressive player into the point for a least one shot.
4. The Australian position puts the server and server’s partner on the same side of the court.  The server on the baseline near the center service “hash” mark and his partner halfway between the service line and the net on the same side of the court, i.e. Both on the deuce court side or the ad court side.  The purpose being to redirect an opponents strong shot to a different area of the court on the return of serve or to set up an alignment that favors the serving teams forehand or backhand.  This can also a done with both players on the same side of the court but both on the baseline, i.e.: both on the deuce court, the server serves from the deuce court then moves over to the ad court to play their stronger backhand strokes or forehand if the server is a lefty.
5. Both players back when serving or receiving allows a timid net player or weaker server or returner not to get their partner killed at the net.  It also takes away the net player as a target by the poacher at the net and permits the both back team to move toward the net together on a short ball.
6. The conventional  one up-one back position is the most vulnerable of the positions and least likely to benefit a weaker team.  Try unusual formations to take away an opponents strengths and to create some confusion to allow your weaker team to get a chance at the match.

Ultimately, Ken encouraged the pros and coaches to develop a system of communication with their players that was both truly meaningful and measurable.  A system that when a command or suggestion was given to a student it would allow both players to truly understand what was expected and how it was to be measured by both parties.

Telling a student to move their feet does not tell them how much to move or in what direction or for what intent.  Asking a player not to hit the ball so hard is confusing – so hard as what? Using the 3 levels of speed allows the player and instructor to determine more precisely what is expected.  Don’t grip the racquet so tight has no meaning unless you have a system that explains that there are different levels of tension to use, like on a scale of 1-5, use level 2 tension.  This is more meaningful and measurable by both the player and coach.

Stopping to ask the audience what they liked best or thought was their favorite tip of the day is key to getting your students to identify what they relate to best from your information.  This technique is key to  keeping the audience involved so you are not just “telling”, they are responding with what they are learning  and a reminder of key information that happened earlier so it does not get buried by the most recent information.  This method is also vital in determining how students learn; auditorily, visually or kinesthetic when teaching.

The USPTA Conference also included exhibits of major tennis industry manufacturers like Wilson, Head, Prince and several other industry information providers that could assist pros and coaches with their business.  Meals were provided by the conference committee at the Homestead Country Club and an Awards Dinner was held that honored the most outstanding performances by Missouri Valley tennis professionals this past year.  These included pro of the year, player of the year, coach of the year and several others.

The well attended conference was also treated to presentations by world renown Jack Gropple and several knowledgeable area tennis professionals.  In the evenings there were drills for the attendees to participate in including a Cardio Tennis Shootout. The shootout allowed the pros to showcase their ball feeding skills to targets both on the court and above the net in 60 seconds.

The winners of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place were recognized with the winner received an opportunity to represent their division in the finals at the September USPTA National Conference at Marco Island, Florida.

Congratulations were in order for Gary Trost, Bunny Brunning, Kendall Hale Kevin and Laura and all the Missouri Valley USPTA pros for such a great conference as well as all the pros and coaches who attended this years conference for 2009.

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