The USTA Newsletter for Tennis Coaches
·
2012
2
HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING
VOL. 13, NO. 1
THE GOALS FOR THE COACHES, PLAYERS, AND
PARENTS OF THE RTC CAMPS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. Clearly define the Mission of USTA Player
Development:
To develop world class American
players through a clearly-defined training structure
& competitive pathway; as well as through the
implementation of a comprehensive teaching &
coaching philosophy.
2. Five Principles of USTA Teaching
& Coaching Philosophy:
A. Patience: Long-term player development is a
journey in which players and coaches can't
skip steps.
B. Progressions: Coaches need to follow
teaching progressions that closely follow both
the demands of tennis and principles of learning.
C. Parameters: From the on-set of training,
teaching must be executed carefully within
the parameters of proper technique.
D. Planning & Goal Setting: The plan includes
developing competencies & goals inside
each one of the above areas. The plan should
outline the pathway for the player to achieve
his or her goals with measurable benchmarks.
E. Problem-Solving:
Great players are problem-
solvers. Players need to learn to think and
problem solve independently. The coach's job
is to show the player the correct path.
3. Two Areas of Focus:
Simplify the evaluation for
the coach and parent. Focus on the most pressing
flaws (i.e. grip, swing path, footwork). These two
areas of focus will be used to re-evaluate players as
they come back to future camps.
4. Provide feedback to the players and
personal coaches:
Players between the ages of
8-13 should have developed a strong fundamental
base. The focus of the evaluation should be on
technique, movement patterns, shot selection,
and basic patterns of play. If there are still major
technical flaws, these need to be prioritized in the
two areas of focus.
5. Player Feedback- Ask questions:
Provide the
player with feedback that he or she understands.
The coach may need to tell or show the player once
or twice what correction needs to be made, and
then engage them by asking questions that will
deliver the desired outcome. Engage the players
by asking more questions. Give the players verbal,
visual and kinesthetic feedback.
6. Learning Outcomes:
Understand the learning
outcomes that are associated with each drill in the
progression. It is important that not only the coach
understands the purpose of the drill, but the players
understand as well. Being able to link drills with
learning outcomes is critical to the development
of the player. It also helps the coach organize his/
her evaluation with regards to the USTA Player
Development Teaching and Coaching Philosophy.
7. Evaluate Player Progress:
It is important that
Player Development is able to evaluate the progress
made by each player from camp to camp. In order
to evaluate the progress of each player, it is critical
that previous camp evaluations are provided to the
coaches staffing the current camp. Prior to going
on court the first day, each coach should have three
areas of focus for each player he/she is evaluating.
The coaches should be evaluating the player on the
progress he/she has made from the previous camp
in addition to what they need to continue to focus
on moving forward.
The USTA Newsletter for Tennis Coaches
·
2012
USTA LEVEL 3 REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER CAMP AT DARLING TENNIS CENTER. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA.