October Feature-Meet Mike Jones for National Coaches Month
For National Coaches Month, USTA Northern is putting a coach spotlight on, Mike Jones, for his dedication to growing tennis within the section. Mike is the Director of Junior Tennis at Life Time Bloomington South in Minnesota. He began with Life Time in 2020 and has grown the program significantly over the last four years. Mike’s coaching practices best exemplify the spirit of tennis development that is ideal for encouraging healthy and happy athletes, a clear correlation to his professional success.
Mike carries a wealth of knowledge and experience, as he started playing tennis before high school and then coaching shortly thereafter. At age fifteen, Mike’s father told him he needed to get a job, so he found a position washing dishes in town for $5.50 per hour. As one may expect, this was a laborious job, so when Mike was approached by a tennis parent who asked if he could coach their child, he gladly welcomed the opportunity. From Mike’s first on-court lesson, he knew he had a drive for coaching. Since then he’s grown the art of his craft tremendously, finding prosperity in every role. Ultimately, Mike says he remains dedicated to coaching because of the kids. He enjoys watching his players develop not only their skills but also grow as individuals.
Mike’s favorite part about being a coach is the relationship building. Over the years, he has developed strong connections with players and parents alike, and even friendships across the nation through tennis. Mike has provided his players with unique experiences by traveling with them to tournaments past state lines. He has taken players to Rochester, Sioux Falls, Chicago, Kansas City, and this year Florida. His network is everywhere. Mike knows tennis directors at a variety of clubs, which he uses to support player development. He believes traveling to tournaments is great for his players because it builds the club's camaraderie and sense of community. Not only this, it also gives players an indication of what being a college player might look like. Mike wants to supply his players with as many avenues for success as possible. His ultimate dream is to take his players to Wimbledon one day.
Mike has grown the junior programming at Life Time Bloomington South exponentially. In his first week as the director, classes were nearly vacant. Mike recalls arriving at his first and second lessons of the day, only for no players to show up. In his third class of the day, there was a peak turnout of two players. He was determined to see the program thrive, and his persistence paid off. His first year as director started with 10 players, but by the end it was up to 40. The next year ended with double the number, at 80 players. His third year concluded with 150 players, and this year the program sits right around 200 players.
Mike credits the program’s success to many things, one being the great staff he collaborates with. He appreciates how supportive the team members are at his club from the top down. Once the program grew large enough for Mike to start employing coaches for junior programming, he stated hiring the right people is critical. Mike feels every coach he’s entrusted to help him grow the program does a phenomenal job of coaching juniors.
Mike’s advice to juniors wanting to better their game is to play more matches. He says it’s the difference between the top players and everyone else. High-level players have a more balanced ratio between practice and match play. Many players he speaks to will say they only play matches during the season, but if you want to take your game to larger heights, it needs to be more frequent. Mike also noted that matches do not need to be official or extravagant. Finding a teammate to play a match with is a great starting point.
To fellow coaches, Coach Jones advises young instructors to be like sponges—absorbing as much information as possible. He emphasizes that mistakes are a natural part of growth. “You have to step on the court, try out your own drills, and sometimes watch them go completely off track,” he says. Embracing these challenges is how we learn and ultimately improve.
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