LEARNING TO PLAY: "THE RIGHT WAY"

Children can strike an interest to play tennis from so many various sources for example; a match seen on t.v., a pro player seen live at a tournament, a weekend hit with Grandfather, a school tennis activity, a "kids tennis day" etc. Once a child shows genuine interest to play the game the most important priority should be to find a qualified teacher to show the student how to play "the right way".

A qualified teacher is one who first of all loves tennis themself. This teacher cares about your child and wants to see him/her further their skills. This teacher should know that what the student learns now will build the foundation for future development. The parent, family member or guardian should arrange for a few private lessons with an instructor and observe. What one should observe and take note of while watching courtside:

1. Is this person professional and respectful?

2. Is there a method, a system to what they are teaching? If the instructor is scattered and teaches too many things in one hour then the student will be confused. Remember learning is a process which takes time and patience.

3. Is the instructor utilizing the time properly for "Time is Money". Are they starting on time? Does their mobile-phone ring often during the lesson. Are there plenty of good quality balls being used with fast pick-up equipment (ballhoppers, balltubes). Is the child having fun while being productive at the same time?

4. Is the Instructor teaching an up to date style of tennis? Is the Instructor educating "Modern Tennis" or "Wood-Racket Tennis"? If the kid learns modern technique then they will have the skills to advance. If the kid learns out-dated methods to hit the ball then they will not develop optimally. Finding an Instructor who is up to date is very important.

5. Is there life after private lessons? Most kids don't want to be on the court alone with the Instructor. They find it a bit boring and with time they will burn out. What they enjoy is to compete against other kids! Does the Instructor have group courses? The kids love to interract and show off their skills by way of games. There are plenty of games that beginner players can also play. An experienced instructor will know these games and should implement them early on.

Regarding credentials: There are many certification programs which educate tennis instructors. Just because one is certified doesn't always mean that they will be qualified to meet the 5 prerequisites that I have noted. I have seen highly competent Instructors teach the game without certification. These Pros used their common sense, experience and love for the game to fluently get their points across to the students. I have also seen highly educated Instructors whom were so set out to teach what they learned from books, videos and seminars. These stiff Instructors did not take into consideration that every student is different and using common sense can also be necessary. It is my opinion that the best qualified tennis instructors utilize a combination of knowledge drawn from various sources and their own knowledge picked up with experience and common sense. For these reasons a competent instructor can be difficult to find. The simplest way to find a qualified instructor is to judge them by their work. Ask to view some of their long-term students in action. Seeing is believing. By seeing what they have already done with others will allow you to perceive what can be done with your child. Go to a junior tournament and view matches in progress. While watching junior players who play well talk to the parents and coaches. Parents and coaches love to boast about their children/students. These sources of information will give an inside look as to where one can get suitable training from a qualified coach.

Randal May