Purely stolen from Ed Tsengs Blog but i like it.....

Someone once said, (and that someone was Ed Tseng), that good teachers borrow and GREAT teachers steal.

Well, today’s message was stolen.

My good friend and mentor, the great Rob Gilbert, Ph.D, one of the top sports psychologists in the world shared something with me recently.

He said that Lou Holtz, the former head coach of the Notre Dame football team once said that there are four types of people in the world…

The cop-outs.

The hold-outs.

The drop-outs.

And the all-outs.

The cop-outs make excuses.

The hold-outs hold back.

The drop-outs give up.

And the all-outs go all-out all the time.

Which category do you fall into?

I Quote...

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven't!

Tennis has got Talent

Help me with a simple question.
One question, possible multiple answers

Will appreciate your time

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YC6W3D2 (click title above in blue to access)

Thanks

Andy

The life of a tennis coach week 42-2010

Coaching hours - 28

Sets played - 15

Training undertaken - 3 hours

Books read - 4 chapters

Rained off sessions - 1

A busy week indeed from running around the schools and to visiting my old club to cover a few hours to school runs and writing my latest book along side Mike Barrell of Evolve9 fame.

My tennis groups are growing in stature and i believe the club is beginning to enter into a 'tipping point' scenario. School sessions are showing fruition funding is still coming in and word for sure is getting out there.

My aim still is to attain 40 hours of work a week on court, off court i am used to working and writing but thats pleasure rather than business. The Stonebridge Academy idea is a step closer to becoming reality, numerous phone calls with the fella show we have alot in common and a common philosophy in the way we teach.

This will hopefully (all being well) ready and up and running come September 2011.

A trip down memory lane took me to Stockbrook my old haunt to cover some coaching for a good friend. Wow it felt good to be back and see so many familiar faces! There is a reason for everything and lets see what comes of this wee venture in the future. 

After an enormous downpour of rain overnight i was set to run all Saturdays coaching sessions indoors in the hall but decided against this and continued my 9 till 5 spate of coaching outside. Not one drop of rain today either till i finished the day. The gods truly are looking upon me and my family after some eventual good news from what has turned out to be a rather torrid year so far. Too many changes for my liking and hopefully the next few weeks will have seen a corner turned in fortunes and prosperity!

Now to prepare myself for my two matches mens and a postal mixed. The latter i am aiming for the finals in redbridge later this year.

Overall this truly has been a great week for learning. My summation for this is Talented individuals can make it up the ladder of sporting excellence some way before falling short, but a growing mindset and hunger to train, learn, understand and improve will take you to the top. Insight number 2 takes me to believe that whereas technique in tennis is important the ability to play the game with the important technical pieces (and to my mind there are 3 on the serve, 3 on the forehand and 3 on the backhand that need to be utilised) the ability to play and understand the game is more important. Insight number 3 is the ability to not get our students to think of what happens on his side but what happens on the other side of the court.

As my great friend and collegue Jason Lampione says 'See you at the Top'

The short ball.....

You know i have been taught and have been on courses whereby tutors have taught many aspects in tennis of attacking a short ball.
I was even lead to believe that a short ball is anything that lands in a certain area of the court and this should be attacked at all costs being an attacking baseline player. For many years this was the case for me until i eventually worked it out myself! If only my coaches when i was younger had taught me this simple application then i may have won more trophies!

The trouble with this scenario was whilst playing matches i always found it difficult to get into the net or up the court on certain short balls! Perhaps you have had the same problem?

Now as a player, instinct told me to stay back or attack/approach on these balls but how do we teach this to our students?

Take a look at the diagram below. This was designed by a great coach Ray Brown who amongst many accolades is a tour coach in the USA.

This explains it all. I had been on countless courses in the UK whereby coach education tutors where teaching nothing like this, except ''for your standard anything short should be attacked''. By looking at the diagram above you can understand why many shots hit by the top players land short but keep many players back! The amount of driven spin on these shots make approaching or attacking a little more difficult.

Here are my 3 top tips on attacking short balls

1. Be alert and  be ready for when you get that short ball you jump on it straight away
2. Take it on the rise
3. Throw your body into the shot and carry on moving through the shot

If you want more advice on any of these articles then please feel free to email me enquiries@andytennis.co.uk

I Quote...

Only those who dare to try new avenues and perhaps fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.

Matches for Juniors

How many matches should your juniors play per week according to age?
I have put this in the following way, age, number of sets per week, total matches per year

Under 10
2 full sets or 2 abbreviated scoring matches per week
Up to 40 matches

Under 12
4 sets or 2 full matches per week
40-60 matches

Under 14
4 sets or 2 full matches per week
50-80 matches

Under 16
6 sets or 3 full matches per week
60-80 matches

Under 18
6 sets or 3 full matches per week
60-80 matches

This is only a guide but it will give you an understanding of where your students are and where they need to be. One of the problems in many clubs is getting the kids down the club to play. In  your squads create a session where they all meet and play to practice with eachother per week, create a ladder league or box league just for this group to compete in.

Hope this helps with your knowledge

Coach Dowsett

The life of a tennis coach week 41-2010

How many hours of coaching is enough to produce a love in your job and how much is too much? I think i would be happy with 4 days and 8 hours of coaching per day. The perfect lifestyle i think.

This gives me time to spend with the family which is important this day and age. Especially when people around you are getting older. Next year will be my 40th and would i have changed a thing? Probably but why look back? Its better to look to the future and what can be!

In my days this week i have finished jotting down the outline for a 4 week primary school coaching programme. Full of drills and ideas. This is perfect to get the kids buzzed up enough about tennis and into your club. I have just finished a four week schedule in one particular school and managed to bring 8 children from the school back to the club in the first week. Give this two to three weeks and we will see how many turn up through 'friend pressure'! The feed back from the kids and school teachers is energy enough to keep going  back! I will post the ebook free on my website for 1 week before i start charging. So keep an eye out!

I am in talks about running some coach education in the USA this will be based on 1 or possibly 2 day courses spread over a week in a few centres around certain cities. A great opportunity and certainly one i wont be passing by! I am also being interviewed for tennisworldusa which should be interesting. I will post the article here and let you all know how it goes.

In a reminiscing kind of way i visited my old club that i think set my on my way to coaching excellence. Here i was doing a 45 hour week and enjoying every minute of it. Days were busy and evenings were down to 3 a week and half a day at weekends. Plenty to run a small academy and teach ample of kids and adults. Amazing to go for a coffee and still be recognised and even asked to come back and work part time. The place is having a makeover and has planning permission for indoor courts!

All very good but i have plans (family permitting) at my own club with a players academy and the Adrian Stonebridge coaching academy next year. My job is just to get through the winter like all outdoor coaches and make it i guess to March. From there on in things will be a breeze and enjoyable for all! For now i will take said position and build up some day work, after all i love my job and twice already i had to be reminded to take the money from group sessions after walking away to go do another lesson!

Meanwhile i keep writing, plotting and planning.

See you next week!

To Blog or not to Blog.....

That is the question!
Most people blog daily, twice daily and even thrice daily, but i blog when i can and when i have something to say.
Is that enough after all i had over 500 people read my articles from 15 Countries around the world.

I guess not, so this is the sketch from here on in....
Each week will consist of the following

1 x tennis article on one of the performance factors
1 x drill/game of the week
The diary of my week as a coach and player
1 x quote of the week
1 x message of the week
1 x guest blogger if and when available
1 x best product, book or dvd of the week

Not too much to ask for i believe!

Will blog my week and thoughts now and take it from there, see you on the other side

I Quote...

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.

How the Brain Works!

Principles of the Brain

Here is a great article from my book World Class Tennis Mentality…..

Every thought you have sends electrical and chemical signals throughout your brain! Thoughts therefore have physical properties; they are real and have a significant influence on every cell in your body. For instance think of your favourite food of all time, imagine the smell, the taste. Is your mouth salivating?

So what just happened? Well, what you will learn in this part will affect your performance directly, by controlling your thoughts and hence your emotions you can only but improve everything about your game.

Scientific research shows that your brain can learn new things; it is just a matter of believing that you can!

Even if for now you have to literally lie to yourself!

PROFOUND STATEMENTS…

Give enough focused intention to any project fully and the spirit of that project will grow and give itself back to you ten fold.

This is right up there with…

As within, so without.

The Kyballion

It took me a long time to understand either of these, I wonder how long it will take you?

Science has made spectacular headway in how our brain works and has shown that if used regularly will grow, after all you never truly grow old…if you become a lifelong student of learning. We generally either allow it to grow until we literally die or let it wither. This is the ‘use it or lose it’ type scenario.

The trouble is, we naturally, as humans, (well for 95% of the population at least) place self‐limiting chains on ourselves by allowing negative self‐talk that influences what we achieve, or even worst prevent us from trying something new because we are fearful that it just will not work or it is impossible to do.

The following was learnt from a very knowledgeable Doug Bench and his Science for Success Systems (www.ScienceforSuccess.com). The reason I feel the need to tell you this is two fold. Firstly I wish for you to know the source of this geniality and secondly if it’s wrong then Doug should have known better!!

A ground breaking experiment….

Whilst in the midst of venturing into how our brains work, selected volunteers were asked to calculate simple maths problems whilst being observed under a PET scanner (computerised technology that literally scans the brain). It was always thought by scientists that when calculating any problem under this PET scanner on the computer screen just one certain part of the brain would light up. The amazing discovery however whilst under the scan another 5 areas lit up, so each subject was thinking in 6 different areas of the brain at once!

Further studies proved that by admitting sedatives to willing volunteers, neuroscientist found that the one area calculating the problems fazed out leaving the other 5 working away. Hence the conclusion being these 5 parts were on a non‐conscious level and the final part of 6 on a conscious level. More importantly since you are unaware of your non‐conscious thoughts, your non‐conscious brain can’not tell the difference between what is real or imagined, truth or a lie. Hence why the phrase ‘Fake it until you Make it’ is all too real and should be utilised at every opportunity.

Now why don’t you do the maths, 1/6th or 5/6th, where should the majority of our tennis play be?

Cut out the conscious thinking and you are on to a winner, better still cut out the conscious thinking and do enough to get inside your opponents head and you will take the upper hand which could be enough to take the match. But let’s not end on that note! Take this in, the 5/6th Non‐Conscious actually thinks 10 million times quicker than the 1/6th Conscious.

This is an interesting article about life on tour

Blog - Oct 2010

I hope everyone has had a great month of September and those in the tennis world have had a well deserved break before starting up their training/tournament load again.

All is fantastic at SotoTennis - the boys went up to Cordoba on Friday to sign in for the qualifying of a Futures there. It was a really valuable weekend for them all, particularly Dave Hodgetts. At 16 years old, it was his first senior professional tournament, and he won two matches to make it through to the last round of qualifying, beating two experienced players.

Unfortunately though, one of our boys did not get in. Six spaces were left for the taking, with seven players having signed in. The names were drawn from a hat, and Rob Carter’s was the only one not picked out. He was naturally disappointed, but it’s another great `character builder` for these guys and all part of the `pro tennis players` life. I spoke to him on the phone and tried to pass on some of my experience, wow I am getting old! I told him about a good friend of mine Lee Childs, who is a former top 5 player in Great Britain and Davis Cup player. Lee left home early morning Boxing Day one year to travel to Qatar for the season opening tournament. In tennis we `sign in` at events to prove we are there as tournaments are all over the world. He ended up being one ranking place from getting in the tournament, so it would seem, wasted £2,000 on flights and hotels. He practiced there all week though then flew to Sydney for the next event on the calendar, but again he was 1 or 2 ranking places from getting in. So, another £2000 down the drain. Onto Brisbane next, where the same happened, and then again at the big event, the Australian Open!  So four weeks, £8,000, thousands of air miles and he never played a match! BUT, Lee gained 4 weeks of experience at big events, hitting and socialising with top 100 players in the world, and while he didn’t play, he learned how tournaments like this ‘work’, and settled into that environment.  He went on to have a fantastic 6 months including winning a main draw match at Wimbledon! A great example of a true professional, and while there are not many sports where this would happen, he didn’t mope around feeling sorry for himself,  but came away having still gained valuable experience. I am confident my guys will react the same in this, and similar situations in the future.

All else is good here in Sotogrande! We are coming to the end of a 4-5 week hard training block where the guys fitness levels have soared and their games have developed nicely. They will get to put all their hard work to the test next week when they travel to tournaments in Barcelona, Libya, and Japan.  No, I wont be at all of them unfortunately – the ITF at Barcelona it is for me, with Josh, James, and Rob. Matt Kirby from Cambridge is also joining our travelling team which is great. I hope I have some good news next week and I’ll be able to write about what fantastic attitudes our players showed and that they did everything they could both on and off court, within their control. That is all we can ask…

Please feel free to e mail any topics you want us at STA to talk about in future…

Play to Win

The best coaches are the best teachers - 11 keys to effective teaching

Effective Teaching

Use the right language

Tell athletes what is right rather than what is wrong. Tell them what to do rather than not what to do.

Remember the brain thinks in images and can not differentiate between positive and negative. For instance instead of saying 'don’t keep so upright' sending this image to the brain, it would be better to say bend at the knees. You could also think of a pink elephant or in fact don't think of a purple elephant!

Assume the athlete doesn’t know

Better to repeat something known than omit something unknown. Teach them, tell them what you have taught them then tell them again!

Limit the information given in a coaching session

Keep the session to the main teaching point along with anything the student realises or attains himself. This is the best time to teach students when they have just discovered a particular task or skill themselves.

Be objective and purposeful

When working in a group or squad environment use examples that have just happened but be careful not to single out negative examples that individual members of the team may have made.

Ensure any assistant coaches use the same language

This speaks for itself conflicting language is inconsistent and may cause confusion. Ensure you both speak the same coaching lingo!

Gain Rapport

When teaching the group ensure you make eye contact with all the group not just single people.

Watch for reactions to what you say negative and positive this can give you valuable information on what players think.

When coaching with individuals connect by touch. A hand on the shoulder or pat on the back will suffice this ensures the message gets through.

Connect with the whole team not just the best, they all need your time and energy.

Encourage feedback with the group

Ask open ended questions about the tasks and skills you have been working on. At the end of the lesson ask the students what the biggest impact for them personally was.

Set goals within tasks

This maintains purpose and helps with everyone individually. Whereas the group maybe working on a set task via the teaching point, each student may have an individual aspect to focus on.

Use mistakes as a vehicle for teaching

A player who doesn’t make a mistake is one who isn’t achieving.

With mistake management have players understand what was I trying to do? What should I have done? How can I do better next time?

Reinforce effective learning and great behaviour

A great way to reinforce is on the approach of the task not the outcome. This will spill over into match play when we want players to continually perform better over the outcome of winning being the be all and end all.

Introduce the mental game of tennis at all times

For this you need my 12 week course. Shameful plug but there you have it!

www.andytennis.co.uk

British Tennis Latest News

British LTA Failed to Reach its Targets

The much criticized reign of Roger Draper as chief executive of the cash-rich but far from successful Lawn Tennis Association has suffered another massive knock with the revelation the governing body has failed to meet any of its own targets.

Draper, who took control four and a half years ago with a confident insistence that he was the man to finally turn British tennis around, and has signed off the spending of hundred of millions of money bequeathed to the LTA by both the All England Club and the British Government.

Now Draper has been forced to admit the failings of his regime when obligated to address the LTA Council with a “State of British tennis” address.

The most apparent failing is the dearth of British players in the respective top 100’s on the men’s and women’s tour. Draper prophesied by now there would be at least four British men figuring in the ATP World Tour’s top 100 and the same of the WTA Tour. Instead there is just Andy Murray and Elena Baltacha.

“Despite many encouraging performances in recent months [Murray contesting January’s Australian Open final and more recently Baltacha reaching the top 50 for the first time] we are unlikely to hit our target of eight players in the top 100,” admitted Draper, who initially put great faith in paying top dollar for a list of big name coaches such as Paul Annacone, Brad Gilbert, Carl Maes and Peter Lundgren. “Whilst we are on track for our doubles target, we only have two players in the top 100 singles, not helped by Anne Keothavong’s long-term injury.

Draper also said Britain would by now be a fixture in the Davis Cup’s World Group. Instead they only avoided relegation to the depth of Euro/Africa Zone Group Three by beating Turkey at Eastbourne.

Earlier this year Britain lost to a team of teenagers in Lithuania, prompting Captain John Lloyd to resign.  “The Davis Cup performance against Turkey was encouraging and we need to begin the long way back to higher groups,” continued Draper.

Another of the LTA’s wishes was that the average ranking of Britain’s leading five men would be 160, but this week it is 204, and they also did not come close to reaching the target for the women’s game either, which was that the leading five British players would have an average ranking of 113. This week, that average is 151.

Draper added: “We have also revised our year-end target for the number of people aged 16+ playing weekly. For the period from the end of September until mid-December, we have revised the target to 530,000, which represents a growth of 37,000 compared with the same period in 2009, which is what we need to achieve each year to reach our target of 150,000 more people playing weekly over the four-year plan period.”

Most worrying for Draper is the fact 16 year-old Liam Broady, probably Britain’s most promising junior player, currently ranked the 35 ^th best under 18 player in the world and winner of the Wimbledon junior doubles titles this year, is not available to represent his country in any LTA backed team. Broady’s father Simon is so disgusted by the Draper regime he will not allow his son to be selected while the current management team is in place. 

The BIG Secret

Okay first and foremost check this out and give me some feedback on Facebook if you can......

http://hudson.megabyet.net/#

Okay having worked with many players at club level and got them to a good standard whereby consistency and effectiveness is key i realised that when it came to playing matches (and for some for the first time!) it turns out they are shocking!

So the key is to give them a confidence word, image or feeling on the shots that they struggle with along with an intensity number.

Lets take the serve for instance, when in practice it looks, feels and works great. This is when our student needs to describe what it is about the shot that makes it work. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 relaxed, 10 tense) where do they sit when hitting great serves?

Now put this into point play and see if it can be adhered to.

Every shot they feel important can be utilised in this way, one key trigger word or image when it comes to it. Remember the brain thinks in images not words! Words get changed to an image taking longer!

My next article in a few days will be on the workings of the mind

Till then!

The Secret to maintaining confidence in your first ever match

Stay tuned for this important report i will publish tomorrow and the powerful exercise that you simply cannot miss out on.
Andy

Tennis Psychology E-course hits America!

This course has been so well received that i have had interest from America to start pushing it over there.

Don't forget you get the following...

Week 1 - Knowing your game
Week 2 - The Art of Confidence in your game
Week 3 - Power goalsetting for performance
Week 4 - The ultimate pre training confidence exercise
Week 5 - The importance of crossing the line for a winning mindset
Week 6 - Personalised Serve Routines
Week 7 - Personalised Return of Serve Routines
Week 8 - End of point play and scenarios to keep you on track
Week 9 - Staying activated and towards the zone
Week 10 - Pre match planning and game plans
Week 11 - After match evaluation and never ending improvement
Week 12 - Free Question and Email Session

The next intake is at the end of September to apply copy and paste the link below

http://tiny.cc/1ia8d

Look forward to hearing from you

Andy

Routines...

Whilst writing my new ecourse i was just putting these in and decided to share along with you all, i am sure they will be a great help!

Serve Routines in 5 easy steps

1. Go to the B.A.R. (Breathe and Release)

This is a centering breath to prepare the body for battle

2. Question what’s my best plan of action now?

This helps with understanding your last play, your game plan and visualisation of the next step

3. Cross the line - (Look opponent in eye)

This is to happen only when (and only when) you have a clear, concise idea of your next play

4. Visualise to Realise

Understand what your mind sees your body will adhere to

5. Let it rip

One last power breath and do not wait a moment longer, go for it

Return of Serve in 5 easy steps

1. Go to the B.A.R. (Breathe and Release)

          Centering Breath

2. Visualise returns of both sides

          The server is in control so maintain the correct mindset ‘this ball is going back’

3. Cross the line - (look opponent in the eye)

          Mentally re-emphasize this ball is going back

4. Look for clues on serve early on

          Scouting will help this but if not try to pick up cues early in the first set

5. Trained Instinctive Response

          This is from hours of practice, self-doubt is of no use now, go for it

THE LIFE OF A TENNIS COACH AND VET PLAYER: USANA

THE LIFE OF A TENNIS COACH AND VET PLAYER: USANA: "http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1508123976357&ref=n"

USANA

A busy week since my last blog, can too many 8-10 hour days be healthy?
I am just about to sign a contract with USANA to supply suppliments to athletes and coaches in the UK.
Having used these for a whole week i can say i have more energy to do what i need to.

Many top tennis players are using it and i can understand why click on the title above for more info

Enjoy!

Rafa's Press Conference quote...

 'my goal has always been the same for all my life. I want to keep getting better every year and feel I am playing better tennis this year versus last year'


You gotta love this! Certainly something to put on a poster and show all the juniors who play at your club.

Trigger Word Drill

This drill will help you apply self-talk to help you stay focused on different tasks in tennis. The goal of this exercise is to help you stay focused in the moment. Firstly, select 3 tasks in tennis. When you have done this, select a word or short phrase that describes the correct action in each. I.E. serve you may say - hit up, return of serve – stay low. You should try and use these words or phrases before the execution of a task. When you have mastered your cue word statement for each task move on and select a new statement to help you focus on a different aspect of the same task. You might want to change the task and develop new cue word statements!

Good Luck

Return of Serve Training

Return of Serve Training

Andy Dowsett

"OK, do you want to get broken first, or do you want to let me hold?" —What cheeky world No. 1 Martina Hingis quipped at the coin toss before a 1997 match against Lindsay Davenport.

Advantages of returning serve

• If your opponent is a slow starter, you have a better chance of getting an early service break.
  
• If you are a slow starter, you have a better chance of avoiding an early service break.
  
• If you serve on even-numbered games, you serve immediately after every changeover. Then you are physically and mentally rested—albeit your opponent also is—and that gives you a better chance of holding serve, especially in the latter stages of grueling matches.
  
• If you choose return of serve to start the match, you still have about a 50 percent chance—depending on whether sets total an even or odd number of games—of serving to start the remaining sets. And if you start the match returning serve and you play a first-set tiebreaker, you will serve to start the second set.
  
• If you boast an excellent return of serve and your opponent has a poor serve, you may want her to serve first so you can try to gain an early service break and get off to a fast start.
  
• The same thinking holds true (in reverse) if you have a weak, attackable serve and your opponent has a terrific service return. You can avoid a demoralizing early service break by selecting return of serve.
  
• If your opponent wins the toss and selects a side of the court so that you're looking into a bright sun and/or you're against a heavy wind, you may not want to risk losing your serve in the opening game.
  

THE TECHNIQUE
Basics
Athletic Stance - Positioning towards the ball - Grip

Work out opponents range of serves zone
Set up your Y-formation in relation to the above


THE TACTICS
Utilise the following tactics to enhance your return of serve game

• First, stand far behind the baseline. This often encourages your opponent to overhit the serve in an effort to get it past or through you.
  
• Second, stand closer to the service line. Many players take this as a sign of disrespect for their serve and become unnerved. Often it triggers a more aggressive, riskier serve than the server might otherwise attempt.
  
• Third, a variant of the previous tactic, stand close to the service line before your opponent serves. This can create pressure on the server, then just before the serve, move back to a safer position to actually make the return.
  
• Four, stand nearer to one side. Invite the server to serve into the open area of the service box. This tactic can often force a serve to your stronger side.
  

Return Targets using the 4-Square basic routine

Tactical choices for the receiver in terms of 4-Square.

• If you don't know the server's capabilities, at the beginning of the match, it's wise to use percentage tennis and target the back two squares using topspin or well-struck underspin shot that drives the ball deep into the court.
  
• As the match progresses, you should start varying your return locations. To hit to the wider squares.
  
• If you're looking at a slow, shallow second serve into the service box, you can also use a drop shot to 1 or 4.
  

Consider the following tactical points also…

Borrow pace from the big first servers

Make something happen when returning second serves. Here, patterns of play enter the picture. Either drive the return deep into the corner or chip and charge and take control of the net. When driving the return of the second serve and remaining on the baseline, simply play the ball crosscourt. No real reason to return down the line, for in that case the net is high, the court is shorter, and most importantly, the recovery footwork is magnified.

Approach up the line

THE PSYCHOLOGY

Pay attention to what happens after double faults (3 in a row is winner)

Now consider the server who double faults, and then misses the subsequent first serve – assuming they would not care to deliver consecutive double faults they generally let up on that next second serve. The aggressive receiver knows this is coming, steps in and makes something happen, working always to apply more and more pressure against the second serve.


Overall aim - to play at 60-70 percent of return stroke capability so you can get a high percentage of returns in.

Psychology Help....I Accept.....

The day before a match i want you to unburden yourself with thoughts. Make your self an 'Acceptance List'...

Accept things that you know will happen to you in the match, a great coach of mine once said ''Imagine everything that could go wrong in a match and you would be just about right''

I will start you off

1. I accept that i will get some bad line calls in the match

2. I accept that my opponent will hit some superb winning shots against me

3. I accept may double fault more than my usual twice in the match

Your turn

Tennis coaching via internet is here!

I have had the pleasure of working with a few players via what i call e-link. This is whereby they send a cd or trailer of themselves for me to look at and i comment back again with drills and suggestions on where and how to improve. Along with a mail back again when the data (which is normally the case) is too big.

Take a look at this on my web http://www.andytennis.co.uk/Tennis%20Videos

While the mistake is there until i can correct it with pricing on one if you email me quick enough you can have the service for that price! You have about 5 hours from now!

A fine line between love and hate!

In a News of the World or tabloid kind of way i would like to personally apologise to Clive Carrigan for venting my emotions to a situation that should be kept outside of blogs and anything else!
I think the situation could have been handled better from both sides but Clive's integrity and standing is as good as it has ever been and will carry on so.
We will as always remain the best of mates and for the record we never really broke up just took a 14 week vacation!

The worst job in sports? Is tennis coaching all it is made out to be?

Check this article out, certainly makes interesting reading about the trade of Tennis Coaching!

Mind over Matter also known as the power of belief in oneself!

When Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile within a year 37 more runners completed this feat also. 300 more the year after and nowadays it happens all the time!

When an Australian basketball team wanted to improve more they divided their team into 3 groups
1. Practiced taking foul shots 30 minutes every day and noticed a 24 percent improvement
2. Did nothing and improved by zero, zilch, nada.
3. Practiced mentally via visualisation only. They improved by a 23 percent margin!

In 1976 the Russians trained their olympic team in the following ways
1. 100% physical training, 0% mental training
2. 75% physical training, 25% mental training
3. 50% physical training, 50% mental training
4. 25% physical training, 75% mental training

Group 4 SHOWED the most improvement!

Many top athletes use mental training....Does your coach? Do you?

Start your visualisation programme with my free 'Refridgerator Technique'.
Email enquiries@andytennis.co.uk

I QUOTE...

Changes do not happen in a day, they happen Daily! 

The Playability Scale

The Playability Scale

This was an ‘aha’ moment for me one day in the bath!! How can something so simple not be utilised in a game plan, certainly at low levels however higher level players would do well to do the same when it is all going wrong! Mentality at pro level is totally different but should still be kept simple.

This scale can work at all levels from beginner to touring pro and is a guideline as to what to do in various situations, commonly found in tennis matches. A player must quickly recognise where he is on the following scale, with suggested 'positive action plans' (PAP) for each scenario:

Many Pro Players today try to play and base their games around their own particular strengths. For them this is the most comfortable way to try and win, so in essence they are in their ‘comfort zone’.

The Art of Tactics is to take your opponent out of this comfort zone generally by one of Four ways:-

1. Play your game well and hopefully this will do the job

2. Change what you are doing by using changes of pace or more subtlety like varying spins

3. Playing utilizing  tactical patterns or strategies using certain targets and placements on the court

4. Mentally by breaking your opponent down so that he begins to think too much

Review this only in circumstances of trouble, when playing well the art is not to think too much. With enough practice you will become automated in this area.

1-2          Nightmare scenario, being completely outplayed or playing badly

Two-ball survival kit e.g. serve and next ball or return and next ball. Keep looking and acting the part in order to have a chance of doing better. Clear your mind of negative thoughts using thought changing techniques. Keep your awareness in the now, 1 point at a time by focusing on one part of your body or the ball.

3-4          Playing average, but not well enough to win

Keep your emotions and body language in check, to stand a chance of moving up to the arenas of 5-8. Once again keep yourself in the now and in the job at hand by maintaining focus as above.

5-6          Even situation, no clear winning

Compete with controlled ability, be aware of opportunities, and maybe take a gamble to create one. These are the matches that are won via tiebreaks and the ability to notice ‘opportunity balls’ and ‘opportunity situations’. If a match is consistently going to Deuce, then understand who is doing what to whom and help plan future points. (I.E. are you winning points, losing points or is your oppoenents forcing mistakes?)

7-8          Ahead in the match.

Don't change a winning game - Finish the job, But be aware of tactical switch by opponent.             Remember mindset should not be to protect the lead but to carry out the work that got you to this position. Remember, think in images not words.

9-10        Playing in the zone.

To think too much now will place you back at worst to 7-8, make the most of it by collecting as many points as possible whilst you can.

You will have to let me know how you get on. Good visualisations and the use of anchors throughout the body can take you to a mindset of 7-10 before you even perform. This forms part of your pre-match routine that will be discussed later in the book. However poor emotional control and you can find yourself in the 1-4 area, a loss in the 5-6 of your emotions will also send you spiralling down.

I QUOTE...

ATHLETIC TALENT IS THE ABSENCE OF MENTAL, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL OBSTRUCTIONS.

12 Week Tennis Psychology E-Programme

Starting on 5th September 2010 i will be starting the first 12-week tennis psychology e-programme.
This will take the form of the following information.....

Week 1 - Knowing your game
Week 2 - Power goalsetting for performance
Week 3 - The Art of Confidence in your game
Week 4 - The ultimate pre training confidence exercise
Week 5 - The importance of crossing the line for a winning mindset
Week 6 - Personalised Serve Routines
Week 7 - Personalised Return of Serve Routines
Week 8 - End of point play and scenarios to keep you on track
Week 9 - Staying activated and towards the zone
Week 10 - Pre match planning and game plans
Week 11 - After match evaluation and never ending improvement
Week 12 - Free Question and Email Session

If you would like to take part in this programme that will ultimately improve your game then email enquiries@andytennis.co.uk. Cost is a mere £30.00!

Best of luck and here's to taking your game to another level!

Tennis is a LARGE ball

Ever since the grass court coaching with the Army team i have been seeing the ball like a beach ball!
How? For me just a great deal of hitting on a fast surface!
I have taken this confidence into the club matches and have managed to make the finals of the mixed doubles and men's doubles. As it stands i am in the semi's of the men's singles and have this scheduled for Monday.

There are many exercises that can be used to help with seeing the ball easier! Take one small sized mini ball ( http://tiny.cc/n8koi ) and hit with this first in the service area then the whole court for upto 5 minutes. From here you will find the normal ball to seem bigger!

I will fill you in on the tournaments when i have done however i am looking to complete the triple this year!

The greatest footwork news ever!

Check this out!

An ATP stat not that long ago stated that up to 70% of unforced errors were down to poor footwork.

That's a lot of points to just throw away!

It's also something that can be avoided.

My great pal Paul Gold has some free videos to help you with just that, including the one drill he tells me that "every single tennis player regardless of their level can do and should do on a regular basis".

I've asked him to share those with you, so before he changes his mind pop along to http://footwork4tennis.com and grab them.

I bought a copy of his footwork report a while ago and I can tell you he knows what he is talking about!

Here's the link again 

http://footwork4tennis.com


Andy Dowsett

A total update

So whats news? Wow so many questions and well wishers!
Okay this is where i am at......
For those that keep asking with suprisement (new word from the andy book of words) i left the PTR due to a many family goings on and the ability to get my kids to and from school. Certainly not  a decision i took lightly but nevertheless had no choice.
I got a job as head coach at a big club in Essex, although this was big in the 90's definitely needs building up again  but therein lies the challenge.

I have great and fond memories of the thousands of coaches i have trained, tested and put through the PTR 5-day courses which will always remain. Don't worry alas i will continue with my job to educate like i did within the PTR whereby i wrote many of the courses and programmes. These will be in the form of e-books and will be posted on my main site andytennis.co.uk

The club i am at is building greatly however a major downfall was the foresight of not realising that because many owned holiday homes, boats and chalets abroad that their would be an exodus throughout the Summer month of August! Onwards we stride however and plot and plan accordingly. The schools programme will be big in September so much so that i have hired another coach and possibly a third that has come to the foreground. I have also managed to gain the job of tutoring school teachers on how to teach tennis. Therein lies the tutoring that i am back into! Along with the scholarship coaching programme sitting in the winds.

SCHOLARSHIP COACHING PROGRAMME....
This starts in March 2011 and consists of 6 months (ending on August 31st) of playing, coaching and gaining experience in every aspect of coaching. Very similar to the Stonebridge Academy before his retirement! Students will gain a qualification and LTA licence by the end of the course and i am sure will obtain a great amount of knowledge that will set you apart from other coaches, this will be via the LTA and the PTRuk although this still has to be confirmed but the price of the courses will be included in the fee. If you are interested then let me know! I will update my site with more information on this soon.

I digress.....
I have had some offers to work indoors a few days a week throughout the winter and am contemplating taking this offer up whilst the club i am at continues to take shape and build.

But as a coach looking to build don't forget to look at all ventures and ideas outside of the box! For instance today i coached 78 young kids from the local Catholic Church. They had a week long bible club that i have to say was well attended and looking at it the attraction was certainly fun and making friends over anything else. Something we need to look at in our coaching programmes when building! At the end of the 3 hours all had a taster session and went home with a flyer explaining the club programme and a ticket for a free session if they take it up. For the adults there was also a invite for an 8 week coaching course funded from Sport Essex.
The next few weeks will see a visit from the Brownies and Beavers, along with a group from Ford the major business 2 minutes down the road. As they say build it and they will come!

I have come across a great wee talent in the form of a young county sprinter. My god can she move, her poise and balance second to none and has an eye for the ball! In 3 sessions she can rally around 20 balls from the baseline and put at least 1 in 4 serves in. Not too dusty! On top of this i am helping her with her psychology work for both sports ready for the Olympics in 2016! So talented, hard working and enthusiastic ability to learn. What more can i ask for?

On top of this i am just finishing a club doubles e-book for you all with more in the pipeline. An advanced serving download is in progress and Tennis 90 coming along.

This just leaves the club doubles, mixed doubles and singles to play and win on bank holiday Monday. I will keep you posted..................

Army Tennis Training Sir!

I had the tremendous job of coaching the Army Ladies, Mens and Vets tennis team at the All England Grass Courts this year at Raynes Park. Mission to prepare the teams for the inter services championship to be held at Wimbledon the following week.
My expectations of the event were - 0. My knowledge of what to expect - 0.
The idea was to learn from the first day and plan and prepare from this day forward for the following week.
The mens team consisted of a rebel band of 16 players headed by the team captain Roger. All great guys and all hard workers. Now if you have a problem, if no one else can help and if you can find them, then maybe you can hire.....oh hold on wrong scenario!
The ladies team as nice as pie and in need of some renovated coaching work. Vets team great bunch but dammit if i could find time to multi-task 3 different groups at the same time and keep them happy whilst differentiating a the same time. I did however mange to find a way but not without much duress!
Day 1 on grass saw me playing ridiculously out of sorts with my timing and managed to get by with hitting with the lower level guys that i soon figured out within the 20 minute warm up. The aim was to get the team used to hitting on grass. In periodisation terms this was the preparation phase.
Day 2 as a coach saw me playing about 8 foot behind the baseline but hitting with anyone. The aim here was to get used to moving on the grass and playing specific tactical scenarios in doubles as well as singles.
Day 3 outstanding, hitting, seeing and feeling the ball better. Confidence of hitting on grass as a whole for all was better and here we have hit the pre-competitive phase of life.
Day 4 again pre-competitive and my version of pressure point tennis to get the players playing under duress.
Day 5 active rest until competition on Monday and Tuesday.

The experience as a coach was outstanding, how many coaches can say they have coached the Army team? I felt privileged and overwhelmed. But at the same time looking back now have a better understanding of how to train the team in the week leading up to the tournament.

At Wimbledon my job was to prepare all players for ensuing matches and hit with them at the penultimate time on the courts they were to play. Matches were dispersed at Aorangi Park and the sacred courts of 14 to 19 on the grounds itself. The other job pick the matches that mean most and sit down for on court coaching between changeovers. Prognosis at the higher levels? Keep it simple with what you do well and not to try anything you don't really own. On the lower levels attack the weaknesses with plays that work and stick to it until such times the opponent changes their game.

Overall results Navy 1st, Army 2nd, Air Force 3rd.

Personally i would like to thank all those that trained and put the effort in and made me feel welcome to the team. I look forward to training the B team for the indoor championships and the A team again next year for Wimbledon.

A world of continuing learning!

Amazing how even at 40 years old i have never stopped learning! and this has to apply to you.
I am currently reading a great book about the Talent Code. This is just an amazing read and as coaches for sure you need to check this out!

I have spent the last month building even more and hiring two assistant coaches. This will prove fruition in September in our ever growing schools programme. I am looking now to do pre-school, lunchtime and after school tennis sessions as well as in school tennis. The target is to reach 27 primary schools and 3 secondary schools. We are 40% of the way there and will get this to 70% in September!

I have been busy with other ventures which means i am back in the tutoring market again and on the way to setting up an academy at the club in Brentwood. I am after some talented young juniors about the age of 7/8 and will utilise the Modern Tennis way of thinking. A great product and run by some great friends of mine.

I have also managed to corner the market for teaching primary school teachers to coach tennis. Funding is amazingly about if you go searching for it! Although admittedly it helps to know the right people and this can only be done via networking! DONT be one of these coaches that turn up for lessons and then walk away again. I believe once you are at the club you are there for the day! Meet and greet people commit to other projects and make the phone calls required!

I had a great skype chat with America which could see some work from that direction via the Tennis Industry Association and writing articles. Many things in the pipeline and the future is looking bright!

Lets hope for a great and easy winter!

Signing out
Andy