Getting the Most Out of Your Lessons

Taking lessons from a qualified teaching professional can be a great way to move your game to the next level. However, be sure to choose your teacher wisely. As in any industry, tennis teaching has its pros and pretenders.

Tennis lessons can be expensive and working with the wrong pro can not only waste your money and time, it can also dramatically halt your progress and enjoyment of the game. As USTA High Performance Coach, Ed Krass, says “You are either a product of your coaching or a victim of your coaching.”

A recent Google search reported that there are over 164,000  tennis coaches employed globally. There are also countless others teaching tennis on either a freelance or part-time basis. I’m confident that the majority of these are true professionals. Passionate about their careers, they continue to learn and are dedicated to helping their students improve and enjoy the game.

However, there are also those who teach tennis for other reasons. Some are great players who, when their competitive days ended, drifted into teaching. They figure that since they can play the game, they can teach it. Others teach to make extra money while pursuing another career.

Finally, there are those giving lessons that have absolutely no business doing so. Their technical skills are weak and their knowledge of the game is minimal. However, they’re fit, tan, look good in tennis clothes, and could sell ice to an Eskimo. Steve Smith (the founder of Greatbasetennis.com) calls them car trunk pros. “All they have is a ball hopper and an ego,” says Steve.

Those that fall into these categories are often interested in just two things: how many hours can I teach and how much will I make per hour? They’re punching a time clock, and the quality of their lessons reflects it.

Having worked in the tennis industry for nearly fifty years, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the incompetent when it comes to tennis teachers. In this article, I’m going to outline a few things to look for (and look out for) when choosing someone to trust your game to.  

Before getting into specifics, I want to caution you to be on the lookout for two types of tennis teachers who prowl the world of recreational tennis, preying on unsuspecting players. First, is the “I was a great player” pro. These people will regale you with stories about their playing days.

“I played #1 for Florida State in 2002.”

“I played Wimbledon in 1999.”

“I was a hitting partner for Venus and Serena.”

To someone new to tennis, this sounds very impressive. However, being a great player has very little to do with whether a person is a great teacher. As I mentioned above, many players give lessons only because they can’t play anymore. They’re frustrated that their playing days are over and often act as if teaching is below them. They go through the motions and, unless you’re a promising player, have little interest in you or your game.

To the true pro, it doesn’t matter if you’re a tournament competitor or have difficulty opening a can of balls. They’re equally eager to see you, help you improve, and have a great time doing it.

Yes, if you are an elite player, it does help to work with a pro who’s “been there.” Brad Gilbert is an excellent example of this. He had success on the pro tour and understands what it takes to win at that level. He also has an incredible understanding of the game’s strategies and the ability to point out a player’s strengths, weaknesses, and patterns. Would I trust him with a complete beginner, with limited athletic ability, who’s not sure if they really want to play tennis? Not necessarily.

Next, beware the shortcut pro. These people tell you they’ve discovered a “revolutionary approach” or the “secret” to success that will make you a 4.0-level player in 8 weeks. When you come across this guy, hide your credit card. There are no revolutionary approaches (or secrets), and it is impossible to predict the rate at which a player will progress.

After that, when choosing a pro look for:

Reputation. Every pro has one—good or bad. Speak to your friends, other players and go online.

Certification. The Racquet Sports Professionals Association (formerly the United States Professional Tennis Association) and the Professional Tennis Registry offer certifications for teaching professionals. Having one (or both) of these certifications indicates that the person is both qualified and serious about his profession.

Experience.  Different ages and levels of play require specific techniques and approaches. A pro who spends most of their time working with high-performance juniors may not have the necessary skill set (or patience) to teach a beginning adult. Perhaps, you have a learning challenge. If so, make sure the pro has experience working with players with a similar challenge.

Are you looking to sign up for private or group lessons? The expertise needed to keep a group of players engaged and learning is much different than working with a player one-on-one. Make sure the pro has experience giving the type of lessons you want to take. Don’t be afraid to ask. 

Perhaps you’ve been taking lessons for a while and are wondering if you’re working with the right instructor. Here are a few things to consider.

Is your pro knowledgeable? Your pro should know—and be able to explain clearly—the advantages and disadvantages of the various grips as they relate to every shot in the game. They should be able to look at your game and analyze your strengths and weaknesses (technically, tactically, and athletically) and then design a plan for improvement.

Do you like his teaching style? Some pros will feed balls to (or rally with) their students for 15 minutes, not saying a word. Then, they’ll bring the player to the net and talk for five minutes. Others will talk while hitting with you. Both can work. Which style do you prefer?

Does he encourage feedback? Secure coaches encourage questions and feedback. Insecure ones feel threatened by both. Ask your pro to honestly assess your level of play and tell you what you need to do to improve. When he tells you something, don’t be afraid to ask why.  Beware of any instructor that has their own method and doesn’t ask for (or seem interested in) your input.

Is he fully engaged? Your lesson should be all about YOU. If the pro consistently tells you about his life or checks his cell phone during YOUR time, find another pro.

Does your pro have patience? Though a struggling student can be frustrating for the instructor, the feeling is much worse for the student. The experienced pro knows this and can not only keep the students’ spirits up but help them work through their difficulties. They remember how hard it was for them to learn the game and tell the student stories about how they struggled with the same shot when they first started. It’s said that patience is a virtue. For the tennis teaching professional, it is as much a necessity as a racket and basket of balls.

Are your lessons fresh, interesting, and fun? Though there is a great deal of repetition required to ingrain the various techniques and strategies of the game, you should not be doing the same drills, the same way, and hearing the same words every lesson. A good pro works hard to plan his lessons. He looks for new drills, uses various teaching aids, and searches for different ways of expressing his teaching points. A dedicated pro also increases his knowledge and expertise by attending seminars, discussing teaching and playing trends with respected colleagues, and studying tennis books and videos.

Is your pro available when you’re not paying for their time? Your pro should give you (and encourage you to use) his cell phone number and/or email address. The student/teacher relationship should always extend beyond the court.

Finally, beware the teaching pro who:

Habitually, comes to the court late.
Does an inordinately long warmup.
Takes extended water or bathroom breaks.
Gives long-winded explanations.
Frequently speaks to the players on the next court.
Does ball pick-ups when his teaching cart isn’t empty.

These are a few tricks of the trade used by lazy pros to cut time off your lesson.

Take your time and do your research. Working with the right pro will not only improve your tennis, but it may also change your life—as it did mine. I’ll tell you about it in a future article.