Playing smart tennis in high school

[donnyz89]

I'm just going to go on a little rant here... so many high school players I see here (the 3.0 players) play very stupid tennis. They have the shots but dont know how to hit them. I see people flattening out a shot 5 feet behind the baseline while moving backwards. I see people ripping winners (tries to at least) from the serviceline that dumps into the net or is 5 feet long. I see people swinging at vollies and hit frame. I see people taking big cuts on the run. I feel like if they knew what shot to hit, they would be SOOO much better off. Instead of trying to hit a powerful flat shot from behind the baseline, hit a safe lob. Instead of trying to rip a topspin winner, go for a deep, high approach shot. Instead of swinging at vollies, block it back and make the opponent hit one more shot. Instead of taking big cuts on the run, hit a topspin lob 6 feet over the net. All these shots, the players are capable of hitting but they just dont see it... and this, is what I think make some of the players play varsity and some others play JV. I think this is something thats underlooked in highschool tennis, smart play... coaches dwell too much on technique, topspin, but never address when to hit what shot to win in TENNIS, not "who has a better stroke" contest. I know its hard to correct, to be honest, when I first was introduced to these ideas, I didnt take too much consideration, but now I see it I feel like an idiot and wish the other talented players can just play smarter, it would make our team so much better.

[goober]

run your ideas by the coach. See what he thinks.

Give pointers in a nonthreatening way to your teammates especially ones that you are clearly better than. They will be more likely to listen you. The ones that are about the same as you or better may have a hard time listening to you if they think they are better than you already.

[tennis_nerd22]

I'm just going to go on a little rant here... so many high school players I see here (the 3.0 players) play very stupid tennis. They have the shots but dont know how to hit them. I see people flattening out a shot 5 feet behind the baseline while moving backwards. I see people ripping winners (tries to at least) from the serviceline that dumps into the net or is 5 feet long. I see people swinging at vollies and hit frame. I see people taking big cuts on the run. I feel like if they knew what shot to hit, they would be SOOO much better off. Instead of trying to hit a powerful flat shot from behind the baseline, hit a safe lob. Instead of trying to rip a topspin winner, go for a deep, high approach shot. Instead of swinging at vollies, block it back and make the opponent hit one more shot. Instead of taking big cuts on the run, hit a topspin lob 6 feet over the net. All these shots, the players are capable of hitting but they just dont see it... and this, is what I think make some of the players play varsity and some others play JV. I think this is something thats underlooked in highschool tennis, smart play... coaches dwell too much on technique, topspin, but never address when to hit what shot to win in TENNIS, not "who has a better stroke" contest. I know its hard to correct, to be honest, when I first was introduced to these ideas, I didnt take too much consideration, but now I see it I feel like an idiot and wish the other talented players can just play smarter, it would make our team so much better.

couldnt have said it better, very nicely put. but do what goober mentioned, tell your coach, see what he says. especially if you're one of the best, if not the best, player on the team

[donnyz89]

thanks, I just think these are some very easy things that can be corrected easily if just taking into consideration. and I am the top player by a stretch. I'm going to talk to our coach about it and see how to get the players to make better shots and decisions. I know I went through the same phase and it took me a long time to finally figure this out, when it clicked for me, life became so much easier.

[tonysk83]

My coach always stresses to play percentage tennis, he rarely corrects our techniques, besides the little things. His biggest advice is how to play smart tennis.

[nViATi]

I know what you mean man. Consistency kills! So many people just bash the ball as hard as they can thinking that they are Roddick or Federer. Too bad they can't make it in as often. ;)

[kevhen]

High school kids tend to overhit and go for the big winner even if it's very low percentage. It takes maturity to learn to play the percentages. Even Agassi took over 25 years to learn how to do that. Some kids will never change but you might be able to have some influence over 1 or 2 guys on your team and help them improve. See which ones are open to learning from you and hit with them if they are interested and don't mind your advice. Most people don't like advice though and want to stubbornly learn on their own (self included).

[Bungalo Bill]

My coach always stresses to play percentage tennis, he rarely corrects our techniques, besides the little things. His biggest advice is how to play smart tennis.

Very difficult to correct technique being a High School coach. The time constraints and the amount of people on the team usually dictates the coach focus more on strategy and high percentage play.

Sounds like you have a good coach.

[TennisParent]

Very difficult to correct technique being a High School coach. The time constraints and the amount of people on the team usually dictates the coach focus more on strategy and high percentage play.

Sounds like you have a good coach.

Words of wisdom here. Of course I have heard of this miraculous new method where he can teach them to play better in two hours :) ....(oops I'm being bad)
Hey BB, hope your move went well,shoot me an email wouldja, got some neat stuff going on and my emails to your previous are being bounced back!

[10ispro]

Very difficult to correct technique being a High School coach. The time constraints and the amount of people on the team usually dictates the coach focus more on strategy and high percentage play.

Sounds like you have a good coach.

Wow much be a lunar Eclipse or something If i agree with BB.
As a current HS coach of 2 top private schools in MD, the season last 8 weeks, on average if an actual real committment is made changing a technical aspect, it normally will take at least 6 weeks, leaving 2 weeks of the season to compete -also it would take a tremedous amount of energy and time for the coach to work with the player needing the change, which then takes away time away from the rest of the team

I cant emphasize enough to my player, parents, and school that Tennis at the HS and College level is about being a team and all decisions made have to made to benefit the team as a whole. Its a very tricky situation b/c it is such an individual based sport, that many player and especially parents cant grasp the team concept.
Line-ups are about who can do the best in that spot and in end get the team a point and figuring out a line up that ultimately wins the majority of points to win the match (here its 3)

So its a somewhat sad situation, but you have to work with what you got. Find everyones strengths and plan out strategies and tactics to maximize the strengths. one of the last thing a Coach would ever want to do is make a technical correction during a match or even during the season--b/c then for that person it becomes about the mechanical process and that is where the focus will be, not on the match and what is happening in the match.
Ive watched and laughed to myself when another teams coach will come out on a change over and try to make a technical correction if a player isnt serving well or hitting another stroke well and the 1st thing I tell my player is to start attacking the side the correction is being made. So if the opponent is having an off day on his forehand and the coach starts saying, you need to do this and that on your forehand--my guys is gonna be hammering balls that forehand all day basically until the other guys cries and its happened.Complete mental break down due to lack of confidence in the stroke and by the coach in his players abilities to make the adjustments.

As far as the actual original rant--Dont you Watch Tennis on TV? Everyone hits winners from 50 feet behind the baseline and tries to crush sitters at the net:mrgreen: thats what american tennis is all about right now.:D

it takes players quite awhile,if ever, and often they have to 1st become aware of it-to watch a match and actually realize and study the 10 shots that came before the big winner or to realize that big 140mph serve up the tee helped set up the next shot. B/c all most people will see and focus on is the end result not the process it took to get there. Thats even what the media focuses on. Just watch a match the focus is on MPH of the serve and MPH of the winner and while it can make tennis onTV more entertaining, its leads to misconceptions about what is actually happening before that.
During our summer camp, which is falls during the 2nd week of the French and then Wimbeldon we always take a short break to get out of the hot sun and I'll take my kids into the Pro shop and then watch some tennis. I'll ask them to count how many balls it took a player to win the point (especially useful watching the french), then to look at where they are hitting alot of their shots from and where they are standing in the court when they finally do hit a winner. for alot of the kids its quite shocking for them to realize that these guys who they thought only hit 2 balls during a rally are really hitting 15-20shots per rally just to win 1 point!! So its a helpful way for them to realize the process of their favorite players to win points, not just the end result.

[donnyz89]

As far as the actual original rant--Dont you Watch Tennis on TV? Everyone hits winners from 50 feet behind the baseline and tries to crush sitters at the net:mrgreen: thats what american tennis is all about right now.:D



did you catch my thread about "pro tennis ruin fundamentals?"
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=91484

I said the same thing you did. The fact the pros are hitting all these winners, makes us amatures tries to hit crazy topspin shots without the thoughts of setting up a point or focus more on depth and height rather than speed.

[shindemac]

When you say you are the top player, does that mean for sophomore? Or for varsity, JV?

[Amone]

Well.. it looks like varsity, looking at his signature, you know? "Varsity 1 Singles PHS" We even know what HS he plays for, it seems. This topic is rather interesting, it's something I need to work on myself. My decisions on the court are just terrible. Any advice for a silly little kid like me?

[donnyz89]

When you say you are the top player, does that mean for sophomore? Or for varsity, JV?

im a junior btw... and yea, top varsity... #1... best on the team (shameless promo) I do have some players listen to me, but somethings do need to work on more instead of me telling the players. I can routinely beat our #2 62 63 if I try. everyone else is not really my level, I can beat our #3 the sameway without putting too much thought into it too.

[donnyz89]

Well.. it looks like varsity, looking at his signature, you know? "Varsity 1 Singles PHS" We even know what HS he plays for, it seems. This topic is rather interesting, it's something I need to work on myself. My decisions on the court are just terrible. Any advice for a silly little kid like me?

um... as a player who went though many changes in strokes, decision making ability, and is willing to take in all the info and make changes for the best. The most important thing I think in highschool is consistancy... many have said. Shot selection is VERY crucial.

IMO, the weekend amatures make bad decisions because of bad sense of priority. Everyshot have 5 main points.

Depth, Direction, Height, Spin, Power.

Many players see federer and nadal and their top-tier players play, they think power. I thought so too, no one really forced me to change until I figured it out on my own and really hated myself for not changing earlier, its not hard too thats why I'm trying to get my point across so you weekend warriors and highschoolers can see the new light of TENNIS.

Most people put Power first, then then go for spin, then direction... depth and height doesnt really go into consideration. They think a netclipper at 60mph is a nice shot. Yes, it is nice when it goes over but how many of those get returned? how many of those go for winners? how many of those go in the net? how many of those sit on the serviceline waiting to be crushed? Unless you are federer, avoid these shots, especially at the 4.0- level.

I think it should be Depth, height, direction... power and spin can be used in a more advanced level. Lower levels, power and spin only cause more errors and less rewards than depth and height would.

I'm no pro here, but I just see these things in tennis... they all make sense to me and I hope they make sense to you.

[shindemac]

I guess I've become too good at ignoring people's sig.

Most books will also tell you the same thing about when to master power, spin, etc. Unfortunately, most people will work on power first when it should be the last element mastered.

I'm working on placement now, and it's annoying when my partner says hit to me so we can rally. Most people are just too damn lazy to move their feet during practice so I can't tell how things would go in a real match. I want every one of my shots to be directed somewhere so it becomes automatic and I don't have to think about it anymore.