Difference Between a "tennis pro" and a coach??

[Mike Danger]

Trying to figure out how to explain this, so I can find the right person for the job.
any suggestions as to how to find the right person to help move to the next level? I mean if i want to "go pro" what are the important things.
I dont need lessons, I need the kind of person, knows how to turn good into great, you know??

[Tennismastery]

Trying to figure out how to explain this, so I can find the right person for the job.
any suggestions as to how to find the right person to help move to the next level? I mean if i want to "go pro" what are the important things.
I dont need lessons, I need the kind of person, knows how to turn good into great, you know??

A true tennis pro/coach will not look for immediate gratification in your game and steer you towards techniques that will, over time, provide you with the means of reaching your true potential. Many pros offer methods that you will not feel uncomfortable with or that will offer some success at initial levels. While we all want to feel like we are improving, a top pro will teach you ways to improve within this concept. (I call it the Advanced Foundation.) Because of the difficulty to change grips and swing patterns or footwork once they have been established, if you learn more rudementary methods, you will usually need to change to more advanced patterns later. Very difficult. And, interestingly, change is going to occur. The difference is whether the change is manditory (meaning you must change something to reach higher levels) or the change is a natural evolution of a player's development.

I have trained over 3000 players, and more recently over the past ten years, I have trained most of them within the same framework of this idea of an Advanced Foundation. While almost all have been trained using the same methods, no two players play exactly alike. Thus, while each of them have become very skilled players, they all take on personal charicteristics and strategies: some became serve and volliers, others stay back more. The difference is, they all have the ability and mastery of hitting every shot well. A player who is only taught to hit groundstrokes will seldom become a skilled net player. And what if they were more predispositioned to be a net player? If they are not taught the volley correctly nor trained in its use, they would not very likely be able to adopt this particular playing strategy.

Look for pros who are not looking to have you win tournaments or matches today. Look for one who is willing to postpone such gratification and lead you towards more advanced play....play that takes longer to master but will allow you to reach your true tennis potential.

[Rickson]

Trying to figure out how to explain this, so I can find the right person for the job.
any suggestions as to how to find the right person to help move to the next level? I mean if i want to "go pro" what are the important things.
I dont need lessons, I need the kind of person, knows how to turn good into great, you know??
A tennis pro is simply someone who gets paid to teach or play tennis. A coach is someone who can take an already established player and guide him to a higher level of playing. A coach doesn't even have to be better than his student, but it sure helps if he is better.

[LuckyR]

With all due respect, I agree with the tone and general attitude of Tennismastery's post. However, ultimately coaches are judged by tournament results and W's over L's. Many parents have been fleeced badly by "gurus" who are teaching their starstruck kids everything under the sun except how to win tennis matches. Naturally it may not be the coach's fault, maybe the kid just doesn't have what it takes, but the coach has the obligation to tell the parents that and let them know they are flushing their money down a dark hole...

[Mike Danger]

thanks, all good info.
I signed up for hi-tech tennis.com, and I agree with whats said on that site. I feel like the pros at the local tennis clubs are really for beginners, and wont see much progress from one of them.
I didnt play in HS or Colleges, but it seems like thats the only time you ever really get any type of coaching, What after that?

[tennishack1]

I mean if i want to "go pro" what are the important things.

Tennismastery had something good somewhere in amongst alot of words there like "if you learn more rudementary methods, you will usually need to change to more advanced patterns later" and "they all have the ability and mastery of hitting every shot well."

If you want to go pro find a coach that has played in at least a few tournaments at the pro level just to be able to tell you if you are hitting with pro level speed and spin have enough juice on the serve and if you hit your approach shots and volleys well enough.

Not to say that this pro will be able to help you improve or even what to say about strokes, footwork, etc. because most don't. They don't put in the time to research so they just say what they think is happening. It would be good though to see how close you are to even winning a set.

After that, find a pro that will use simple techniques that have their roots in sports of science instead of a coach that will tell you to let it evolve. Every one needs to know some facts about technigue and what certain swing patterns will do or won't do.

I'll reccommend a coach who has coached thousands of players but also many touring pros: Steve Smith. I would also recommend Craig Tiley but he took the developmental job in Australia.:mrgreen:

[Mike Danger]

well I mean starting local (denver). I feel i have the potential, but i need the guidence. Basically I just need so one to yell at me, and tell me to watch the ball. So to a certain degree, I dont even need someone who plays tennis, if you know what i mean

[tennishack1]

What r your tourney results like now. and what about Scott Ford @ Inverness Tennis Club.... Very good coach.