Should she change her playing style?

[Woolybugger]

My daughter has been playing local tournaments for about a year in the 14s. She's got good strokes and is progressing well, and plays more of a hitting game, going for shots quite often. Trouble is, she keeps losing to the pushers, the ones who just brush every ball back. Her pusher peers are winning tournaments and champing up to the next level, leaving her behind.

Should she change her style of play and become more of a put-every-ball-back pusher kind of player? Will she survive in the next-level of competition?

[atatu]

Originally Posted by Woolybugger

My daughter has been playing local tournaments for about a year in the 14s. She's got good strokes and is progressing well, and plays more of a hitting game, going for shots quite often. Trouble is, she keeps losing to the pushers, the ones who just brush every ball back. Her pusher peers are winning tournaments and champing up to the next level, leaving her behind.

Should she change her style of play and become more of a put-every-ball-back pusher kind of player? Will she survive in the next-level of competition?

My son is in exactly the same situation in the Boys 12's here in Texas. I'm trying to get him to be a little more patient, but still keep his aggressive style. I wouldn't worry about when she champs up, I would worry about whether she is getting better or not. You say she is progressing well, that should be good enough for right now.

[Freak4tennis]

Originally Posted by Woolybugger

My daughter has been playing local tournaments for about a year in the 14s. She's got good strokes and is progressing well, and plays more of a hitting game, going for shots quite often. Trouble is, she keeps losing to the pushers, the ones who just brush every ball back. Her pusher peers are winning tournaments and champing up to the next level, leaving her behind.

Should she change her style of play and become more of a put-every-ball-back pusher kind of player? Will she survive in the next-level of competition?

Welcome to the world of tennis. "Pushers", "retrievers" are at every level. Just look at Gilles Simon. The reason why your daughter is losing is because mastering an aggressive game style takes much longer then a "get every ball back" style.

Strings have a way of getting a ball back giving the opponent a chance to miss. IMHO the best thing to do is to give her a balance of both styles. Teach her when to go for it, and when to just get the ball back.

She just doesn't "own" her style yet. She will stay the course as long as you do. Good Luck.

[JLyon]

Teach her to move forward and work a great deal on her volleys and overheads.
Work on getting some more spin so she can stay aggressive but has a little more margin for error.

[andfor]

Success in the 18s and beyond will be rooted in a base game (consistent baseline play) and the ability to hit the ball hard and though the court (controlled and calculated aggression). The trick here is teaching your player when to be aggressive and when to be consistent. I don't have time now to find comprehensive material or go over all the details on this now but can provide a few rule of thumbs to consider.

When tied or behind in game count, play consistent. Consistent means baseline game hitting solid rally ball, not pushing.

When up a break play aggressive, especially on return games. Aggressive means controlled aggression, not trying to slap a winner.

Have a plan before each point.

There's a good deal more detail within those three tips but hopefully you get the high-level view. When to play aggressive or consistent gets further broken down into what just happened on the previous point (error or winner) what's the game score (15-0, 0-30, 40-15, Deuce, etc). The player who is aware of the situation and has a plan before each point increases their chances for success. This will help manage the momentum for your player. This concept will also help a player understand good errors versus bad errors and with that understanding help manage emotions throughout the match.

My suggestion, find a good coach who teaches more than forehands and backhands. Find someone who understands how to teach a player to compete and play with with a plan, emphasizing your players strengths, exploit opponents weakness and play with thoughtful consistency and controlled aggression.

[MarTennis]

Originally Posted by andfor

Success in the 18s and beyond will be rooted in a base game (consistent baseline play) and the ability to hit the ball hard and though the court (controlled and calculated aggression). The trick here is teaching your player when to be aggressive and when to be consistent. I don't have time now to find comprehensive material or go over all the details on this now but can provide a few rule of thumbs to consider.

When tied or behind in game count, play consistent. Consistent means baseline game hitting solid rally ball, not pushing.

When up a break play aggressive, especially on return games. Aggressive means controlled aggression, not trying to slap a winner.

Have a plan before each point.

There's a more detail within those three tips but hopefully you get the high-level view. When to play aggressive or consistent gets further broken down into what just happened on the previous point (error or winner) what's the game score (15-0, 0-30, 40-15, Deuce, etc). The player who is aware of the situation and has a plan before each point increases their chances for success. This will help manage the momentum for your player. This concept will also help a player understand good errors versus bad errors and with that understanding help manage emotions throughout the match.

My suggestion, find a good coach who teaches more than forehands and backhands. Find someone who understands how to teach a player to compete and play with with a plan, emphasizing your players strengths, exploit opponents weakness and play with thoughtful consistency and controlled aggression.

is one of the most ill defined terms in sports. What is varies wildly between players.

[andfor]

Originally Posted by MarTennis

is one of the most ill defined terms in sports. What is varies wildly between players.

Define it how you want. Hopefully that's done with some intent. Up two breaks in a set serving 40-0 the player may decide to go for an ace and server and volley. Or serve out wide and go for an angle winner off the return if it presents itself. Could also mean at 3-3 30-0 hitting a little harder baseline rally to your opponents weakness and looking for the short ball to attack.

Controlled aggression is situational or could also be thought of as calculated agression. Don't over think the term but at the least when the situation calls for it, have a plan and try to execute.

[Tennishacker]

Originally Posted by andfor

Success in the 18s and beyond will be rooted in a base game (consistent baseline play) and the ability to hit the ball hard and though the court (controlled and calculated aggression). The trick here is teaching your player when to be aggressive and when to be consistent. I don't have time now to find comprehensive material or go over all the details on this now but can provide a few rule of thumbs to consider.

When tied or behind in game count, play consistent. Consistent means baseline game hitting solid rally ball, not pushing.

When up a break play aggressive, especially on return games. Aggressive means controlled aggression, not trying to slap a winner.

Have a plan before each point.

There's a Hood deal more detail within those three tips but hopefully you get the high-level view. When to play aggressive or consistent gets further broken down into what just happened on the previous point (error or winner) what's the game score (15-0, 0-30, 40-15, Deuce, etc). The player who is aware of the situation and has a plan before each point increases their chances for success. This will help manage the momentum for your player. This concept will also help a player understand good errors versus bad errors and with that understanding help manage emotions throughout the match.

My suggestion, find a good coach who teaches more than forehands and backhands. Find someone who understands how to teach a player to compete and play with with a plan, emphasizing your players strengths, exploit opponents weakness and play with thoughtful consistency and controlled aggression.

^^^^
Agree 100%!

Differing styles of play depends on ones personality.
If your child likes to "hit" then follow what Andfor outlined.
If your child's natural play is (push/retrieve) then work on conditioning.

Coach like Robert Landsdorp would be a good fit for your child.

[Alohajrtennis]

Originally Posted by andfor

Define it how you want. Hopefully that's done with some intent. Up two breaks in a set serving 40-0 the player may decide to go for an ace and server and volley. Or serve out wide and go for an angle winner off the return if it presents itself. Could also mean at 3-3 30-0 hitting a little harder baseline rally to your opponents weakness and looking for the short ball to attack.

Controlled aggression is situational or could also be thought of as calculated agression. Don't over think the term but at the least when the situation calls for it, have a plan and try to execute.

A lot of the challenge is communicating this to a 10,11, or 12 yer old in a way they can understand and implement.

Right now, we try to keep it simpler at my daughters age. We work on patterns. For a pusher like this her goals to hit heavy top spin to their opponents backhand. Do that often enough and they will eventually giver her the short ball, come in and finish it. If she finishes well she wins the match. If she starts putting her overheads into the net and back fence(second set when she is tired) she loses.

[Number1Coach]

Originally Posted by Woolybugger

My daughter has been playing local tournaments for about a year in the 14s. She's got good strokes and is progressing well, and plays more of a hitting game, going for shots quite often. Trouble is, she keeps losing to the pushers, the ones who just brush every ball back. Her pusher peers are winning tournaments and champing up to the next level, leaving her behind.

Should she change her style of play and become more of a put-every-ball-back pusher kind of player? Will she survive in the next-level of competition?

It has taken my player sometime to understand how to play them because he hits big off both wings and loves running them side to side ,

Heres what is working it is simple you don't have to think much about it ,, if she is playing a pusher/counter puncher have her play 70/80% up the middle ,they love running corner to corner ,,TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEM!!!! have her it drives and rollers up the middle ,,,before she knows it they will have to try and hit and next thing you know short balls for angles and droppers will start popping up.

best to you .

[Tennis_Bum]

Originally Posted by Number1Coach

It has taken my player sometime to understand how to play them because he hits big off both wings and loves running them side to side ,

Heres what is working it is simple you don't have to think much about it ,, if she is playing a pusher/counter puncher have her play 70/80% up the middle ,they love running corner to corner ,,TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEM!!!! have her it drives and rollers up the middle ,,,before she knows it they will have to try and hit and next thing you know short balls for angles and droppers will start popping up.

best to you .

Sounds good Brad. That's really good.

[andfor]

Google "How to beat a pusher"

http://www.google.com/webhp?source=s...w=1366&bih=653

There's lots of good advice. Pick what works for you.

[Soianka]

Originally Posted by andfor

Success in the 18s and beyond will be rooted in a base game (consistent baseline play) and the ability to hit the ball hard and though the court (controlled and calculated aggression). The trick here is teaching your player when to be aggressive and when to be consistent. I don't have time now to find comprehensive material or go over all the details on this now but can provide a few rule of thumbs to consider.

When tied or behind in game count, play consistent. Consistent means baseline game hitting solid rally ball, not pushing.

When up a break play aggressive, especially on return games. Aggressive means controlled aggression, not trying to slap a winner.

Have a plan before each point.

There's a Hood deal more detail within those three tips but hopefully you get the high-level view. When to play aggressive or consistent gets further broken down into what just happened on the previous point (error or winner) what's the game score (15-0, 0-30, 40-15, Deuce, etc). The player who is aware of the situation and has a plan before each point increases their chances for success. This will help manage the momentum for your player. This concept will also help a player understand good errors versus bad errors and with that understanding help manage emotions throughout the match.

My suggestion, find a good coach who teaches more than forehands and backhands. Find someone who understands how to teach a player to compete and play with with a plan, emphasizing your players strengths, exploit opponents weakness and play with thoughtful consistency and controlled aggression.

All of this.

It appears that your daughter is not winning more because she is not playing consistently enough.

I agree with finding a good coach to evaluate her game and teach her how to really play tennis.