TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Boca to IMG is a good 3.5 hour drive. You have to shoot west across the Everglades, then up the west coast to Bradenton.
I Love Boca!!!!
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Keysmickey
Rookie
"Rick" is really, really, really good at telling parents what they want to hear. I know of two families who fell hook line and sinker and blew a fortune with NOTHING to show for it. Remember that tennis isn't brain science and there is no formula for success, no matter what "Rick" says.
Their kids must suck? Its not brain science its tennis science.Rick has forgotten more than you will ever know about developing six to ten year olds.Hes the best in the business at working with six to ten year olds.
Keysmickey
Rookie
Lol. Thanks for knowing it all. Have you ever been wrong? It doesn't matter whether the kids I'm referring to "sucked" or not, it has to do with a huckster, whether knowledgeable at his craft or not, still willing to say anything to take the money. Get it? Nothing trumps $$$$.
coaching32yrs
Semi-Pro
I've been to Rick's. I'm not convinced he's the best. It's hard to find a great coach who can develop talented youngsters. But there are better coaches for a lot less money. I agree they are hard to find.
drakulie
Talk Tennis Guru
agree. not worth it by a long shot.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Macci is as good as there is, and frankly I am not a total fan of him personally by any means. But I will flat out say I have seen him correct a few things with a kid that changes their games on way too many occasions to doubt him.
All about being smart. $300, you can tape the lesson, come prepared with lots of questions, he answers them all very clearly. Take home the information and work with it on a local level.....for $300 you just tweaked your kid's game and have months worth of great tips to feed off of, a great investment.
Pay him month after month when your kid is mediocre talent wise? Thats your own dumb fault, not his. Yeah, he is in business, and its his business style I do not care for. I do not doubt what Keysmickey said at all, thats the stuff I hate with him. But I guarantee you he gave those kids GREAT instruction. They simply were not talented and their parents needed to step up and tell Macci goodbye.
I agree with GAtennis.....many parents are delusional. They blame the coach if the kid is simply not all that talented. Not just Macci, but all of them.
But for 6-10 year olds? None better. Sure some are equals.....but none are better. That would be impossible, he communicates very clearly, notices things, has perfect fundamentals, and has had plenty of success. There is literally nothing another kids coach could do that Macci can not.....they may do it cheaper, but not better.
A solid coach maximizes the talent presented to him. Give Macci a Sonya Kenin, he produces a great player, as would any excellent coach. Give him an uncoordinated kid, he will give them great fundamentals and thats about all. But when posters say there are "better kids coaches"? Nonsense. They would not have made Sonya Kenin better nor would they have magically made the mediocre kid any better than Macci would. Thus they could be his equal, but would not be better.
Tennis coaches/coaching parents get jealous of the 'name' guys who are able to charge big money....I think that is the dynamic we are seeing here. Say he is worth only $100 or $50 an hour.....that is your opinion and I might agree. Saying there are better coaches is nothing but BS. He knows as much as any kids coach and communicates it as well or better. Again, some may be his equal and charge less money....none are better.
All about being smart. $300, you can tape the lesson, come prepared with lots of questions, he answers them all very clearly. Take home the information and work with it on a local level.....for $300 you just tweaked your kid's game and have months worth of great tips to feed off of, a great investment.
Pay him month after month when your kid is mediocre talent wise? Thats your own dumb fault, not his. Yeah, he is in business, and its his business style I do not care for. I do not doubt what Keysmickey said at all, thats the stuff I hate with him. But I guarantee you he gave those kids GREAT instruction. They simply were not talented and their parents needed to step up and tell Macci goodbye.
I agree with GAtennis.....many parents are delusional. They blame the coach if the kid is simply not all that talented. Not just Macci, but all of them.
But for 6-10 year olds? None better. Sure some are equals.....but none are better. That would be impossible, he communicates very clearly, notices things, has perfect fundamentals, and has had plenty of success. There is literally nothing another kids coach could do that Macci can not.....they may do it cheaper, but not better.
A solid coach maximizes the talent presented to him. Give Macci a Sonya Kenin, he produces a great player, as would any excellent coach. Give him an uncoordinated kid, he will give them great fundamentals and thats about all. But when posters say there are "better kids coaches"? Nonsense. They would not have made Sonya Kenin better nor would they have magically made the mediocre kid any better than Macci would. Thus they could be his equal, but would not be better.
Tennis coaches/coaching parents get jealous of the 'name' guys who are able to charge big money....I think that is the dynamic we are seeing here. Say he is worth only $100 or $50 an hour.....that is your opinion and I might agree. Saying there are better coaches is nothing but BS. He knows as much as any kids coach and communicates it as well or better. Again, some may be his equal and charge less money....none are better.
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chalkflewup
Hall of Fame
I may be frugal, but I'm certainly not jealous because someone charges and gets big money to pop the popcorn. More power to him. I find the Macci mystique all too fascinating. And he works it better than anyone.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
I agree, he works it well. However, he is still as good a kids coach as anyone on the planet.
Look at it this way. Lets say tennis people around the world could nominate any kids coach they wanted as "the best". We gathered 10 of them, 1 being Macci. Took them all to a training facilty, brought in tennis kids, no one knew who the coaches were, money not charged.
Give each of the 10 coaches 5 kids. 2 showing obvious talent, 2 average, 1 bottom of his class. Let all 10 coaches work with their group of 5 kids for a month.
In order for one coach to be "better", their group of 5 kids would have to improve more than Macci's group. And I simply do not think any of them would. Perhaps some just as good though.
Thats why I say no one is "better". Posters who claim they know better kids coaches would need to use actual results of kids trained by another coach and prove they are better.
Once again....opinion. An opinion can be "Macci is a creep who overcharges". No one can tell anyone not to think that. But an opinion is not "I know better kids coaches than Macci"....unless you can prove that with actual results, that holds no water.
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TennisCoachFLA
Banned
On the surface perhaps. You could pay for 6 hours of another coach who charges $50 hour.
But look at it this way. A smart parent wants to help a talented kid who may be stubborn. The take him to Macci, and explains that this guy worked with Williams sisters and Roddick and many college players.
So the kid listens closely to the lesson, more than with his usual coach. The parent video tapes the lesson and asks plenty of questions. And the instruction and tips are all right on.
So the parent goes home, the kid is pumped up, he learned more because he was told how the coach had worked with top players, the parent has a video and plenty of tips to work on for a few months. The kid improves a good deal in that time.
That is $300 very well spent in the tennis world. Its all about context and being smart. Paying $300/hour for twice a week lessons? Now that would be nuts.
slice bh compliment
G.O.A.T.
Macci has a good eye, and he's been successful enough to have a backbone, unlike many club pros.
He cares enough about his reputation that he puts forth a good team and a good product. I am basing this on some experience with his players, some experience with his ex-wife, some experience with students in common, and having met the man twice at USPTA gatherings and at the Open through mutual friends.
Here's a clip that's on his site and on YT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix7t2VOOWjo&feature=player_embedded
Of course, he ought to know how to spell Sharapova and Capriati by now....or at least hire better people to do so.
He cares enough about his reputation that he puts forth a good team and a good product. I am basing this on some experience with his players, some experience with his ex-wife, some experience with students in common, and having met the man twice at USPTA gatherings and at the Open through mutual friends.
Here's a clip that's on his site and on YT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix7t2VOOWjo&feature=player_embedded
Of course, he ought to know how to spell Sharapova and Capriati by now....or at least hire better people to do so.
Tennishacker
Professional
$300 for a top, top junior is worth it, but for average kids( the majority in US) would be a waste of money.
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Kobble
Hall of Fame
Knew someone who played for a while at the Macci Academy. He said the drills were very simple, nothing you can't do on your own. Sure, Rick Macci is worth something, but not $300 an hour.
The people paying this crap, though are rich families who just want to watch their kids live the "good" life. They are paying for a fantasy.
The people paying this crap, though are rich families who just want to watch their kids live the "good" life. They are paying for a fantasy.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
Generalizing somewhat. Some drills can be done for sure, others involve 4 players and are intense. Also, being able to compete with other good kids is helpful.
Some may pay for the fantasy like anywhere, but plenty are damn amazing players. Sonya Kenin got her start there, ChiChi Sholl and others. Ali Black redid her serve there and just won the Herr.
Again....he is worth $300 if used properly. He has credibility that makes some kids take his advice to heart who may ignore other coaches. That dynamic comes at a cost.
coaching32yrs
Semi-Pro
We spent a week there. Talked to Rick every day. Watched him doing privates. I didn't see anything great. It was a holiday week, he was doing 8-10 hours a day. Maybe he was burned out. For high level boys 16 + I think there are better coaches. One's who can explain, demonstrate, and rally and outhit and expose weaknesses. Don't envision Rick doing that. His
"academy" was not run great. He did have 1 kid who just won the 'zoo. My guys hit with him, so it was worth it. If Rick trained that guy, kudos to Rick. He was, is, great. Gonzalo his name.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
I agree for elite 16 plus boys there are better coaches. I consider him as good as anyone for 6-10s. Holiday weeks are crazy, perhaps as you said, he was pretty toasted.
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