Wanting to improve my Tennis and make the varsity team

[new_west]

I'm a 15 year old 5'3 Tennis player. I've been playing for years but been taking it seriously for probably 2 1/2 years. Anyways, I really want to make my school (Singapore American School) Varsity team for my junior year. I tried out freshmen year and I totally bombed the tryouts and got out the first cut. I was really disapointed, but I worked on my game and had help from a coach. I also went to an SD tennis camp this past summer.

I tried out again last october but I messed up again. I'm guessing its because I had to play with a lousy player that made me play worse, plus I believe i was too consious on the coach watching my shots. Again, I was really disapointed in not making the team. There are so many people in my school that play tennis but 12 can only make the team. I still feel that there are things I need to work on such as my consistency and my serve. I don't really know how well I compare against many other players. But I would say that I am intermediate.
There is tryouts this coming January for a developmental/JV team, which is the first time they are doing this at my school. Again, I don't want to mess up on tryouts and I really want to work on my game. I would like to make the JV's this year. Right now I'm been playing a lot more tennis and I feel a lot more interested in tennis as a whole than ever before. I've been playing a lot with my dad but I stopped having my coach last June. I took lessons with one friend. Before that I always had group lessons.
I've had my fare share of lousy coaches, having taken group lessons when I was younger, which messed me up and made me play pretty bad for a while. I switch coaches for different group lessons but I always was told something different or something new. And group lessons seriously isn't the best choice.

I want to improve my tennis. I still feel I have some bad habits in my game and that i can still improve a lot more. Unfortunetly, my dad isn't convinced on me having an individual lesson with a coach as he thinks he can coach me himself and that the coach would just feed balls for the hour, but I know that a coach could help me out in such areas as correcting in depth things in my game or my serve. I was wondering:

1) Do you guys have any tips on looking for coaches or what to ask a coach to determine if he/she is good enough? I've found some links to USPTA certified coaches and from word of mouth, some good coaches. Basically, I'm looking for a coach that can consistently improve me and is kind of strict and tough.

2) Do you have any tips on how I can improve my tennis in general? I still feel unconfident at times on different areas of my game. At times I feel that I play really well at times I feel that I have a lot of work to do. My love for the game as increased a lot for the past year and I've been watching videos.. reading books (winning ugly). I constantly have an urge to play tennis and I really want to play well but i feel that my game is lacking at times.

3) Any tips in varsity/jv tryouts?

Right now, I've talked to the varsity coach and I hope to come to the school courts to watch the team play and play with the team members before they start their practice, which is a start.

Any tips, suggestions is greatly appreciated.

 

[dozu]

You need to practise one thing to make a varsity team:

A solid forehand that aims 2 ft above the net, keep it nice and deep, and make sure you get 10 balls over the net in a point.

You will beat 90% of the players you see at school.

 

[Power Game]

Agreed with dozu. At your level develop 3 main shots
1. Forehand, with spin 3 ft net clearance, deep side to side, consistent
2. Backhand, with spin 3 ft net clearance, deep side to side, consistent
3. Serve, kick 3ft net clearance, consistent no double faults

Tell us more about your strokes (grips, weaknesses, etc...) and we can help you better

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Check my posting here at:
Great Fitness Sites
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/viewtopic.php?t=23127
it might help ...

 

[paulfreda]

Serve to make the team

When you practice your serve, do not be tempted to hit a big flat serves that miss by hitting the tape. Practice a big looping topspin that misses by just being long. A deep serve is very effective in keeping your opponent on the defensive and your coach knows this.
The way to keep your serves long is in the toss. Keep the toss very high and back near or behind (toward the back fence) your head. Then when you miss, your misses will have just missed being perfect, rather than just missed getting in the box.
This serve should be so good that you can put 19 of 20 within a few inches of the service line in either deuce or ad courts.
Also, because this serve clears the net by so much, you should be able to turn your body slightly and hit to either the FH, body or BH from either court.

 

[jun]

what level you play at first of all?

if you are around 3.0~3.5, consistency is the key. A) Show your coach that you will try your best each and every match, B) show your coach that you can be consistent point in and point out. Most matches at 3.0~3.5 are won by making one more shot than your opponent...rather than hitting winners..

 

[new_west]

Whoa.. you guys have some great tips. Lets see.


1) I have a top spin forehand.. it has power but again, at times it can get inconsistent. I have trouble with people who hit really high balls with a lot of spin. My forehand can be powerful at times but I do mess up sometimes especially if someone gets me a short ball. I sometimes over do it. Its usually wide or a few inches away from the service line. I get stuck on it as sometimes I hit my forehand too straight or mess up on the top spin. I was taught to do a regular forehand (flat) before and then I changed it to looping motion but I changed it but I do mess up on timing. I sometimes use my right hand (I'm left handed) to grip the throat like many pros but sometimes I leave it on the racket handle. I think thats one thing I need to fix. My follow through is okay. I feel I need to consistently end it in one place.

2) My doublehanded backhand is pretty consistent. I can hit it wide with a lot of power and spin. Cross court, down the line etc. I find it very easy to use. Once in a while, i might mess up my timing. But it's probably my most consistent and best weapon. Again, I have trouble with high balls.. I get it over but without the power of just a regular bouncing ball. Probably my strongest weapon.

3) Serve. I have to admit its a weak part of my game. I was taught so many different ways, but right now I have two serves. A flat serve and a slice serve. I am pretty consistent with my slice. My flat is inconsistent. I have a tendancy to mess up on my toss (sometimes high, low, close, far) and I don't think i incorporate a lot of bending of the knees. I don't have a kick serve. I can get my serve in but I remember watching myself serve on a video and it was so jerky and ugly looking. I think that I get close to doing footfaults at times..

4) My volleys. Forehand is my strongest volley. I feel very comfortable with my forehand volley. When i'm not at baseline I like to go to the net. Its very easy for me to get a good consistent forehand volley, low or high, i have gotten winners. My forehand slice is decent. I use it sometimes. My backhand volley is inconsistent. I do a one handed backhand volley even though my backhand is two handed. I can get it but I have trouble with balls that are high. My backhand slice needs working on too.

I believe that I have good footwork. I always bend my knees and I have good racket preperation and I do have weight transfer. I'm on the tip of my toes. For a short guy, I have good speed I can run pretty quick. I like playing baseline but I do enjoy going to the net a lot too. Mentally I feel that I can jump back at times but I can get really pissed at myself if I don't play very well. I have been reading winning ugly for a few weeks and I have incorporated a few strategies.

I play twice a week. Saturday morning with my dad and sunday morning mix doubles with my mom, dad and sis (who is a beginner but plays ocassionally). I play sometimes on the week at night time or afterschool, but this coming week I'm definetly going to come up and play with some of the varsity team as i think it will help as they are better players. Right now I'm looking for a coach to help me improve too.

Again, I want to thank you guys for giving me some advice.

 

[new_west]

The varsity team from what i've observed, a lot of guys are just really big baseliners.. They whack the ball like crazy and a lot of times they go out. But they're strokes look really good (looks aren't everything, but I think the coaches are attracted to that)I noticed even some of them, like for instance this really tall guy who has good reach, good serve and strokes can't play things like mini tennis. A few people on the team stand out as they are really good wellrounded players that can play everything. Other than that, everyone is basically like Andy Roddick.. big groundstrokes and big serve.

The try outs consistent of about 3 different cuts. I got cut out in the first cut which was showing off your groundstrokes. I unfortunetly got paired with some guy who kept hitting really hard shots that kept going out. He went for more power than consistency. And when the coach saw him, he was pretty angry as many balls went off the court and down into the road (5th floor courts) My serve was bad during those tryouts. We then played a game on each court where it was something like king of the court. I kept winning but during that day 26 people tried out and 10 made it to the next cut.

The tryouts were split into two different days. 9/10 graders went one day (about 26 people) and 11/12 graders another day (20 something) 10 from the 9/10 day went to the next days tryouts and 10 from 11/12 and then they kept cutting people as days passed. The further days they worked on volleys and other things. During the day of the final 18, only the 8 people (12 altogether on the team, some returning members) who won their matches got on the team.

 

[skuludo]

How consistant are you really? Do you average at 25 stroke rallys with a player who just hits up the middle (with power and spin)?

The rest of your game doesn't seem solid enough that was probly why you didn't make it past the first cut. Whether your partner is bad or not you should still be able to stand out if you are good. You sound like you own a backhand, but missing forehand that is just as reliable as your backhand. When the two equal your backcourt game should be solid and would most likely get you past the first cut. Missing a topspin serve is really bad. It should be considered a pre-requiste to high level tennis. When you have the topspin serve your other serves should improve a lot especially the flat serve. Volleys will simply spice up your resume of your game. In summary you need a solid play to hold your ground. A solid backcourt game with decent serves may just get you the spot. The net game will get you further up your team heiarcy.

 

[skittles]

Work on consistency, and try having both topspin serves on 1st and 2nd. Flat serve is really a low %age shot. and since your only 5'3" its even more a low percent chance of u making a living out of it. And try staying with one particular coach. Dont develop bad habits get rid of dem now b4 it gets to a point where you have no choice. Try working on your volleys and quiding your spin serve to the widest part of the service box. Then follow up to your serve as they call it "serve and Volley" you can impress many coaches like that. if ur a 3.5 player going for a jv team... i never heard of REAL jv teams b4 but i think dts a good expansion they should do that in our league so that no1 is left out. But newayz i think a 3.5 player trying out for a JV team shouldnt be a hard task. Unless there are really good tennis players in yur school. WELL...
1.Work on a kick serve and hard 1st serve spin serve. strong flat 1st serve is low % shot.
2.Volley, work on that becuase i wouldnt expect a3.0-3.5 player to make varsity and play singles right away. Ull be playing dubs more than likely.
3. Work on both of those and try not to become a baseliner. Most coaches prefer the points to end quickly. Win points at the Net!

 

[degreefanlindi]

Kick serve

I agree with Skittles...a kick serve is a must-have option for any player looking to go the next step.

 

[Agent Smith]

Approximately what NTRP level is the SAS varsity team? Or IASAS in general?