Who are the best coaches in Georgia?
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GATennisMom
New User
Here are a few (certainly there are many more) that have good track records in the atlanta area of coaching top junior players as well as several of them have coached someone on the ATP/WTA at some point.
Jeff Weaver – Ace Tennis Academy
Grant Stafford – Racquet Club of the South
Jason Parker – Jason Parker Tennis Academy
Jerry Baskins – Baskins Ginepri Tennis Academy
David Drew – Universal Tennis Academy
Torey Hawkins –Windward Tennis Academy
Patti O Reilly – Universal Tennis Academy
Jeff Weaver – Ace Tennis Academy
Grant Stafford – Racquet Club of the South
Jason Parker – Jason Parker Tennis Academy
Jerry Baskins – Baskins Ginepri Tennis Academy
David Drew – Universal Tennis Academy
Torey Hawkins –Windward Tennis Academy
Patti O Reilly – Universal Tennis Academy
Great list! I didnt know Jason had his own thing going now.Jason use to come stay with me when we were juniors to train. I didnt know Jerry and Robbie had joined up.I have heard good things about David Drew.Does Brian still coach at RCS or his he full time with Oudin?In Macon area we have Paul Tobin and Craig jones who are both great coaches.
GATennisMom
New User
Brian is Melanie's full time coach and to my knowledge does not do any other coaching but is out of RCS. My son was coached by Jason and I cant say enough positive things about him. He is coaching Jamie Hampton on the pro tour so he is not around much but has been running his academy out of some courts out in Norcross. Jerry Baskin and Robby Ginepri bought a club in Marietta about 5 years ago and Jerry runs all the tennis and Robbys dad is the general manager of the club.
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How many under 10s are in the high performance clinic at U.T.A?
GATennisMom
New User
Jason may coach Scolville still some. My son was coached by Jason at the time he was coaching Scolville at the US Open and Scolville has the same trainer as my so we saw him hitting alot with Jason. I just know he travels with Jamie on tour now and that is why we dont have our son coached by him - he is actually I think one of the best.
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How many days a week do yaw train at UTA? What are the times and the price ? I think my daughters coach is awesome but i would love for her to get to drill with other girls her age. She only gets to hit with me and her coach and some of the girls on the college team where we live.She is only doing private lessons no group stuff.
I would add Ashley Hobson, Hobson Performance Tennis Academy, who has coached WTA players and Davis and Fed Cup teams.
SourStraws
Rookie
I agree...I've trained there and it's pretty solid. The 09 Jr. Wimbledon champ also comes there too
S.S.
GATennisMom
New User
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GATennisMom
New User
There is one other coach who i think develops great juniors and that is Stephen Diaz and he runs his academy out of Harrison Tennis Center and he also has some great coaches.
Thanks!!!!!!
tennismom12
New User
John Lawrence is a great tennis coach in Duluth. He's pretty tough but really understands the game. I know he trains some really good young players that he's been with since they started playing and now compete in the southern level. Him and Jeff Weaver work together.
juan is way too ole school.the game left him way behind.
High Rustler
New User
^ from that list, and this may be a difficult question, if your kid is NOT in the top 4 that get sent off to the seperate court; which of these academies do you think is best? i.e. genuienly is in the business to see ALL kids improve?
Our child has gone to one on that list for a couple of years, the coaches change like a merry-go-round and I don't think they even know his name...
Our child has gone to one on that list for a couple of years, the coaches change like a merry-go-round and I don't think they even know his name...
CRAIG JONES at Idle Hour country club is AWESOME!!!!!!! His academy is 150 dollars a month.That includes wed and thur from 5:30 to 7:30 saturday from 2:00 till 4:00 and matchplay on sundays.He charges 60 dollars an hour for privates.He treats every kid the same he doesnt care if they are top 20 in the nation or top 20 in ga.His passion for the game is second to none.Every lesson I see him give he gives 100%.My daughter is so so lucky to have found him.If shes not there one night he always calls to check on her.If she plays a tournament he calls before and after every match.
High Rustler
New User
^ unfortunately not an option for north metro...
RiseofMardy
New User
A lot of good players come from Idle Hour, but so do a bunch of cocky, pretentious, self-righteous players, with very similar parents.
Pro_Tour_630
Legend
In my neck of the woods, $500 for seven 1 1/2 hour sessions 4-5 students per coach is considered cheap, Privates are $75 per hour minimum and they do not give %100. The rich areas are charging almost double that amount for the same hours
only 4 on court per coach and they are getting it maybe because the coaches give %100. I am moving down to your area soon.In my neck of the woods, $500 for seven 1 1/2 hour sessions 4-5 students per coach is considered cheap, Privates are $75 per hour minimum and they do not give %100. The rich areas are charging almost double that amount for the same hours
That will be great if you move down here.We have about 8 or 9 really good boys the same age as your son.We would love to have ya.
RiseofMardy
New User
Thats a nice first post.
Thought I would start strong.
In my neck of the woods, $500 for seven 1 1/2 hour sessions 4-5 students per coach is considered cheap, Privates are $75 per hour minimum and they do not give %100. The rich areas are charging almost double that amount for the same hours
whats that
I'd be interested to know the name of an academy(s) or serious junior development program(s) that does not have any pretentious, self-righteous players, with very similar parents.
There are some of these folks in most every sport I've been involved with. Not saying all, just some. Come to think of it, that demographic is not so uncommon.
ssonosk
Semi-Pro
Do you have to have a club membership to get the lessons?
nope just give them a call
gplracer
Hall of Fame
Craig Jones in Macon is a good guy and he runs a top notch program. Craig was one of the stops of the CTC camp last year for the 10s. My son had a great time at Idle Hour. Craig's son is a very good player as well. I have a really good motivational speech he gave the kids.
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Spent some time talking badly about Serena Williams.
Kind of not appropriate.
And also of course biased considering much more harsh things could be said about Andre Agassi, whom he mentioned but did not debase.
He holds Serena to a much higher standard (double standard) than other tennis players with his little mini rant about her not being nice.
Especially considering that it looks like he has only one black player in his little group...he should probably be a bit more thoughtful before making such comments.
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TennisCoachFLA
Banned
I would love to hear his opinion on Johnny Mac, his tirades make Serena look like a saint!
gplracer
Hall of Fame
Sounds like Soianka is trying to make this a black/white issue. This not the case. He gave an example of why it is important to be a nice person. Why should it matter if the person he said was black or white. If she was not nice then she was not nice. My only experience at Idle Hour has been great. Of course I see you are sensitive to comments about Serena. You have several posts defending her behavior at the U.S. Open. She has had some questionable calls in the past so her behavior is justified right? I will remove the video so you are not offended. BTW you seem to not mind saying negative things about other pro players on the forum. Maybe you should be more sensitive to the youngsters who are on the board or family members of those players......
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It's not about making it a black/white issue. It is already a black/white issue as the criticisms that the Williams Sisters have faced long before Serena ever acted out at the open have been much harsher than any other player I can think of in recent memory.
So yeah, I was uncomfortable for that little black girl and I would not be too pleased if I was her parent.
As for negative things about other players, that is an entirely different issue. Tennis is a largely Caucasian sport. When you have such harsh criticism levied repeatedly at two of the only non-white champions of the sport by their own country people repeatedly...there is a problem...there is something else at work...whether you or anyone else is honest enough to admit it or not.
As for Serena being "nice"...it seems that most players remark that she is indeed a nice and friendly and affable person. So his comments are BS and his opinion and he should keep them to himself or at least not discuss them in front of small children.
It is only a black and white issue when you are prejudiced, and dislike Serena because she is African American.
I loved watching Serena playing up until the 2009 incident..
I think McEnroe is just as awful, the tone of his voice here is TRULY OFF THE CHARTS,
"... the question, jerk!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Nyc9jzSDg
Bottom line, their behavior on the court is a terrible influence on young tennis players.
TaraHarrison
New User
Jerry Baskin and Robby Ginepri bought a club in Marietta about 5 years ago and Jerry runs all the tennis and Robbys dad is the general manager of the club.
Number1Coach
Banned
I thought Serena was born in Mich. I had know idea she was born in Africa and had duel citizenship ? I truly thought she was 100% American.
McEnroe acts like a jerk, so does Ryan Harrison and Nadal at times. Also, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras have. Jimmy Connors. Martina Hingis. Lindsay Davenport. Even our sweet little Melanie Oudin is not above reproach.
The point is the Williams sisters are held to a higher standard than everyone else and it is quite telling that this coach mentioned our true American champions -- Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi and then only mentioned a more recent American Champion (Serena Williams) as an aside and then went into a rant about how she is supposedly not "nice" person...but Kim Clijsters is just so darned "nice"
There is no point of writing a dissertation on the topic. His speech was inappropriate to me, and I wouldn't want him coaching my child especially if she was the only black kid in the group and already probably feels a little bit like an outsider.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
To be honest, I didn't like that video more from a kid's boredom stand point. 6.5 minute video, 1.5 minutes of some shuffles, 5 minutes of the coach yacking.
My girl would have checked out about 1 minute into his speech! And as a parent I would be like, "shut up already and teach the kids some tennis, I can handle the rest of their upbringing, thank you very much". But thats why I home school, I don't like people pontificating to my kids.
But Craig has had a good deal of success so I guess it works for him.
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100% understand and agree.
In regards to the coach, the great thing about your pocketbook is the ability to voice your dissent.
Up until the civil rights era, prior to MLK, the term was Negro.
It was replaced with the word, Black.
In 1988, Jessie Jackson pushed the word, African American.
The English teachers today do not use the word Black,
and it would be crossed out if you used it in a paper.
They have ALL acted poorly, but I don't see how Serena is held to a higher standard. Mac was penalized, defaulted and fined plenty of times. He was looked upon very badly for years during and after his playing days and just more recently gained popularity again.
Serena has been given accolades for a long time about her play and what she has done for the women's game. She has made millions and is clearly one of the best players of all time. Yes, she has tirades. To me, the only difference is that her 2009 rant and this years (to a lesser degree) have included threats. That should be/is a different standard. It's not about gender or race.
In the long run, I don't think these issues will detract from her standing in the history of the women's game, just like they have not for Mac.
TennisCoachFLA
Banned
I agree, Serena was way out of line with her tirades, we all have moments we regret.
I saw her yesterday on the home shopping channel selling her outfits, she is an amazing salesperson and business person, as is her sister. Everyone has their faults but Serena is overall an amazing and multi talented person.
But I can see how some would think this coach was inappropriate. If he is going to point out Serena's tirades, he should hedge it with telling the kids that she also does lots of charity work and has attracted thousands of girls into tennis, several of which are poised to be great players.
A speech that includes only the negatives of Serena is simply wrong for him to give to tennis kids. I like Craig, met him a few times at seminars. Frankly, I don't think that video is his finest hour.
But he is a top notch coach who has helped to develop some excellent players.
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maggmaster
Hall of Fame
Honestly the only reason that it irritated me was that it appeared to be intentional gamesmanship. Not the shout itself but the rest of the tirade just felt like a ploy to throw Stosur off. I have no idea if that is true or not, it is just the feeling that I got while watching the match.
