How to Choose a Great Tennis Coach..

7 Traits to Look for When Choosing a Tennis Instructor..

by John Barbagallo, U.S.P.T.A.

Tennis Brookhaven

As a certified Tennis Coach of more than 20 years, I have given tennis lessons at large tennis clubs, tennis academies, universities, country clubs, parks and rec departments, apartment complexes and also coached High School tennis. I have worked with over two dozen tennis instructors roughly. This has given me the fortunate opportunity to observe how other tennis coaches teach, behave and interact with students, clients and co-workers. I have seen firsthand what works and what doesn't work when it comes to being a successful tennis coach. I share some of my insights below as to the characteristics I believe make a successful tennis instructor. I hope you find it informative and helpful!

1. Passion

Does your tennis instructor look like he enjoys what he is doing or is he just going through the motions? Is he engaging or does he look like he could audition as a cast member for The Walking Dead? A tennis instructor that is passionate about what he is doing is more likely to give a better tennis lesson than one who is not. As a result, you are more likely to learn tennis and have fun during your tennis lesson. A tennis coach should show some enthusiasm and offer praise when you do something well. Passion is not something that can be taught but it can make the difference between a good tennis lesson and a great tennis lesson. Find a tennis teacher who has passion for tennis and helping students learn tennis and you’ve found something special.

2. Teaching Experience

There is no substitute for teaching experience. It can take several years and dozens of students before a tennis instructor learns how to properly analyze strokes and apply corrective techniques. It takes time to learn and identify the difference between the cause of a problem and the symptom of a problem. The certification certainly helps but the only way to really become a great tennis instructor is through experience. Ask your tennis coach, how long he/she has been coaching as well as what level players he/she has taught (recreational, state ranked players, nationally ranked etc) and the age range of those taught. Has he/she taught adult tennis lessons? Adult beginner tennis lessons? Private tennis lessons? Tennis classes? etc. This should help to give you an idea of how much experience he/she has. The more, the better!

3. Credentials/Certifications

The two most widely recognized teaching certifications are the USPTA and PTR certifications. If I had to choose between a tennis pro that is certified and one who is not, I would choose the certified tennis instructor every day of the week and twice on Sunday! Here is why. First, a tennis coach who is certified has made a commitment to invest his/her time and energy into learning a significant amount of material and passing a test on that material. Certified tennis instructors are graded on several areas of tennis including, teaching a private tennis lesson, teaching a group tennis lesson, demonstrating proficient playing ability and passing an extensive written exam. The exam includes such topics as stroke analysis, proper grips, singles and doubles strategy, tennis court surfaces, corrective techniques as well as several other areas. This is not to say that a pro who is not certified is not good. Not at all. However, going with a certified tennis coach minimizes this risk. You would not choose a doctor, or a lawyer or a plumber that does not have some kind of license or credential, would you? The same applies here.

4. Playing Experience

A good tennis instructor should have some competitive playing experience generally either high school or college or both. This is important because they can identify with the types of situations you experience during a tennis match and advise you accordingly. That being said, a tennis coach does not need to have played professionally to be a good tennis instructor. I have seen pros who were professionally ranked by the ATP but were not particularly good instructors. This is where communication skills, personality etc. come into play.

5. Communication Skills

Different people learn in different ways. Some people learn best by listening. Yet, others learn best visually. A good tennis instructor needs to explain ideas both verbally and visually. I can’t tell you how many times I have explained something to a student and it didn’t click but when I said essentially the same thing but in a slightly different way, guess what? It clicked! Everyone is unique and a great tennis coach should have the capacity to articulate ideas differently to different people so they can be easily understood.

6. Personality

The best tennis instructors make tennis training fun for his/her students. While learning is serious at times, it can also be fun. They are not mutually exclusive! If a pro has a good sense of humor, it makes the tennis lesson more enjoyable. Laughter tends to relax people. When you are relaxed, it is easier to learn how to play tennis and retain information. In my experience, the best tennis instructors all had great personalities.

7. Good Chemistry/Comfort Level

Last but not least is chemistry/comfort level. How comfortable do you feel around your tennis instructor? Does he/she treat you with respect? Now, keep in mind that when you are learning a new skill, there will be a certain level of discomfort. This is normal. You are branching out into something new. Anytime we learn something new, we tend to feel a bit self-conscious or even embarrassed at times. Part of the job of the tennis instructor is to make you feel comfortable as much as possible. During a beginner tennis lesson, a good tennis coach will give positive reinforcement when his/her student does something well and constructive criticism when he/she has difficulty with a shot. Good chemistry leads to good results! Game! Set! Match!