Episodes
Tennis is far behind when it comes to using video technology in their coaching methods. All major sports are using them and it's time for tennis to catch up! In this episode I discuss the benefits of using video technology, and how it can help in the development of a player. Click below for the blog portion! https://www.aubonetennis.com/blog/whyvideoissoimportant
Published 01/13/23
We have a tendency to spend too much time talking about bad calls after a match. Even if they happened at big moments in the match, how did you lose all the other points? How did you get down 5-4 40-30 match point in the third set anyway? How did you lose a set prior to that? We need to focus on the biggest reason you lost. Was it the 36 forehand unforced errors? Or the 14 doubles faults?  Let's put our attention there instead of the 4 or 5 bad calls you THINK went against...
Published 12/27/22
Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.” Simon Sinek When you stop to think about it, it’s incredibly difficult. The balance we ask kids to find, while going through the biggest hormonal change in their life, is tough. Most parents and coaches (yes, not all) try to preach about not worrying about today’s results. They ask the kids to focus on getting better and not care if they win or lose. “Just give 100% of...
Published 12/20/22
Juniors in the United States talk about the pressure to win. The pressure to get their UTR up and get into college division. The pressure to win because success in tennis is unfortunately how they define their self-worth. Can you imagine having to win just so your mandatory military sentence is not so intense? In Israel (and maybe other countries too), if you’re one of the best amateur athletes in your sport, you’ll be allowed to continue training while completing your service. If you’re...
Published 12/13/22
"Five minutes before entering the central office, I suddenly felt really bad, extremely nervous. I started to cry. I even had to go throw up a bit.” Stan Wawrinka discussing his emotions before walking on the court for the 2016 US Open final. He won the match and the title. “You know, half an hour before the match I didn’t even want to step on the court, because I just really felt really bad, and I had to, like, lock myself in the physio room and I had to talk to my psychologist. I was...
Published 11/10/22
I prefer to work on a few things at a time for a long time. If a player works on too many things at once, they’ll be mediocre at everything, great at nothing. It’s better to master the most important things first, then start adding in everything else later. 1. Footwork 2. A Weapon 3. 2nd Serve 4. First Volley 5. Mental Skills (could be #1!) Here is the link to the blog!
Published 10/28/22
Strictly coaching the tennis aspect of the game can be easy. High percentage is cross court. On the run is open stance. Contact point in front. Follow through. Weight forward. All that and more. Even the non coaches who’ve watched and studied tennis for years as a hobby can point out basic things that are done incorrectly. But when you’re coaching a player, you’re not just coaching the game. You’re coaching the person. Their personality. The moment. The day. The energy. The mood. Everything...
Published 10/22/22
When people believe their basic qualities can be developed, failures may still hurt, but failures don’t define them. And if abilities can be expanded-if change and growth are possible-then there are still many paths to success.” - Carol Dweck “Mindset” Losing is always going to be painful, even if you lose the right way. For parents who don't have a tennis background, they're not sure what they see in a match. They just see a bunch of shots and the result. And if their own experiences serve...
Published 10/14/22
If you're a competitive tennis player like I was, you need match play skills! And these skills are different than technical skills. They include: - how to use your strengths and hide your weaknesses - how to position yourself - what adjustments to make in your strategy - developing the routines in between points such as how to breathe, when to take time, when to play fast - how to handle cheating The best way to develop these skills is.....having coached practice match play, and having...
Published 10/04/22
“Does my child need to homeschool to make it to division 1 collegiate tennis?” - Junior Tennis Parent It’s a question parents ask themselves all the time. They hear the stories of players coming out of IMG, Saddlebrook and other academies. They hear the stories of former successful players practicing 4-5 hours of tennis a day, doing fitness, and think that might be the only way. I’m here to say…….it’s not the only way. But the things home school programs offer must be done some how and...
Published 09/27/22
If someone’s tournament schedule isn’t handled appropriately, they won’t be prepared to play well. And if they don’t know what constitutes an appropriate tournament schedule, they’ll incorrectly have high expectations going into an event. They’ll be all excited as they’re playing their first tournament in a while. They’ve practiced a lot. They think they’re ready to compete! And then boom! They experience nerves under pressure for the first time in weeks. Odds are, they’re going to struggle.
Published 09/22/22