From Recreation to Competitive Play

August 22, 2016 | By Salifu Mohammed
Summertime_Tennis_Credit_XiXinXing_05_19_16_0

What it takes to be an elite junior player
It all starts with the love and passion for the game. It is accomplished by hard work, parent/family support and great coaching. Elite junior players begin as recreational players, usually in small classes of between three and six students. At this stage, players work on coordination and agility, learn the fundamentals of tennis, the foundations of sportsmanship and sound technical skills. This leads them to a pivotal discovery: The more they practice, the better they will become as tennis players. They also begin routines and mental disciplines that will last as long as they are involved with the game and serve them well in life.

In my years working with talented juniors, I have learned that becoming an elite player is not a sprint, it’s more like a marathon. The journey has specific benchmarks, but each player experiences these benchmarks in their own way. There are also some common, basic characteristics among all successful junior players and those are: Hard work, goal-setting and the passion to achieve that goal.

Benchmark #1: Keeping the ball in play
All sports have learning curves, and the learning curve for basic tennis is more difficult than most other sports. In track, you are running right off the bat. There is no real failure until someone passes you. If you swim, all you have to do is point yourself in a direction and you are successful. Even in basketball, if you are tall enough, you can make a basket. Not so in tennis. Without the proper training, ESPN has noted that tennis is one of the more difficult sports to play. However, once a junior learns how to keep the ball in the court, tennis is one of the most rewarding sports of all. Once a junior understands how to keep the ball in the court, great possibilities open up, including improving upon skills like balance, power, speed and endurance. At this point, juniors begin to understand and develop a love for the game.

Benchmark #2: High performance
A love of the game turns into a serious commitment. The next step is graduating to high performance junior players. As the better players progress, they are separated into a much smaller and focused group to truly unlock their potential. This is the time to work with a master coach who can take players to the next level and can help turn basic skills into something greater. We train juniors to play with focus and intensity, and set ambitious yet realistic goals for their own process and performance. Along with offensive and defensive skills, girls and boys start to develop a personal playing style. I also introduce stress management techniques and self-discipline at this stage.

Benchmark #3: fitness, mental toughness and strategy
At this level, players put in many hours of practice and compete at the highest possible level. Tennis is now a significant part of the junior’s life and their game takes on mental, as well as physical, characteristics. As a coach, it is important to build a strong working relationship with the player. It is the role of a coach to provide feedback on how a player can improve. This is coming from a figure who the player respects and looks up to in terms of the sport. The parents’ job is to provide emotional support and encouragement, win or lose.

Coaching at this level is totally individualized and covers the ability to adjust to different opponents, refining a personal game style and working on endurance and strength. The best coaches also prepare players for spending time in the limelight without being distracted by it, and for assuming responsibility for challenging and motivating themselves.

Benchmark #4: Match play
Match play is where all phases of training come into play, to simulate as closely as possible the stress factors and realities of playing in a real match. Coaches study match play to help students become more self-aware on the court, knowing exactly where they are mentally and physically at all times, so that they may activate strategies to compete and hopefully win. Match play is not about if you will face adversity on the court. It is about whether you can follow the training plan and win the match when you face adversity on the court.

No matter how many wins or losses a player experiences, one thing should remain constant–the love of the game. But in order to love the game you must understand the game. That is why tennis is a sport in which effective coaching really matters.

Tennis is a sport players can enjoy for a lifetime … and they do! 


Salifu Mohammed
Oneononedoubles banner art resize
USTA NTC

January/February 2024 Digital Edition