They say teaching others is the best way to learn, so naturally, I figured coaching tennis might be the sneaky, not-so-secret hack to finally become the player my daily visualizations tell me I am. You know, the one who hits winners with ease, never double faults, and gracefully dominates opponents. Reality? Let’s just say my game could use a little help, and if coaching can kill two birds with one stone—helping others improve and upgrading my own skills—then sign me up! Plus, as a bonus, maybe this new venture can help subsidize the cost of my tournament habit, which would definitely keep my wife happy.
Recently, I took my first step into this coaching journey by attending a Fundamentals of Coaching workshop. I thought I had a good idea of what coaching tennis might be like after years of taking lessons from various coaches, participating in clinics, and watching more instructional YouTube videos than I care to admit. I’ve been in those sweat-drenched clinics where you run so much you start questioning your life choices, so I figured I knew the drill. My plan? To start small—teaching at a local park or club, running adult beginner clinics. Honestly, I’m not sure I’m ready for the whirlwind energy of coaching kids yet. The idea of spending a couple of hours feeding balls, serving, and playing out points with students sounded like a win-win: they improve, and I polish my touch shots (which sorely need polishing).
Thrown Into the Deep End—With Foam Balls?
The workshop itself was a hands-on experience, no sitting in a circle discussing theories or watching PowerPoints. Nope, we got straight on court and started learning by doing. There were about 14 of us, most of whom were high school or college-age young adults, maybe a couple of 30-somethings. And then there was me—the guy who learned tennis when wooden racquets were a thing, courts were full-sized no matter how small you were, and tennis balls came in one color: white. Let’s just say I stood out, but hey, wisdom comes with age, right?
This workshop focused on teaching beginners, so we went through all the stages of learning for new players, including the various balls (red, orange, green) and court sizes now used for different age groups. Let me tell you, starting with the red balls—basically foam balls—was an unexpected adventure. Hand-feeding these things was harder than it looked, and if a gust of wind had come through, we might’ve made it onto America’s Funniest Videos. Then there was hitting with a 19-inch kid’s racquet. Forget about my usual Alcaraz-inspired forehand prep—this was more like playing badminton with a frying pan.
The Chaos, the Learning, and the Respect
I won’t bore you with every detail, but the workshop was a crash course in setting up drills, explaining concepts, and organizing players on court. We moved through the red, orange, and green balls, practicing real-life coaching scenarios we might face when working with students. It wasn’t always pretty—there were plenty of mistakes and awkward moments—but we got through it, and I came away with a newfound respect for coaches.
Coaching isn’t just about explaining how to hit a forehand or setting up a drill. It’s about patience, observation, and adaptability. It also gave me confidence—not only that I can help players improve, but that teaching might even improve my game in the process. Feeding balls with precision, focusing on shot mechanics, and studying player tendencies are things I can carry over to my own matches.
What’s Next?
Of course, completing the workshop was just the first step. I also had to tackle a series of online courses (mostly focused on coaching younger players) to earn my Level 1 certificate. But now, I’m officially ready to start my coaching journey. I’m excited to see how this impacts my game, and you can bet I’ll be sharing updates along the way—what’s working, what’s not, and whether this whole coaching-to-improve-myself plan actually pays off.
So, to my future students: look out, here I come! And to my future opponents: sorry, lessons are not available during changeovers.
Your Turn
Have you ever done any coaching? Did it help your game or just make you realize how much work goes into teaching? Let me know in the comments—I need to know if I’m onto something here or if I should quit before I embarrass myself.
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