Money Tennis
The shape of the game series:

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I am going to come right out and say some things that will not be popular. It is about Players, Coaches and Competition. First I don't like the methods of teaching players in tennis to become professionals. I think there is entirely too much emphasis on techniques that create handicapped players. In the same respect there is little focus on getting players ready for competition.

One reason for this is the way money comes into the game. Money comes into a coaches pocket for running babysitting clinics and teaching players golf like techniques on how to hit shots. Tennis is not golf. Sure there are a lot of shots a player can hit, and they will need to master most of them to be a competitive player yet the emphasis on creating a tennis player is on the wrong thing.

A player needs to realize right away he is on the court for one simple reason to get the ball over the net and into the court more times that his opponent. It doesn't matter if it is pretty or perfect or even performed in the proper sequence. There are no style points given in tennis except by purists who don't play.

We have all been beaten in matches by someone with unorthodox strokes or even what we might like to call a hacker. Still the truth is they got the ball over more than we did and we made errors when facing this style of play. In fact I have heard more than once from "good" players that if "I can beat so and so I should quit the game and take up ? Golf." Well maybe it would be more to your style of play. The point also is you will never be a professional level golfer either.

Tennis is a competitive sport dealing in match ups between people in a stable setting of a court but in a changing environment of various pressures and emotions. The opponent makes the match worth competiting for. Competition is not practice and it must mean something to make it come alive and for players to develop.

In developing a program to train professionals for the tour a program must have coaches that have been on the tour or who have played at high levels of competiton. This program must also have enthusiasm and a competitive fire between the best players and coaches who are still in condition to play. Without this necessary burning ground the young players will not mature to be tournament tough players.

I have seen many programs built around a coach and his business of running camps and doing private lessons for the purpose of making a living. The focus becomes more about the coaches ideas on what tennis should be or for him or her to make a name that the players are left in a mediocre program and they never face or have a chance to take their ability to the next level.

21stCenturyTennis.Net Tournaments is where players are challenged at a new level of competition. When significant pressure is placed into the circle of competition and players can compete against those who are the best in the area then there is motivation for the players, pros, juniors, seniors and amateurs to get committed to taking themselves to the next level.

The best lessons are learned in competition against the best you are able to play. The fast format tennis program allows for many matches to be played. We will also have challenge match programs which will allow players to achieve higher and higher rankings. Rankings are important to be seeded as high as possible to avoid early round losses. It all comes down to winning and this is what players are taught at teachingtennis.com.

If you want to be the best then get serious, get committed and play the best. If victory and big wins in tough competition to be the best doesn't motivate you enough to play and win then nothing else will. If you are a coach and are not willing to attempt to earn your salary by proving you can play on the court in competition and or teach while you play students then your lessons will not hold the interest of players willing to make the leap.

There are always job openings with resorts and spas where tennis is taught by non-players and coaches without the heart and drive to inspire their players. 21stCenturyTennis is about players who love the game and the game is about playing tournaments and winning as much as possible. Good Luck.