The Zone in tennis is like most sports--it lasts a very short while. The Zone I believe and can prove-- is a technical place and not some magical, mysterious place. In this post I will identify why the Zone is so illusive.
I believe the reason players in most sports and specifically tennis temporarily start producing shots that are remarkable compared to their "normal" production is by mistake and luck. I will give an example: usually a player enters the zone after hitting hundreds of ground strokes with a player with great production--what happens is the player instinctively starts mimicking the swing he "sees" from the better player--the sound is different--the beginning of the back swing is a little different--the finish is a little different. So, by mistake this player will enter a very efficient swing plane--one that is identifiable with a better beginning and end which produces an incredible "whack" sound that the player is able to reproduce--the problem is sometimes the zone will last 15 minutes in practice or if LUCKY may last the complete tournament. Herein lies the problem. Next, the player goes back home--usually to his club pro--or if a tour player to his coach--with these great results the coach assumes the information and swing techniques they were working on is the reason for the dramatic results--It is just the opposite!! So, the coach starts telling the player with his "pro chatter" (the pro thinks he has to give his student his moneys worth) to snap that racket head, etc. and as quickly as that new swing was accidentally discovered --IT IS GONE. At this point they usually hire a sports psychologist--because it could not have been the coaches fault. I know this for a fact because I started out my teaching career as that pro--I kept going to all the USTA teaching seminars for 7 years--then realized their information was wrong and started experimenting and figuring out what the players do not what they think they do--believe me there is a big diference.
This lack of teaching production is the fault of our inexperienced swing coaches--they are trainers and hitting partners only--I believe this is why many of the parents were our top players coaches. So, a little information is better than misinformation. Agassi, Hingis, Sharapova, Connors, Evert, Williams Sisters are just a few examples. When these players naturally moved into "THE ZONE" their parents did not screw it up with misinformed "pro chatter"--they allowed whatever magic they found by mistake to become ingrained.
Its sad but since swing coaches like me have not been identified by the tennis hierarchy to help our juniors and pros identify what their production points are--and what technical parts of their swing will enable them to realize their true potential--so their true potential is only limited by their physical and mental abilities--and not a swing flaw that ultimately shoots down their self confidence and future results.
Harry Hopman Syndrome: Harry Hopman was the old Australian Davis cup coach and coached Newcomb, Stolle, Laver and many other world ranked players including McEnroe. He was a task master and was the best conditioning coach in the world--what he did was surround very talented athletes with other talented athletes and drill them into the ground and sometimes these players would enter the Zone naturally by mistake and stay there for longer periods of time because he would not spit out technique phrases that I believe would have gotten the player out of the zone---So no information and drilling is much better than misinformation and drilling that is being doled out by inexperienced technical coaches. Try to name a top tour pro who actually improved a swing flaw while on tour--this point must not be overlooked--The only answer is obvious--The coaches with these top players have no clue how to clean and improve swing flaws and more importantly add to the players stroke ammunition to keep the players improving and stay on top. Even Federer, whose high forehand is awful and will never beat Nadal consistently unless he allows someone like me to reset his army, disconnected, an wristy swing. I believe this is why he doesn't hire a coach because he instinctively knows that there stroke information is poor--so he hires his own hitting partners and conditioning coaches who at least don't confuse him with miss information.
Remember, the fact that our juniors world rankings have been poor for the last 20 years should prove a point--The only common denominator is the fact the USTA has now and forever hired former tour players as their national coaches--I believe their playing expertise is very important to the total development but they should be used for hitting practice and strategy only---It takes years of on court analysis with both talented and untalented players to even begin to help with a swing flaw. So, obviously they are waiting for the next Agassi, Chang, Sampras, Courrier class to hopefully fall through the cracks.
Being the # 1 production coach in the country I have seen first hand how difficult it is to have access to top junior players--having attended many elite junior training sessions--I was amazed at how the other pros would protect their juniors from receiving helpful advice from me (they all were afraid of losing the student). So, even though I would see many stroke problems in these nationally ranked students we were told to just feed them shopping cart after shopping cart full of balls---the point is they needed help and even at the local level were not allowed to get it--the student would be better off buying a ball machine or have their parent say move your feet, move your feet--1000 times.
How nice would it have been to have a master technician like me reset some of these good athletes and show them what about their swing will allow them to enter The Zone and stay there.
This lack of technical ability is why guys like Roddick have gone through so many coaches in the last 5 years---he is subconsciously looking for me--but keeps finding great players like Connors who had the best penetrating backhand in the history of the game--but does not know how he hits it--after 20+ years in the trenches teaching beginners and world class players I have discovered the "Missing Link" that explains (The Holy Grail of Tennis) how Connors and Evert hit so flat and NEVER go long. It also explains the Zone and why it is so elusive. Roddick's new coach, Stephanki, has helped the worse tour backhand since Courrier but it is still a manipulated mess---Hey Andy call me-I don't want to be your hitting partner and coach---Just your Swing Coach--the problem is you are like everybody else--you think your coach can train & improve stroke production--your awful backhand set up and inside only forehand after hiring 4 coaches in 5 years proves this assumption is wrong--in a few years I would like to train a former great player in the art of swing analysis--until then you will need my technical swing abilities.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The USTA's System of Training is Broken
This is my first post and I hope this and many more will shed some light why our top players like Roddick get stuck and never seem to show improvement and correct stroke deficiencies while on tour. My ultimate goal is to help change the way we coach our juniors--which if we analyze their ITF world rankings over the last 15 years is very poor--I believe we can blame these poor results on how the USTA and unqualified technical coaches teach our junior players.
The USTA's System of Training is Broken
Having spent 25 years in the teaching trenches I realized the "book" was wrong and no matter how many top level USTA teaching seminars I attended as a "good soldier" my first seven years--my players never got better. So, many years ago at the advice of Roland Yeager (Andreas father-she was top 5 in the world) I decided to teach what I saw the top players doing and not what the top players and coaches SAID they were doing--because I found out they were wrong. I was fortunate to have a unique laboratory for all my experimentation. It comprised of not only state champions, NCAA division I champion, and many world ranked players--but the key to me separating myself from my teaching peers was continuing to teach beginning women. The USTA promotes former tour players to our top teaching positions and have been doing this for as long as I remember--it takes years of seeing and experimenting with not only talented athletes that can fool the coach into thinking his information is working--but when the coach has to get nonathletic women (or men) to execute and more importantly get better then and only then can the coach have the necessary teaching skills to take on a talented junior.
Sure there will be a few like Agassi, Chang, Sampras, Williams Sisters, Roddick slip through the cracks--but none of these were USTA products. Why is it that most of our top juniors were coached by their parents? The answer is a little information and support from a parent is better than misinformation from an inexperienced former tour player.
I still wonder how many more years Chang could have played if the game technically had not passed him by. His first serve was clocked in the 120's but his second serve was 62-70--with my second serve blend=10-15% of first serve power he would not have had to scramble so hard to hold serve. Also his backhand was hit so short that he was vulnerable to the updated European high forehands that the European coaches copied from Courrier--and they knocked him off the court--Same thing happened to Courrier-the worst tour backhand I have even seen. It took me 20 years to figure out how Connors and Evert could drive the ball flat and never miss--imagine what Chang and Courrier could have done with this knowledge. Now Roddick is in their shoes--he even hired Connors to help him--his backhand is still awful--so that tells me that Connors has no clue how he hits it because it is natural + can you imagine Connors spending time developing his technical teaching craft with beginners===NO WAY.
Golf has it right!! Can you imagine Tiger Woods trusting his 3 swing changes in 9 years to a former 25 -30 year old tour player. No, all the recognized great golf teachers are over 45 and spent years in the "trenches" learning their craft.
Unless the USTA allows guys like me to teach production before they train their players then we are doomed to wait for the next Agassi, Sampras, Chang class to "slip through the cracks". I am not suggesting getting rid of the former tour players because they are a necessary part of a good team from a training only standpoint--just don't expect them to be able to help Chang with his second serve and backhand, Courrier with his outdated backhand--and now Roddick with his inside out only forehand and awful technique and setup on the backhand.
Ask yourself this question--would you rather have a guy like me that you have not heard of that designed the "Agassi Forehand" before there was an Agassi teach you or have Agassi show you what he thinks he does on the forehand!!! Most people would choose Agassi just like the USTA has been doing forever---"The Proof is in the pudding" and the international rankings prove that our system of training is backwards--the only problem there may be only a few pure technicians out there to help our juniors and top pros continue improving and correct flaws.
I have many examples to prove my thesis--today I will give one clear example: I needed to see for myself what other top pros were teaching so I traveled and spent time at every academy in Florida--what I found was scary. I saw some of the best training I had ever seen--way past my ability--however if a junior had an inherent stroke deficiency there was not a proven technical pro on staff including the lead name on the academy that could troubleshoot the flaw. For example I saw a top ranked young junior that made Steffi Graf look like a "plow horse"--her forehand was set improperly to the outside with the most severe western grip I had ever seen--so she mishit 40 % of her balls. I told the famous academy person my analysis and that she was doomed to being just a top ranked college player with her stroke flaws but athletically should be top world ranked. What the pro said next shocked me--he said Ben go get me 1000 juniors and 1 0r 2 Agassi's will fall through the cracks. I wonder how many of our top athletic juniors that have major stroke flaws don't make it past 200 in the world because we do not have a system in place to help them realize their potential. My prediction came true--she ended up an All American at Florida but never got past 400 in the world when she turned pro. I don't think its right to only have success with the few "naturals" that fall through the cracks. To further illustrate the problem there was a tour player on the next court that just won a satellite--his swings and movement reminded me of Lendl--except his powerful serve was terrible. The pros cure for all the flaws were to have him throw the ball higher and further in the court---I would have given him a "Jay Berger" preset position with a Borris Becker footwork (landing on right foot) this would have gotten rid of all his "hitches" and given him the opportunity to use the most powerful serving arm I had ever seen. I learned this from teaching my beginning women. Yes, this player lasted one more year on the circuit--I wonder if I had the opportunity to reset his serve technically-- what he could have accomplished. I gave one of my college All Americans (USC) my serve blend and he went from 65 mph to 90 on his second serve--he spent $1000's going to all the recognized top coaches in the country before he found me. This is part of the misperception that exists with the tennis hierarchy as well as with players.
I had a player I coached in the Midwest that was athletic but had an awful playing record--his father came to me and said he had gone to all the top pros in the area and nothing worked. I reworked all his swings==very nontechnical. Within 3 months he was smoking people and won state as a junior easily. What happened next is typical of the misperception that exists. A former top 10 ATP Tour player moved to town and his father thought that if a guy like me that nobody knew could help his son that much in such a short time--just imagine what a former top player in the world could do!! Yes, the tour player said my technical swings were wrong and to change to what he said to do--before long he could not beat anyone--and his father apologized and did not know that my swing concepts were so different. I told him that the tour player would have to work under a master technician like me for a long time to be able to help a talented junior improve swing flaws. However the former tour players will eventually play a very important part in the players end product--because we need their playing experience and expertise--Just don't have them also be their technical coach.
I apologize for this fragmented, verbose first post--I have so much to say!! I will try to be more organized and specific with recommendations in the future---Remember Production before Training-----Roddick===Call me--Getting hold of you is like getting an audience with the Pope! Don't be like Chang and have to retire before your time because you have an inside out only forehand and your backhand set up is awful.
The USTA's System of Training is Broken
Having spent 25 years in the teaching trenches I realized the "book" was wrong and no matter how many top level USTA teaching seminars I attended as a "good soldier" my first seven years--my players never got better. So, many years ago at the advice of Roland Yeager (Andreas father-she was top 5 in the world) I decided to teach what I saw the top players doing and not what the top players and coaches SAID they were doing--because I found out they were wrong. I was fortunate to have a unique laboratory for all my experimentation. It comprised of not only state champions, NCAA division I champion, and many world ranked players--but the key to me separating myself from my teaching peers was continuing to teach beginning women. The USTA promotes former tour players to our top teaching positions and have been doing this for as long as I remember--it takes years of seeing and experimenting with not only talented athletes that can fool the coach into thinking his information is working--but when the coach has to get nonathletic women (or men) to execute and more importantly get better then and only then can the coach have the necessary teaching skills to take on a talented junior.
Sure there will be a few like Agassi, Chang, Sampras, Williams Sisters, Roddick slip through the cracks--but none of these were USTA products. Why is it that most of our top juniors were coached by their parents? The answer is a little information and support from a parent is better than misinformation from an inexperienced former tour player.
I still wonder how many more years Chang could have played if the game technically had not passed him by. His first serve was clocked in the 120's but his second serve was 62-70--with my second serve blend=10-15% of first serve power he would not have had to scramble so hard to hold serve. Also his backhand was hit so short that he was vulnerable to the updated European high forehands that the European coaches copied from Courrier--and they knocked him off the court--Same thing happened to Courrier-the worst tour backhand I have even seen. It took me 20 years to figure out how Connors and Evert could drive the ball flat and never miss--imagine what Chang and Courrier could have done with this knowledge. Now Roddick is in their shoes--he even hired Connors to help him--his backhand is still awful--so that tells me that Connors has no clue how he hits it because it is natural + can you imagine Connors spending time developing his technical teaching craft with beginners===NO WAY.
Golf has it right!! Can you imagine Tiger Woods trusting his 3 swing changes in 9 years to a former 25 -30 year old tour player. No, all the recognized great golf teachers are over 45 and spent years in the "trenches" learning their craft.
Unless the USTA allows guys like me to teach production before they train their players then we are doomed to wait for the next Agassi, Sampras, Chang class to "slip through the cracks". I am not suggesting getting rid of the former tour players because they are a necessary part of a good team from a training only standpoint--just don't expect them to be able to help Chang with his second serve and backhand, Courrier with his outdated backhand--and now Roddick with his inside out only forehand and awful technique and setup on the backhand.
Ask yourself this question--would you rather have a guy like me that you have not heard of that designed the "Agassi Forehand" before there was an Agassi teach you or have Agassi show you what he thinks he does on the forehand!!! Most people would choose Agassi just like the USTA has been doing forever---"The Proof is in the pudding" and the international rankings prove that our system of training is backwards--the only problem there may be only a few pure technicians out there to help our juniors and top pros continue improving and correct flaws.
I have many examples to prove my thesis--today I will give one clear example: I needed to see for myself what other top pros were teaching so I traveled and spent time at every academy in Florida--what I found was scary. I saw some of the best training I had ever seen--way past my ability--however if a junior had an inherent stroke deficiency there was not a proven technical pro on staff including the lead name on the academy that could troubleshoot the flaw. For example I saw a top ranked young junior that made Steffi Graf look like a "plow horse"--her forehand was set improperly to the outside with the most severe western grip I had ever seen--so she mishit 40 % of her balls. I told the famous academy person my analysis and that she was doomed to being just a top ranked college player with her stroke flaws but athletically should be top world ranked. What the pro said next shocked me--he said Ben go get me 1000 juniors and 1 0r 2 Agassi's will fall through the cracks. I wonder how many of our top athletic juniors that have major stroke flaws don't make it past 200 in the world because we do not have a system in place to help them realize their potential. My prediction came true--she ended up an All American at Florida but never got past 400 in the world when she turned pro. I don't think its right to only have success with the few "naturals" that fall through the cracks. To further illustrate the problem there was a tour player on the next court that just won a satellite--his swings and movement reminded me of Lendl--except his powerful serve was terrible. The pros cure for all the flaws were to have him throw the ball higher and further in the court---I would have given him a "Jay Berger" preset position with a Borris Becker footwork (landing on right foot) this would have gotten rid of all his "hitches" and given him the opportunity to use the most powerful serving arm I had ever seen. I learned this from teaching my beginning women. Yes, this player lasted one more year on the circuit--I wonder if I had the opportunity to reset his serve technically-- what he could have accomplished. I gave one of my college All Americans (USC) my serve blend and he went from 65 mph to 90 on his second serve--he spent $1000's going to all the recognized top coaches in the country before he found me. This is part of the misperception that exists with the tennis hierarchy as well as with players.
I had a player I coached in the Midwest that was athletic but had an awful playing record--his father came to me and said he had gone to all the top pros in the area and nothing worked. I reworked all his swings==very nontechnical. Within 3 months he was smoking people and won state as a junior easily. What happened next is typical of the misperception that exists. A former top 10 ATP Tour player moved to town and his father thought that if a guy like me that nobody knew could help his son that much in such a short time--just imagine what a former top player in the world could do!! Yes, the tour player said my technical swings were wrong and to change to what he said to do--before long he could not beat anyone--and his father apologized and did not know that my swing concepts were so different. I told him that the tour player would have to work under a master technician like me for a long time to be able to help a talented junior improve swing flaws. However the former tour players will eventually play a very important part in the players end product--because we need their playing experience and expertise--Just don't have them also be their technical coach.
I apologize for this fragmented, verbose first post--I have so much to say!! I will try to be more organized and specific with recommendations in the future---Remember Production before Training-----Roddick===Call me--Getting hold of you is like getting an audience with the Pope! Don't be like Chang and have to retire before your time because you have an inside out only forehand and your backhand set up is awful.
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