AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | January 2012 69

MyCoach

78 Be the perfect example: Many coaches become enduring role models to students.

81 What do you see? Roger Federer’s fierce forehand is one to emulate.

82 Coach talk

83 The family tradition continues: Coach Scott Marshall is following the path of some well-known tennis names.

84 Coach drills

A SECTION DEDICATED TO TENNIS AUSTRALIA COACH MEMBERS

78 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | January 2012

What is a role model?A role model is usually seen as a person who serves as an example and in most cases their behaviour is emulated by others.

Although children will say that their role model is someone in the public eye, in more instances than not these people take the position of being a hero or idol, while the people in their lives that they see face-to-face pose the greatest influence.

This extends to parents, older siblings, grandparents, teachers and even tennis coaches. Each person holds a significant part

in the personal development of children.From the moment they enter the world

children are usually taught how to talk, eat and walk by their parents but as they grow they are exposed to diverse behaviours, which may have a significant impact.

Most people learn human behaviour through what they experience and even though it is mostly unconsciously there are times when it is copied consciously.

For the majority of the time verbal and non-verbal behaviour is learned by observation and interaction.

If the child holds you in high regard though, they are more likely to follow your example and as a tennis coach, you’re in a position to leave a lasting impression for your athletes.

But at the same time, you’re actions are being watched closely and the way you act or respond to situations on the tennis court could have positive or negative connotations to your athletes.

Being professionalThis is where professionalism comes in. Children are brought to you in trust by their parents and as such need to be surrounded by a responsible and caring adult.

A tennis coach is usually in the lives of children when they’re working out, consolidating their personality and finding their identity as a person. As such, during this time, children are more vulernable to negative behaviour.

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A SECTION DEDICATED TO TENNIS AUSTRALIA COACH MEMBERS

Tennis Australia Coach Membership T: 03 9914 4191 F: 03 9650 1040 Email: coachmembership@tennis.com.au Website: www.tennis.com.au/membership

Children look up to people in the public eye, to movie

stars and sports stars, but sometimes the most

influential role models are closer to home.

By Daniela Toleski

Be the perfect example

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | January 2012 79

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“I hope they see me as someone who takes a professional approach to helping them, no matter their level, to achieve their goals,” Tennis Australia Club Professional coach Peter Apin says.

But as the old saying goes ‘practice what you preach’. Children will notice your behaviour and there’s nothing worse than being seen as a hypocrite.

You’re in a position of power and have the chance to mould your athletes to grow up and portray positive behaviour during their adolescent years in particular.

The earlier years offer the prime opportunity to teach social behaviours that will not only assist your athletes on the tennis court, but be translated into everyday life, lasting with them forever.

Encouraging athletesCoaches are in the primary position to inspire athletes to achieve their goals.

Your athletes may feel like that cannot reach a particular level in the sport, but with your encouragement there’s the potential for them to go further than their wildest dreams.

“It feels good and positive to be considered as a role model. It really feels like my coaching is helping them out and feels like I can get even more out of those students and push them to their limits if they’re looking up to you,” Tennis Australia’s Club Professional coach Ryan Kebblewhite says.

They probably admire you and this is most evident if you practice with them and complete the same activities that they’re expected to complete on court, especially if they’re moving within the high performance level.

This is one way of showing them that they can achieve what you’re able to achieve and give them the added confidence to believe in themselves.

It will also help them to establish the mentality that trying something and being committed until they achieve what they set out to do is within arms reach.

SportsmanshipBeing a role model though is a huge responsibility, but at the same time you can provide inspiration and motivation to help athletes accomplish their dream and live fulfilling lifes.

“It is a great honour and responsibility. With the amount of time we spend with students, in particular the tournament

players, we can be one of the greatest influences in a child’s life outside the family unit,” Tennis Australia Club Professional coach Jay Deacon says.

“With this, I hope I provide the athlete with a positive experience in encouraging them to achieve their goals.”

Multi-tasking and having a strong work ethic are also powerful attributes to being admired.

“My role as a tennis administrator, pro shop operator and tennis coach only works if I exercise a certain level of discipline and professionalism,” Tennis Australia Junior Development coach Mark Bloomfield says.

“I hope that young players at our centres see that as a positive influence with their own level of professionalism and work ethic.”

Tennis has long been a sport stepped in tradition with etiquette, rules and values and these can be translated into everyday life.

“I feel privileged and try to set a standard in sportsmanship and etiquette because it is the character and manners of the players that makes for a wonderful sporting environment,” Tennis Australia Club Professional coach Scott Marshall says.

So you may not be splashed across magazines worldwide or be making millions of dollars in endorsements, but your interactions with your athletes have the potential to establish world-class people on and off the court.

1. Do as you say Put into action what you expect the athletes to do.

2. Explain your reasoningTell the athlete which decision is best on court for a particular scenario, but also how you came to that conclusion. This way, they’ll be able to follow that reasoning when they find themselves on court in a similar situation.

3. Be true to your wordFrom being on time to meaning what you say, you can help your athletes adopt the same attitude in their life.

4. Be respectfulShowing respect to others helps athletes to understand that you can still be successful in business and relationships without stepping on other people’s toes.

5. Show professionalismExercise a high level of professionalism with parents, club volunteers, acquantainces etc. to show proper business relationships.

Being a positive role model

Behaviour learnt on the tennis court can be translated to everyday life.

80 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | January 2012

One of the many challenges in tennis is dealing with regular changes in court surface. There is

a great deal of variety in the competition schedules of athletes due to the wide range of competitive opportunities available. However, most elite players will have to deal with the transition from play on clay courts to play on grass courts.

There is often a very short time between the clay and grass court “seasons”, which poses a challenge for the strength and conditioning coach responsible for preparing athletes for the varied physical requirements of matchplay on different surfaces. The differences in the physical requirements include:

■ A general acceptance that points are longer on clay courts (7.4 to 7.6 seconds) than on grass (3.8 to 5.5 seconds).3

■ The average heart rate and blood lactate concentrations are significantly higher on the slower clay courts when compared to the faster surfaces such as hard and grass courts.6

■ There are also a higher proportion of baseline rallies on clay, compared with grass.2,8

■ Grass courts often encourage a more aggressive game style on serve and return and increased serve volleying.1

■ Coinciding with the differences in strategy, there is a larger amount of forward movement on grass, and less lateral movement.

■ A major difference in movement patterns between the two surfaces is the use of sliding as an efficient change of direction on clay, which is not possible on grass particularly with the use of dimpled shoes.1,4,7 This means the force involved with decelerating and changing direction on grass occur over a shorter time frame resulting in more stress on lower limb joints and muscles.

■ Players are often more susceptible to injury on grass with some statistics showing an increase in injury treatments during matches.1

■ The combination of the different style of play, a change in movement patterns and a lowered hitting position means players will often experience some soreness in common muscle groups such as gluteals, groins and lower backs when first transitioning onto grass.5 This increased injury risk and altered physical demands

means it is important to plan for the change of surface and alter training both on and off the court accordingly.

Some practical ideas to prepare tennis players for the varied physical requirements when transitioning from clay to grass include those outlined in Table 1 as well as those listed below:

■ The introduction of specific exercises such as forward leaning lunges and deadlifts to target the posterior chain to prepare athletes for the lowered hitting position and anticipated soreness through the gluteals and lower backs.

■ The introduction of movement sessions conducted on grass, wearing dimpled grass court shoes to help prepare for the altered movement mechanics and increased joint stresses.

■ Ideally a training week conducted on grass before competition.

■ Alter on-court training to simulate the shorter point durations, more aggressive game styles and increased forward movement.

■ Ensure compliance with lower limb stretching routines, particularly hip

flexors and hamstrings for the first few days on grass.

By David Jones, Tennis Australia’s AIS Strength and Conditioning Coach.

References:1. Bastholt, P. Professional tennis (ATP tour) and number

of medical treatments in relation to court surface. Med Sci Tennis [online]. 5(2). 2000. Available at http://www.stms.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task= view&id=881&Itemid=263. Accessed 25th May 2011.

2. Fernandez, J, Mendez-VillanueVa, a & PluiM, B 2006. Intensity of tennis matchplay, British Journal of Sports Medicine. 40: 387–391. 2006.

3. Fernandez-Fernandez, J, sanz-riVas, d & Mendez-VillanueVa, a. A review of the activity profile and physiological demands of tennis match play. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 31 (4): 15–26. 2009.

4. Girard, o, eicher, F, Fourchet, F, MicalleF, J & Millet, G. Effects of playing surface on plantar pressures and potential injury in tennis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 41:733–738. 2007.

5. Maes c. Planning physical conditioning with professional players. In: Strength and Conditioning for Tennis. Reid M, Quinn A, and Crespo M, eds. Spain: ITF Ltd, 2003. pp. 217–225.

6. Martin, c, theVenet, d, zouhal, h, Mornet, Y, deles, r, crestel, t, aBderrahMan, a & Prioux, J. Effects of playing surface (hard and clay) on heart rate and blood lactate during tennis matches played by high-level players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 25 (1): 163–170. 2011.

7. Miller, s. Modern tennis rackets, balls and surfaces. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 40: 401–405. 2006.

8. o’donaGhue, P & inGraM, B. A notational analysis of elite tennis strategy. Journal of Sports Science, 19: 107–115. 2001.

The transition from clay to grass and implications on a physical program

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Table 1: Training differences between clay and grass

CLAy GRASSOn-court focusLonger duration drills to induce a greater physiological load

Emphasis put on disciplined shot selection and consistency

Example drills: point out of the hand (no serve or return), wash drills

On-court focusShorter duration drills emphasising forward movement, net play and more aggressive game style e.g. drills: approach/pass drill, transition volley drill

Movement drillsSpecific to the individual but generally focusing on sliding technique, lateral movement across the baseline and movement in and out of the court (backwards off the baseline, then recovering back towards the baseline between shots) e.g. slide and catch drill, reactive baseline shadow swings, medicine ball in/out drill

Movement drillsFocus shifts to more forward movement (i.e. serve volleying, increased net play), staying lower in hitting positions due to the lower bounce e.g. drills: figure 8 change of direction drill, reactive lateral change of direction drill, shadow lunge volleys, shadow serve volleys, back foot rudder drill, ball rolls and returns, low cone touches

Resistance trainingIndividualised but focusing on local muscular endurance in the lower limbs, and some specific work through adductors e.g. exercises: slideboard lateral slide, side lunge variations

Resistance trainingGreater focus on power production, specific work through gluteals and lower back e.g. exercises: forward leaning lunges, deadlifts

RecoveryVarious recovery modalities cycled as appropriate e.g. contrast baths, hydrotherapies, massage

RecoveryEmphasis during initial transition on lower limb stretches post training combined with regular recovery modalities e.g. hip flexors, hamstrings, calves and gluteal individual and partner static stretches

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | January 2012 81

By the Stroke Master

What do you see?Roger Federer claimed the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for the second consecutive year and moved back up to world No.3. Below we look at his fierce forehand.

Semi open stance allows for greater hip rotation and the effective use of angular momentum.

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The racquet turns high to allow for an effective circular swing.

Backswing has effectively put the trunk on pre stretch to allow for greater rotation in the forward swing.

Left arm shadows the right to provide balance and coordination to the upper body.

The racquet face is slightly closed which allows the racquet face to be perfectly vertical at contact with no wrist movement.

82 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | January 2012

CoaCh Talk

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Bounce is an initiative by Coach Development to improve the already

world leading qualifications, by providing far greater professional development opportunities than ever before. Bounce is a brand new online platform which will bring about a fun and interactive learning environment to further develop the learning journey as a coach.

There are many features of Bounce which include:

■ Videos from conferences and workshops. ■ Discussion forums. ■ Coaching tips and activities. ■ Interactive flash presentations.

■ Questionnaires. ■ Networking opportunities. ■ Marketing resources and templates.

Coaches who are an MLC Tennis Hot Shots Deliverer, Head Cardio Tennis Coach or Talent Development Coach will receive the added benefit of additional content on Bounce which is directly related to these programs.

Each qualified coach member can access Bounce through their MyTennis profile at tennis.com.au/coaches/login. For further information on Bounce or for technical support please contact bouncefeedback@tennis.com.au.

The rules of tennis are changing

Bounce online learning platform is now available for Tennis Australia qualified coach members

L earning to play tennis is about to get a whole lot easier. As of 1 January

2012, the ITF has specified that all 10 and under tennis competitions will be required to use low-compression, red, orange and green balls and be played on smaller courts.

For years most sports have taught children the basics through the use of smaller or modified equipment and a reduced playing area. Research shows that kids who learn to play using low-compression balls on smaller courts with kid-size racquets enjoy more hitting opportunities. The benefits of this are numerous – more chances to hit means longer rallies, improved swing patterns and better footwork.

Playing with modified equipment helps kids develop better technical skills as the ball bounces at a height that is comfortable for them to hit. While playing on a scaled court allows beginner players to cover the whole court and develop better footwork and tactical skills. All of this adds up to kids having a better chance of early success on the tennis court and a great experience creating the want to keep playing tennis.

For more information about the rule change, low-compression balls, scaled courts and equipment, temporary line options, scoring and MLC Tennis Hot Shots go to tennis.com.au/rulechange.

We bid farewell to Travis Atkinson and Karen Clydesdale as they turn

their focus to Cardio Tennis after helping to build Coach Development into what it is today. We welcome Geoff Quinlan, previously from Athlete Development, the new Coach and Talent Development Manager.

As Project Talent is incorporated with Coach Development, Kim Kachel is now also part of the team as the Project Talent Manager. This program will create more successful programs through the network of Talent Development coaches. Patrick McInerney whilst maintaining world

leading coach education now takes Coach Membership under his wing as the Coach Education and Membership Manager.

The process of recruitment is also well underway with Coach and Talent Development managers being appointed in each state to lead the future direction of coach and talent development. They will also facilitate workshops, talent development camps and assist you with your coaching needs. Keep your eyes peeled for future updates from the Coach and Talent Development team as we endeavour to recruit and develop coaches who drive participation and performance.

Our transition into Coach and Talent Development

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | January 2012 83

SScott Marshall’s father, Arthur, founded the Arthur Marshall’s Tennis Academy at the East Fremantle Lawn

Tennis Club in 1958. Marshall himself was among a number of talented juniors to progress through the academy.

His love of tennis began at the tender age of six, but as he got older, travelling in style was the icing on the cake.

“My most treasured moment was representing Australia with Brett Edwards at the Japan National Lawn Tennis Championship. It was the first time I had travelled first class and we had our own chauffeur,” he says.

He went on to represent Western Australia in the Reid Cup, Linton Cup and Pizzey Cup. But his most notable achievement was being the first player to represent his state at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).

Marshall also won two Western Australian State League Pennants, as well as claiming the East Fremantle singles title 17 times.

In college tennis in the US, he was named ‘All American’ after back-to-back titles, but coaching was a natural progression for the tennis-loving Marshall and has been his career for over 30 years.

“After the AIS training program in Canberra and College Tennis in Texas. An opportunity to direct Arthur Marshall’s Tennis Academy presented itself and I took it,” he says.

“Training under the tuition of some great Australian coaches is also something I rate highly as part of my qualifications … Ray Ruffles, Bob Carmichael

and Helen Gourlay at the AIS, Neale Fraser, Allan

Stone and Arthur Marshall at the National Philip Island

Training Camps and Rob Kilderry and Rob Casey in Western Australian state squads.”

Marshall’s Tennis Academy has been associated with many clubs and schools over the years. With its 26 courts and river views, East Fremantle Lawn Tennis Club is a world-class facility.

It’s also seen the game evolve from wooden racquets and all white attire to the modern power game of graphite racquets, heavy spin and cutting edge games styles.

Marshall’s Tennis Academy is pivotal to tennis in Western Australia. Over the years the academy has managed state teams, run state squads, developed elite coaches, produced state champions, organised tennis camps and tournaments.

Marshall’s father learnt his trade under the watchful eye of Harry Hopman with tennis legends Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall.

The Marshall family has drawn on two generations of elite tennis experience and knowledge, offering a state-of-the-art tennis coaching system.

“The passing on of knowledge is rewarding and it’s great to be out of the office enjoying the social interaction that comes with teaching our great game,” Marshall says.

A harmonious environment though is required for athletes to achieve their goals, with the approach being critical to their development.

“I take an interest in the players themselves and critique them on performance, not on results,” he says.

“Establishing short-term attainable goals, and longer-term attainable goals, as well as daring to dream is the start. Taking pride in performance and celebrating achieved goals is the next step. Drawing inspiration from the

deeds of others is another important part of staying motivated.”

Marshall’s coaching technique analogy is all about learning the correct fundamentals, which once established help athletes to move on to bigger goals.

“Each skill is like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Just like a jigsaw, start with the corner pieces and frame then the rest starts to fall into place. In other words get the fundamentals correct and then build your game from there,” he says.

And he is well placed to talk about this having started playing as the number one State League player in 1990 for Hensman Park and retiring as a number one State League player for East Fremantle Lawn Tennis Club only five years ago.

The East Fremantle Lawn Tennis Club will hold the 35th Junior Tennis Classic in 2012. Some past winners of this tournament have gone on to compete on the Pro Tour. These

include Pat Cash, Liz Smiley, Jenny Byrne, Paul Killderry and Casey Dellaqcua.

“My goal and that of Marshall’s Tennis Academy is to give as many people as possible the skill and knowledge required to play the game of tennis at the level they aspire to and to maximise the players’ enjoyment in all aspects of the game.

“We’ll be resurfacing and re-fencing five of our 25 tennis courts. The money spent on improving the quality of bounce in our 16 grass courts will be very attractive to our new and old members alike.”

East Fremantle Lawn Tennis ClubThe East Fremantle Lawn Tennis Club boasts 16 grass and 10 hard courts, breathtaking river views, playground and a supervised crèche for children of tennis players.

Some of tennis’s well-known

names have played a significant

part in Scott Marshall’s journey

in the sport.

The family tradition continues

Maximising player enjoyment is a main aim for Scott Marshall.

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Name: Scott Marshall

Qualificati

on: Tennis Australia

Club Professional coach, Associate

of Arts degree

Club: The East Fremantle Lawn

Tennis Club, Western Australia

84 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | January 2012

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Stroke warm-up ideas and Drive, loop, chip drill – An extract from the MLC Tennis Hot Shots Delivery Manual

Focus: develop ability to vary spin and adapt to different shots from the opponentStage: green stage, encourage (nine years plus)Equipment: only the player’s racquets and low-compression green stage tennis balls

Instruction:• Twoplayersstartarallywithanunderhandfeed.

• Theymustadapttheirspindependingontheshottheyreceivefromtheiropponent.

• Forexample:

– forahighbouncingball–loop

– aballthatpushesthemback–loop

– foracomfortablewaist-highball–drive

– aballthattheycanbeaggressiveon–drive

– foralow-bouncingball–chip

– aballtheyhavetostretchfor–chip.

Coaching notes: Thisdrilldevelopsadvancedrallyingconcepts

withplayersreadingthecharacteristicsof

theiropponent’sshotandadaptingtheirshot

accordingly.

Progression:i. Playerscalltheirintentionbeforetheyhitthe

ball(asearlyaspossible).Thiswillshowthe

speedtheyperceivetheincomingshotandgive

thecoachagoodindicationoftheirreception

skills.Thismaystartwithcallingeither“loop”

or“drive”andprogressto“chip”oncetheyare

comfortable.

ii.Playerscallouttheshotthattheiropponentis

goingtoplaybasedontheballthattheysentto

themtodevelopthisintoananticipationdrill.

Green stage stroke warm-ups Teaching points (use a combination of these service box warm-ups)

1 Sixsteps Asimplerallybutplayersmusttakesixstepsbetweeneachshot.

2 Alternator Playersmusthitalternateforehandsandbackhands.

3 One-legwonder Playersmuststrikeeachballstandingononlyonelegtopromotebetterbalance.

4 Inandvolley Oneplayerhitsalternategroundstrokeandvolleypatterns–complete10shotsandswaproles.

5 BumpitPlayersmusthittheballintothegroundtogetitoverthenet.Canbeplayedbothcompetitivelyandcooperatively.

6 Half-volleyKing Everyballmustbehalfvolleyed.

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Key Player Drive Loop Chip