Gion Tennis Inc.
A Comunity Program
Find a Coach
Finding a coach should be diligent and requires some simple research.
I believe in the 3 P's.
Professional
Appearance
Punctual (On time)
Grammar (The ability to use words that a child can understand)
Passionate
Enjoys what he or she does (You should be able to clearly see this thru coach/student interaction)
The ability to establish rapport will make it much easier to coach a child.
Patience
Particularly when working with kids. Kids do not all have the same personalities, so is is important that a coach has the ability and creativity to make necessary adjustments depending on the kid.
Most coaches would rather not work with kids 10 & under. The attention span of a child between ages 3 & 7 is about 30 seconds, so it requires the coach to be creative in keeping their attention. (Hardwork, but worth the challenge).
Early Stages
The first few years of development are the most crucial. This is where most coaches fail and some do not want any part of. When teaching sound fundamentals it is imperative to teach kids proper grips and swing patterns. This develops muscle memory. I recall helping a coach once at a summer camp and I asked him why he was not teaching the correct service grip. His exact words were, "well, I will teach them later. Right now I just want them to get the ball over". I felt a little bad for the kid, because in my opinion, the kid was getting good at doing it wrong. Sacrificing good mechanics will hurt development long term. To be honest, it will be challenging to find a coach willing to work with kids under 8 years of age. So it is impeartive to do your homework.
Track Record
All coaches have a track record and proven coaches have a good & consistent one. Don't be shy, ask around your community or area you would like to find coaching for your child. Also, coaching is very competetive so many times your best information may not come from other coaches, it actually comes from the parents. Ask parents of highly ranked kids WHO developed them, particulary in the early stages.
Watch a private lesson or two with a coach you are interested in coaching your child. I recommend you take lessons from a few coaches before you make a final decision. Most coaches offer a complimentary lesson at no cost.
Check references and credentials. Experience and level of play are important as well...... Established coaches should have no problem sharing this information.
I believe in the 3 P's.
Professional
Appearance
Punctual (On time)
Grammar (The ability to use words that a child can understand)
Passionate
Enjoys what he or she does (You should be able to clearly see this thru coach/student interaction)
The ability to establish rapport will make it much easier to coach a child.
Patience
Particularly when working with kids. Kids do not all have the same personalities, so is is important that a coach has the ability and creativity to make necessary adjustments depending on the kid.
Most coaches would rather not work with kids 10 & under. The attention span of a child between ages 3 & 7 is about 30 seconds, so it requires the coach to be creative in keeping their attention. (Hardwork, but worth the challenge).
Early Stages
The first few years of development are the most crucial. This is where most coaches fail and some do not want any part of. When teaching sound fundamentals it is imperative to teach kids proper grips and swing patterns. This develops muscle memory. I recall helping a coach once at a summer camp and I asked him why he was not teaching the correct service grip. His exact words were, "well, I will teach them later. Right now I just want them to get the ball over". I felt a little bad for the kid, because in my opinion, the kid was getting good at doing it wrong. Sacrificing good mechanics will hurt development long term. To be honest, it will be challenging to find a coach willing to work with kids under 8 years of age. So it is impeartive to do your homework.
Track Record
All coaches have a track record and proven coaches have a good & consistent one. Don't be shy, ask around your community or area you would like to find coaching for your child. Also, coaching is very competetive so many times your best information may not come from other coaches, it actually comes from the parents. Ask parents of highly ranked kids WHO developed them, particulary in the early stages.
Watch a private lesson or two with a coach you are interested in coaching your child. I recommend you take lessons from a few coaches before you make a final decision. Most coaches offer a complimentary lesson at no cost.
Check references and credentials. Experience and level of play are important as well...... Established coaches should have no problem sharing this information.
