Playing against stronger and faster opponents in tennis can be intimidating, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can level the playing field. In addition to the valuable advice of “Don’t worry about him; let HIM worry about you!”, there are several effective techniques to improve your performance.
This article explores additional strategies to help you compete against stronger opponents on the tennis court.
Hang in There and Seize Momentum It’s important to remember that momentum in a tennis match can shift at any moment. Even if you’re facing a superior opponent, stay focused and determined. By maintaining your composure and continuously giving your best effort, you increase the chances of turning the match in your favor. Remember, the tides of a match can change quickly, so keep fighting until the final point is played.
Vary Your Shots When facing a stronger and faster opponent, employing variety in your shots is essential. By varying the spin, height, and pace of your shots, you create unpredictable situations that can disrupt your opponent’s rhythm. Mix up your groundstrokes, incorporating topspin, slice, and flat shots to keep your opponent off balance. This strategy can help you gain control of the point and create opportunities to seize the advantage.
Shorten Your Backswing To handle the pace of shots from faster opponents, consider shortening your backswing. By reducing the distance your racket travels before contacting the ball, you gain more control and increase your reaction time. This adjustment allows you to handle the increased speed effectively and execute precise shots. Practice this technique to improve your ability to handle fast-paced rallies.
Utilize Time Between Points Taking advantage of the allotted time between points can be crucial in managing the pace of the match. Within the specified time limit (25 seconds), use this period to regroup mentally, catch your breath, and plan your next move. By utilizing this time effectively, you can disrupt your opponent’s rhythm and regain your focus.
Believe in Yourself and Fight Until the End Perhaps the most important aspect of competing against stronger and faster opponents is maintaining a strong belief in your abilities. Trust that you have the skills and determination to succeed, regardless of the challenge at hand. Even when the odds seem stacked against you, a positive mindset and unwavering self-belief can lead to surprising outcomes. Keep fighting, stay mentally resilient, and give your all until the final point is played.
Playing against stronger and faster opponents in tennis can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t mean you’re destined for defeat. By implementing the strategies outlined in this article, you can enhance your chances of competing effectively and potentially come out on top.
Remember, tennis is not only about physical prowess but also mental strength and adaptability. Embrace the challenge, believe in yourself, and use these techniques to turn the tables in your favor. Good luck!
Cosmin Miholca
Certified Tennis Coach
Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.
As a tennis coach, I often observe beginning and intermediate-level players warming up for their matches. Unfortunately, I notice that some players prioritize power over the fundamental skills needed for a strong game.
It was a proud moment for me when I overheard my younger daughter explaining to her mother that “everybody can hit hard, but the good players know how to control the ball.” This comment made me reflect on the priorities that players should focus on to improve their tennis game.
Based on my experience, I believe the following should be the priorities in tennis:
Consistency: The first priority should be developing the ability to hit the ball over the net and inside the lines. Without consistency, it is challenging to win matches.
Placement: Being able to hit the ball deep and short, or side to side, is key to getting opponents off-balance or hitting from their weaker side. Effective placement requires precision and strategy.
Spin: The ability to add spin to your shots allows for better ball control and a wider range of bounces. By using spin, players can make their shots more unpredictable and challenging for their opponents.
Power: Power is the last priority and should only be developed once the first three skills have become comfortable to the player. Developing power without mastering the basics can lead to errors and poor shot selection.
Remember, improving your tennis game takes time and dedication. By prioritizing the fundamentals and focusing on each skill in order, you can develop a well-rounded game and enjoy the sport to the fullest. Have fun on the tennis court!
Cosmin Miholca
Certified Tennis Coach
Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.
I was a junior (about 13-14 years old) when the tennis team I was part of was about to play against one of the toughest tennis teams in our county.
We all knew we were going to get “killed” on the tennis court, therefore we decided to take it as a learning experience and see what made them so good.
Well, certainly their coach was the biggest reason for that particular team’s success, but one of the things that fascinated me was the following:
All their tennis courts were full of inspirational quotes posted on the fences, such as (the one that stuck in my mind still 26 years later) “If you win… continue; if you lose… continue!”
I thought the coach’s idea was excellent to have his players read and eventually pick one of the quotes that connected with each of them.
I’ve lived a lot of my life’s experiences guided by motivational quotes. And they work to inspire and keep me going even when circumstances become harsh.
Do you have a quote that inspires you? Share it with us in the comment box below.
Cosmin Miholca
Certified Tennis Coach
Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.
In a recent email, I was asked what kind of tennis drills or games I prefer to apply in my classes…
Even though over the years I’ve posted over 1,000 tennis drills and games at WebTennis24.com, just a handful are my favorites which I use consistently in my lessons. That does not mean the other ones are not that good; they are all good drills, but it just happens that I connect and enjoy doing some of them (or I can’t remember them all 🙂
So here are the coaching tennis drills and games that I have noticed players enjoy the most during my lessons:
Popular drills and games for KIDS: 1. Jail Breaker – friendly competition for groups (practice ground strokes, ball catching, hand-eye coordination). In this game, the players line up behind the service line or baseline and they must hit their groundstrokes (forehand or backhand) in, otherwise, they go to ‘jail’ which is the court from where the balls are fed by the coach. The only way for them to get back in line is if they catch a ball that someone in the line hits over the net. This game is fun and has the kids cheering for each other. 2. Clean the Court – speed; conditioning. Another exciting game that can be a good workout because players must throw balls over the net as many as they can within a time frame. 3. Potato Race (click for video) – team race; speed; dynamic balance; racquet and ball control. 4. High Five – fun way to introduce kids to playing at the net. This is a drill that is best done with very young children because they feel like they can rally with the coach and develop the confidence to, later on, move up to the net. 5. Dodge Ball – kids love this game: teaches them quick feet, reaction, and dynamic balance. For this game, the kids move only inside one of the service boxes (with no rackets) while the coach feeds balls toward them from the other side. The young players must dodge the balls, otherwise, they are out of the game, until one remains. 6. Royal Court (click for video) – I use it mostly as a warm-up: hand-eye coordination, ball tracking, and movement. 7. Caterpillar – loved by kids; lateral movement, ball tracking. This is a game played mostly at the end of the class because it produces a lot of giggles and excitement. For this, the players line up single file line (no rackets) behind the baseline; the coach will roll balls, one at a time, while the players, maintaining the line, will have to shuffle sideways so that the rolling balls pass between their feet. 8. Popcorn – hand-eye coordination; fun. This is another favorite game but you, as a coach, must be careful and watch players to not run while the balls are rolling on the ground. For this game, the players must catch balls inside a cone (held upside-down) which the coach throws in the air many at a time (20-30). The kids will try to catch the balls in the cone while they still bounce. 9. Bounce It– racquet and ball control; competitive game for beginning players. This is one of my favorite tennis games, as a coach, because it teaches players ball tracking and eventually leads to rally the ball over the net. Here’s how it works: the coach will feed a ball to any of the players (one vs one, or two teams), each on opposite sides of the net. They must use only their racket to bounce the ball (up or down) and send it over the net as soon as they can. If the ball rolls on their side of the court, the other player receives a point. 10. O-U-T – teaches the kids consistent serving under pressure; fun competitive game. For this, the players line up behind the baseline and take turns serving following a certain order. If one of them hits the serve in, the next one in line must also get it in, otherwise, the particular player receives the letter O. Next time it happens, he or she will get the letter U, and so on until they spell OUT. The last player who does not spell OUT wins the game. 11. My Invisible Opponent – great game to teach beginning players how to keep score while practicing their serve. The beginner player practices the serve from behind the baseline. They get 2 tries to hit the ball over the net and inside the proper service box. If they do it, they receive 15-0; if they miss, it is 0-15. Player(s) continue serving and alternating sides (left and right) until they either win or lose a tennis game. It can continue until they win or lose a set. 12. Cat and Mouse – loved game by kids: speed, quick change of direction, dynamic balance. This is a “chase” game that is done only inside the singles court and can be a good way to end a tennis lesson with.
Popular drills and games for SINGLES players: 1. Three for Air – aggressive play; moving up to the net to win more points. This is a singles game in which there is one player on each side of the court, the coach feeds balls alternating to the players to start the point. They are encouraged to move up to the net where every point they win with a ball taken in the air (volley, overhead) is worth three points. 2. 100 (click the link for drill) – great game for ground-strokes consistency. 3. In and Out – competitive game for 3+ players. This game can be played with at least three players: two competing and one waiting for their turn. The coach puts the ball in play for the two players. Whoever wins, stays; the one who loses gets replaced by the player waiting. Accumulate every point won and as soon as a player gets to a certain score (7, 10, etc.) wins the game. 4. 90 Seconds – rally competition; good conditioning play. For this game, the coach feeds only to one of the players who will try to win as many points during an allotted time (90 seconds). Then the other player will try to beat that number while receiving the coach’s feeds. 5. Ping-Pong Tennis – teamwork; ground-strokes consistency. Even though this is a team game, the play is done on a singles court, with players taking turns hitting one shot and then moving out to make room for another teammate. 6. Around the World – I usually do it at the end of a large group class – conditioning, groundstrokes consistency, fun. For this game, the players each start with 3 points (or ‘lives’). They hit the ball and then run to the other side to play the next shot while players that follow do the same. If a player misses a shot, he or she loses a ‘life’, until they are out of the game. It is an excellent drill to get players to run a lot and have lots of fun. 7. Court Defender – one of the best games for large groups. The coach needs at least two tennis courts for this particular game, to separate players into two teams. Each team designates a ‘court defender’ which they send to the other court to stop the opposing team from winning a certain number of points. 8. Cross Fire (click the link for drill) – competitive game for large groups. 9. Wipe Out – fun game for large groups; one vs. many. This is another team game that starts as a singles play but it evolves into one vs many, played on the singles court only. It is lots of fun because teammates cheer for each other and bond. 10. Kings/Queens vs. Challengers – kids love this game; individual competitiveness. There is one group lined up on one side, and one single player on the other side. The coach begins every point by feeding to the first player in the group line. The two players play the point out and, as long as the single player (king/queen) wins, he/she stays put and accumulates points. But as soon as the king/queen loses they get replaced by the player who beat them. The first player to accumulate a certain number of points playing in the ‘royal’ position, wins the game.
Popular drills and games for DOUBLES players: 1. Three for Three (click the link for drill) – transition to the net; net play; defending from baseline – a players’ favorite. 2. Reflex Volleys – great net play game; quick reaction and volley control. For this drill, all players are up at the net, inside the service court. The coach feeds the ball to start the point to the opposite team. Play it at a fast pace while the two teams develop quick reflexes and volley control. Excellent for competitive doubles teams. 3. Three for Air – aggressive play; transition to the net; competitive game. Both teams begin the point from the baseline but they are encouraged to move up to the net where, if they win the point and their last shot was taken in the air (volley, overhead), they get three points instead. 4. Win at the Net– loved by the players: playing/winning at the net; teamwork. There is one team at the net, one team at the baseline, on opposite sides. The coach feeds only to the baseline team. The two teams play the point out. If the net team wins, they stay put for another play and get a point. If the baseline team wins, they move up to the net while the opposite team backs up to the baseline. Teams count the points only when they win while playing at the net. 5. Two Minutes – pressure play; net vs. baseline; conditioning for doubles. For this game, there is one team at the net, while the other team is at the baseline, on opposite sides. The coach feeds only to the baseline team. The team at the baseline has two minutes to win as many points as they can against the net team. Then they switch sides and roles with the new team at the baseline trying to beat the opposing team’s score. 6. One-Up-One-Back – classic doubles formation competitive game. This drill is good practice for the teams that prefer the classic one-up-one-back formation. The coach feeds the ball and the teams play it out. After a certain score, players move one spot clockwise so that everyone practices and plays on every doubles position (net, baseline). 7. Battle of Rackets – teamwork; court coverage for doubles. This game teaches the net team to work together and take quick decisions while playing against a team at the baseline. 8. Olympics – net vs. baseline game for large groups. Best played with large groups (6+ players), there is a team at the baseline (defending), while the rest of the players form teams behind the opposite baseline. The coach feeds only to the first team of the group – short balls, volleys, overheads – to bring them up and play at the net. Whichever team wins three points first becomes the baseline team (defending). 9. Lob Over Net Player – tactical and court positioning drill/game. There is a team at the net which will receive a lob from the coach. They have to retrieve the lob (must let the ball bounce first) and play the point out against the opposite team which starts at the baseline and can come up if they want. 10. Moving Up and Down – the role of players in doubles; court coverage and competitive play. This is a very dynamic tennis game in which the teams start in the one-up-one-back formation and one of the net players receives a lob from the coach; that particular team will have to re-position with the baseline player retrieving the lob and the net player backing up ready to play the point from a new position. This is an excellent drill to teach players how to communicate in doubles.
The above drills and games are just some of my students’ favorites but there are so many more that you might love. Check them all out at WebTennis24.com.
Cosmin Miholca
Certified Tennis Coach
Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.
This is part three of “If I could write about 1 thing to make your tennis better, what would it be?” (see part 1and part 2)
76. “Best backhand return from the deuce court to avoid the net man poaching.” (in doubles) – Hitting inside-out backhands from the deuce side to avoid the net player is a tough task indeed. Have you tried to hit the backhands hard at the net player? If you do that, they might not want to poach, knowing that the ball will come in their direction next time. Just make sure you let your net partner know that you’ll hit the backhand return at the net player so that they get ready to react to the opposing net player’s reply. If you have a weak backhand, you could consider lobbing your return of serve. Overall, communicating with your partner in regard to your return intention is key in doubles so that they also know what to expect.
77. “If I had to ‘make a wish’ it would be for court geometry and the building of points.” – We have a great section at WebTennis24 where the court geometry in singles and doubles is covered.
78. “How to play the net position in doubles.” – According to your level of performance, there are certain positioning tactics and roles you should assume when playing at the net. See the Tennis Tactics for Singles and Doubles for in-depth lessons and tips for playing at the net in doubles.
79. “I would like to see what the pros “see and think” during an exchange. Example: I hit a hard ball to the forehand corner of my opponent and I start to come in. Often I would at where my ball is landing and then see my opponents coming in my field of vision just in time to hit the ball on the run. Last summer I was passed down the line like that and I realized that had no clue about what was coming. If I had watched my opponent earlier, I would have seen that he was running parallel to the line and not coming in slightly in a diagonal. Running at full speed like that the probability of hitting a good crosscourt was low (at my level at least, 3.5-4.0). I am sure that there is a lot of time when I’m not watching what and where I should be watching. I try to watch the racquet of my opponent too, to see pass or lob, hard shot or drop shot but there must be more to that. What do the pros see?” – I think that you are on your way to achieving a good read for your opponents’ body language and anticipation. The fact that you are asking and paying attention to that, in time you will get better. The pros all started as you are right now – paying attention and analyzing their opponents’ movement and racquet path just before contact, got better the more they played. Pay attention to your court position too; it can cut the angles and put you closer to the next ball.
80. “How to control the distance from the ball and the timing.” – Check the answer no. 66, here.
81. “Doubles strategy” – I would say, everything you need about doubles strategy and tactics can be found in the Doubles Tennis Tactics section where you’ll learn how to play different types of teams, players, how to serve, when to poach, and so much more.
82. “Hitting mid-court volleys (I play a lot of doubles) with pace and depth. Should I hit a swinging volley?” – The swinging volleys are great and I personally like to use them a lot in my doubles matches (and singles too). The key is to time your swing and make contact with the ball chest- or shoulder-high. If the ball drops below net level don’t think about hitting a drive volley…
83. “I play doubles mostly and I believe I have every aspect of the game except being able to volley from mid-court. Hence, my serve and volleys are not that effective unless I get closer to the net such as midway into the service box. This is not always possible given that sometimes the ball comes back at my feet right after I land on the court. What should I do?” – You can do the following: 1) stay back after the serve and advance to the net on the next shot 2) develop a better half-volley (bend the knees and work on your balance)
84. “psychology and strategy” – For strategy, see the answer at no. 81. Some interesting (I hope) articles in regard to how to “see” every tennis stroke were written in the Mental Tennis section at WebTennis24.com. You might find it very interesting.
85. “I would write about drills to improve preparation and reaction time.” – My suggestion is for you to consciously practice (not during a match) the following: as soon as you recognize the ball coming to a certain side (e.g. forehand), turn the shoulders and get the racquet set behind the ball before it bounces on your side of the court. Stay low during the rally so you can have a good balance. In regard to reaction, you can find lots of drills in the Speed & Conditioning section at WebTennis24 Training. Consistent practice creates habits. Do it often in practice and it will become automatic in the match.
86. “My biggest help would be in constructing points. Knowing what shots to hit and when.” – This is a plan I have for the future; stay in touch! (:
87. “In a word, ANTICIPATION.” – Anticipation in tennis has a lot to do with your knowledge of court positioning and body language (based on which you can tell your opponent’s shot selection). With conscious analysis of the two aspects, you’ll be able to anticipate more and more of your opponent’s intentions.
88. “How to be more aggressive. I find myself not taking a chance, especially poaching at the net or hitting the ball as hard as I know I can. I always lay off for the safe shot or just stand at the net, afraid to take a chance for fear of missing the point or upsetting my partner.” – These two aspects (missing a shot and upsetting our partner) are what hold us from playing tennis at full potential. I can tell you that at the end of the match, you’ll feel worse if you hold back than upsetting your partner. After all, if your partner does not understand your effort then you should look out for a different one. It is also important that you can communicate with your partner letting them know that you want to play aggressively and therefore sometimes you might make a mistake. Find a partner that understands and is willing to work with you. It is no use to continue playing for fear of missing or upsetting someone. Tennis is meant to be enjoyed and progress to be made. There is no progress playing in the comfort zone!
89. “Return of serve from backhand side to include returning kick serves.” – It depends on how much kick the server can deliver: how high the ball bounces and how fast. Also, you should specify whether you hit a one-handed or two-handed backhand. You can control the kick serve better with two hands while the one-handed backhand is more difficult. Position yourself further back to gain more time, and wait for the ball to lower and lose some of its speed. Mostly, as with any kind of extra-spin serve, make sure you avoid blocking the ball; instead, try hitting hard through the ball to counteract the force of the spin.
91. “Is there one part of a swing motion (forehand for instance) that all players do the same if the result is the same?” – Most of the top players have some common elements that allow them to hit the ball with more power and control. One of them is the short back-swing. Prepare the racquet behind the incoming ball and avoid any unnecessary movements. Find the most effective way for you to hit the ball early and relax.
92. “Backhand (two-hand) down the line.” – For sending the ball down the line (regardless of forehand and backhand), wait for the ball to get closer to you (hit it a bit late) and you’ll find yourself directing it down the line with ease. The opposite is true: hitting the ball early allows you to send the ball cross-court.
93. “I would be glad to fasten my backhand stroke (two hands).” – Work on hitting the ball early, keep your hands relaxed on the grip, loosen the tension of your strings… and mostly understand the difference between pulling the racquet versus pushing it through the ball. Pulling it gives you more power than pushing the racquet through.
94. “Maybe a checklist of skills and tactics. Sometimes people don’t work on things simply because they aren’t thinking of them. For example, slicing from the baseline – high, medium, low. And when/why to choose this shot.” – Excellent ideas; great material for the future. Thank you!
95. “I would be grateful if you would address the use of the front leg in creating proper North-South and East-West distance from the ball (if not hitting from an open stance).” – To be honest, I am not that detailed in regard to footwork. I think it should be as natural as possible and not have to think too much while striking the ball. In my opinion, short steps and good balance, are more important than the angle and distance the feet are from the ball. There are many coordination, speed and balance exercises at WebTennis24.com – apply them at least 3 times per week and you’ll see the improvement in this area.
96. “How to stop choking! My son (17 years old) often is up a set and a break, then finds a way to lose the match. He also can be up 40-0 or 40-15 and end up going to deuce or worse. Helping him learn to close out games, sets and matches is something I’d love to hear more about. Thanks!” – I’ve talked about this subject; please check no. 13, on this page.
97. “Regarding your question: as for my daughter it definitely would be footwork. My daughter started training more intensively approx 1.5 years ago when she was already almost 13 y.o. She improves quickly since we started training 5-6h weekly instead 1-2h previously but footwork is the biggest pain point for now. You have many drills in this area but we would use even more. In particular: – drills for tennis movement patterns – to transition from just running on the court to typical tennis movements – drills to start moving towards the ball earlier (anticipate better) – separation of legs movement and swing (or I would say performing them in parallel with the right timing and rhythm). She often starts swinging, then moving and then it is too late – drills to improve the habit to return to the court center.” – Some of the drills you mention are at WebTennis24.com already but I’ll make some notes for future videos also.
98. “How do I handle the high balls? How do I practice to hit on the rise?” – Timing is key in hitting high balls on the rise. You can easily practice them by asking a tennis partner or a local coach to feed you some high balls. Technically, prepare early and try making contact with them chest- or shoulder-level, swinging up and across the body (some call it windshield wiper motion). Imagine you’re rolling the strings over and across the ball. Hit them with confidence. In regard to footwork, try shortening your steps as you get close to the ball. It will help you with timing and balance.
99. “WHETHER YOU ARE A BEGINNER, AN AVERAGE OR AN ADVANCED PLAYER YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO TENSE YOURSELF IN CRITICAL MATCH SITUATIONS. WHAT WOULD IT BE YOUR BEST ADVICE TO MAINTAIN OURSELVES LOOSE AND PERFORM ACCORDINGLY ( SPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR GRIP AND ARM TENSION) IN THESE BIG POINTS…?” – This too I’ve answered in the previous posts; check the answers here and here.
100. “Cosmin, rec players like myself sometimes go through an entire 3-set match repeating the same mistakes….like not finishing the forehand swing….or forgetting to hit up & out on my serve…. or trying to use my legs more, etc. After years of frustration, I now have a short ” movie script” ( a screenplay) of things I need to do and I watch this movie a minimum of 3 times before I step on the court. This is a specific “visualization” tip, but will only work if the student takes the time to make the script and then be disciplined enough to review it before picking up a racquet!” – I have the feeling that you are focusing too much on the technical part, during a match, when you should be focusing instead on tactics. All the things you have mentioned should be worked on in practice – have a coach or sparring partner feed balls or rally with you while focusing on the technical aspects. After you go through a lot of repetition (in practice), you’ll find them just happening, out of the habits you created, during the match. Do not work on your technical aspects while playing a match.
Cosmin Miholca
Certified Tennis Coach
Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.
I’d like to address one of the things that have happened to me (I’d say, often) and I am sure you could relate to this as well…
You watch a tennis match between two players and think that they are playing great: long rallies, a nice variety of shots, etc. You can’t help but get the feeling that those guys are so much better than you. Then one day you meet one of them in a tournament match… And you beat them! That makes you wonder: “What has happened? I was certain that this guy was much better than me based on how they looked playing against somebody else.”
One thing is for sure: only because somebody plays very well against a certain opponent does not mean they will play well against you too! We are all different and our style of play can either help or impede our opponents.
We often tend to underestimate our own potential and therefore we think others are better players when, in fact, they are not.
My father once told me this before a match I was nervous about: “Don’t worry about how good he is, let him worry about how good YOU are!”
Now, THAT is one attitude you should step on the court with.
Cosmin Miholca
Certified Tennis Coach
Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.
The idea to write this article came to me as I was watching a YouTube video of a 9-year-old tennis “prodigy” girl… This particular video was the last drop in the bucket for me regarding a debate that is kind of taboo for a lot of parents and coaches. If you are a tennis parent or coach you might want to stick with me and read this article all the way.
For those who don’t know me, I am a tennis coach and I have been teaching tennis since… I was a kid. I have always loved teaching and sharing my knowledge with anyone willing to learn and improve. But this is not about me. This is about a debate that seems to be a sensitive subject for many. It is about whether parents should PUSH their kids to pursue a certain sport…
It’s a great scenario when your child loves a sport, let’s say tennis, and they are motivated to improve and cannot wait to get on the tennis court. But there is also a scenario in which you, a parent, love a certain sport, let’s say tennis :), and you see your child has no drive, no desire to practice the sport, even though they have talent and you know that by practicing the sport they will benefit tremendously later on in life.
During my tennis teaching career, I have met and taught countless adults who confessed that they wish their parents would have “pushed” them to stick with tennis when they were kids. They are aware that when they were young they had other hobbies that were more comfortable for them like hanging out with friends, watching TV, playing video games, etc. Those distractions did not account for a more enjoyable life later on.
Now, as a parent myself, I am put in a situation where I have to guide my two daughters (7 and 5 years old) on whether they should pick up tennis or not. As a tennis coach, I would hate to have any of my daughters 20 years from now asking me why did I not teach them the sport I am so knowledgeable about. I would hate to know that I have the necessary skills to give my children the gift of a healthy habit (playing tennis) and not do it.
My problem is the following (and I am sure a lot of parents and coaches have this dilemma): my kids are not “crazy” about playing tennis! My kids would rather just hang around with their friends all day, watch TV, and/or indulge in short-term fun activities like playing online video games… As a parent, I am aware that a few years from now they will find these activities do not provide a healthy lifestyle for them.
So the BIG question is should I, as a parent and a coach, step up and “push” my kids into playing the sport I am very proficient in?
Before I give you MY answer I would like to give YOU some arguments:
– I’ve seen and heard the opinion of many parents stating that kids should be given options and let them choose. I think it is a very wise decision. But what if… while you give your child the many options, you and your child, actually focus on at least one sport that you are sure your kid will benefit from in the future? Something like running, swimming, basketball, tennis, surfing, ice skating… These are sports that they can practice for the rest of their life. These are sports that will allow them to stay in shape even after the age of 30, 40 or older. What if we “push” our kids to learn a sport they can practice for the rest of their lives? As much as I think playing American Football or Baseball are great and teaches them discipline, hard work and team play, these sports are kind of “dead” for them (as far as the possibility of continuing practicing them) after the age of 25… On the other side, if we just let kids experiment with all the sports hoping that one day they will stick with one, they might end up knowing a little bit of every sport but not be good at any one…
– Think about how you were at the age of 7, 8, or 9… Were you aware of what would be good for you in ten, twenty, thirty years later? No, of course not. Therefore we, as parents, must present the future to our kids and describe the importance of doing sports and activities that could have an impact on them later on. Even though Johnny loves to play online games, that will not help him be more sociable, driven, and outgoing in the future.
Having said that here are my opinions in regard to providing our children with skills that would help them become successful later on in life:
Every kid should be given the opportunity to learn at least one foreign language.
Kids should also learn how to dance (how many times have you gone to parties or social gatherings and envied the ones who were able to move gracefully to the music?).
Every kid should, at some point, know how to defend themselves – get them into some self-defense classes.
Children should be given the opportunity to learn how to play at least one musical instrument (piano, violin, guitar, etc.).
Every kid should practice and be good at one sport. Why? Because in order to be good it takes dedication and perseverance. It is easy to begin a sport or anything else and… quit. But if we, as parents, encourage the kids to stick to a sport, they will learn that whatever they do and work hard at will become a habit and great things happen when we persevere.
With this said, I think that I should “push” my kids to learn tennis and have them learn from my knowledge to become as good tennis players as they can be. I am sure that whether they will decide to stick with tennis or not, the skills they will learn from practicing and persevering in tennis will help them in life later on. And I am sure of one thing: my kids will not tell me “Hey Dad, how come you did not teach us tennis?” As I do this, I want to make sure that my kids learn a foreign language, play the piano (or guitar), take self-defense classes and take dance lessons too. Everything else… is up to them.
I would love your opinion on this. Please share this article and contribute with your feedback… Thank you.
Cosmin Miholca
Certified Tennis Coach
Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.
