Coaches Q and A: What is the Best Way to Cope with Extreme Heat?

With Australia's oppressive heat one of the biggest stories of 2009's first Grand Slam, I asked Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to provide his advice on the issue.

Today's question: What is the best way to cope with extreme heat?

Harold Solomon responds:
I think that there are a few basics that can help all players, including juniors, be ready for extreme heat situations.

Dress For It:
Clothing can definitely help curb the effects of the sun. We all know that light colored clothing tends to help keep the body cooler. Hats that do more than cover the top of the head can be effective in keeping the sun off the back of the neck, which is one of the areas that can cause serious problems in extreme heat conditions. Often players do not wear clothing protection around their necks because the manufacturers determine the type of clothing worn. We recommend players cover their necks with a wide-brimmed hat or use a scarf dipped in cold water that can be refreshed on changeovers, but we find players very reluctant to follow this advice. Also, a player's feet are often one of the primary areas to be effected by extreme heat. It is essential to wear shoes with soles that are thick enough keep the feet cool and to keep socks as dry as possible, to keep blisters from forming.

Drink For It:
Staying hydrated is extremely important both on and off the court. A hydrated athlete should urinate up to ten times a day. It is important to use water and a diluted sports drink the day before matches and water and a diluted sports drink with added salt on the day of matches and during matches. Tennis players in conditions like those in Australia can lose a tremendous amount of fluids, but if the sodium that is lost during competition is not replaced, players can find themselves with severe cramping, which can be totally debilitating. It is also very important for the player to refuel the body within 30 minutes of each match with carbohydrates most easily consumed in a non-diluted sports drink.

Ice For It:
During changeovers, the player should place iced towels over his or her head and neck to help lower the body temperature. I often used ice cubes under my wrist bands during changeovers to help cool down my body.

Practice In It:
It is very difficult to get ready for extreme heat conditions unless the player is able to practice for an extended time in similar conditions prior to the tournament, ideally for at least a week before it begins. During the summer in the U.S. we often see the Europeans falter in the heat the first week they come over to play; usually they are more acclimated by the second week. During the preliminary week of practice, the player should gradually increase the time and exposure on the courts and move practices from early morning and late afternoon up to times when the sun and heat are highest to condition the body and the mind to the effects of the high temperatures.

Playing in extreme heat is difficult and can be dangerous. The heat rule in Australia was developed to protect the players' well-being and they need to be aware of the importance of eating and drinking properly in these conditions. Many matches are won and lost in these conditions because the player has not properly prepared physically for the conditions which then affects the players ability to mentally stay in the match. Many times the mind will go before the body gives out. It's imperative that the player arrive at the tournament having done the physical training necessary to prepare the body well before the tournament begins. The acclimation period should be just that--the real work has to be completed before the player arrives at the event.

Do you have a question for Andy Brandi or Harold Solomon? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: What's Dynamic Stretching and Should I Use It?

The question of the best means of stretching has been debated for decades, and to answer a reader's recent question about the various techniques, we turn to Jim Hart, fitness trainer for the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Today's question: The USTA has recently encouraged some new and crazy-looking ways of stretching before a match. What do you think of these new stretching techniques, and do you recommend them for everyone or just serious players?

Hart responds:
Everyone knows to do some form of a warm-up but no one really has a definitive answer as to how to do this most effectively. We have all been taught that a good warm-up will enhance your performance, prevent muscle soreness (called DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness) and decrease the risk of injuries. Everyone expects one conclusive answer from sport studies and unfortunately this has not happened. Static stretching (stretching a group of muscles in one direction for several seconds to promote the lengthening of those muscles) has been used for many years as the primary pre-exercise routine. Most studies, though, have inferred that it is less effective to perform static stretches prior to exercise or sports for various reasons.

Dr. Paul Meli from The Shoulder and Knee Center of South Florida, who is the official orthopedic surgeon of American Top Team (which has one of the largest numbers of professional UFC and mixed martial arts fighters in the world), reports statistically there is insufficient evidence to consistently promote or deny the effectiveness of static stretching prior to exercise. However, his suggestion for an effective warm-up does not include static stretching. Instead he suggests utilizing a light cardiovascular workout, dynamic stretching (a motion that creates a gentle stretch of the muscles and joint – see examples below on how to perform such stretches), and a light mimicking of your sport motions (such as light baseline hitting to get the feel of correct technique of your forehand/backhand).

Most players are familiar with static stretches but do not have a good understanding of dynamic stretching. Basically you are doing a motion that causes first a small, then a progressively larger stretch to the joint and muscle complex. You start with shallow range of motion, progressing to larger motions and start at a slow speed and increase the velocity. Never bounce or jerk the motion. Generally you would pick motions that are utilized in your sport. An Olympic dead lift competitor (lifting a barbell from the ground) probably does not need to do a lot of lateral hip motions, but a tennis player would need a lot of this motion. Some examples of dynamic stretches would be arm circles or windmills, walking lunges, lateral lunges, high knee walking, straight leg walk or toy solder walk. A professional can design and recommend a specific warm-up for you depending on your physicality and any underlying pathology.

This is not to say that static stretching isn’t important because we know that it has significant uses for sports. It is good in assisting motion-limited joints in obtaining full range so that more muscle fibers are utilized for your sport. Static stretching can assist in the healing of an injured area. A static stretch program either after exercise (when muscles and tendons are warm and more malleable) or at some other point in the day can actually assists in strengthening and improving the overall health of your body. As a pre-exercise routine it most likely is not very effective and a few studies have implied that it can even hinder performance temporarily.

This would be the recommendation for all types of players with the only difference the intensity and depth of motion of your warm-up. If you are elderly with an arthritic back but can still play tennis, it probably wouldn’t be wise to try to do a lot of torso twists (gently rotating your upper body from left to right with a stabilized lower body) with high velocity but maybe you can do some small ones at a lower speed. Realize that if you play tennis, you will rotate your spine with some velocity so you need to slowly approach what you are going to do when you play. It is best to have a professional assist with the level of warm-up program for your particular level of physicality. Bottom line is you don’t do a warm up that injures you – one of the reasons you are doing one in the first place!

If you insist on utilizing static stretches, it will not be significantly bad to do so. We are talking about minimal effects. You can even try experimenting yourself. Try one day of including static stretching and one with dynamic stretching. Did you play better, have fewer injuries, or feel less sore after one or the other techniques? Most likely you couldn’t tell the difference. The key point of a pre-exercise routine is to be pliant in all the motions that you may undertake in your sport and to be able to have an improved nerve-to-muscle reaction time. Such an improvement is most likely the key to preventing injuries as well as improving your performance. A light cardiovascular exercise would also theoretically decrease the risk of injury as the warmth of the muscles, ligaments and tendons will improve their ability to absorb some stress without disruption. As far as muscle soreness there does not appear to be any significant decrease in the levels of pain with any pre-exercise routine. Basically, don’t do too much new activity at too stressful a level and you will more likely avoid such after exercise pain.

If the USTA is recommending the discontinuation of static stretching then I would say that they are like most sports, leaning toward more dynamic stretching as part of their pre-exercise routine. If you are embarrassed to look like you are doing a Monty Python routine, have a professional help you pick other motions that are not so ridiculous looking. There are many ways to do dynamic stretching and they do not have to include such odd motions. Just remember that if you do dynamic stretches, do them safely so that you can hopefully enjoy good tennis and have fun.


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Coaches Q and A: What's a Heavy Ball, and How Do I Hit One?

In this month's session of Coaches Q and A, Andy Brandi and Tom Downs of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida discuss hitting a heavy ball.

One of the most common phrases in tennis today is 'hit a heavy ball'. So what is a heavy ball?

One of the definitions in the dictionary for heavy is of great force. So a heavy ball has great force. Another word that has to be brought into the picture is momentum. A heavy ball has a lot of momentum. The word momentum is defined as force or speed of movement.

A heavy ball can be a serve, a backhand or forehand. For example, Boris Becker has a heavy serve. Rafael Nadal has a heavy forehand. Lisa Raymond has a heavy slice backhand. A heavy ball can be a flat as well, such as Andre Agassi’s heavy hits. They do not have as much spin as those of Rafael Nadal.

To create a heavy ball, the stroke must have acceleration and it must have body weight behind the shot. In today's game, a lot of shots are hit with the player in the air jumping into the ball. The body weight is transferred into the shot.

A heavy ball really takes effect when it bounces. The ball jumps through the court. It has a lot of momentum and if the opponent does not get a clean hit, his or her racket will turn in their hand. Secondly, they must get their feet in position to counter the momentum. If they do not, it will be like a bowling ball hitting a pin in a bowling alley.

In order to hit a heavy forehand, a player must hit up and through the ball. The forearm pronates into contact which gives it topspin. The forehand is a double rotation motion. The hips lead and the racket lags behind and catches up to the torso and shoulders at contact. The torso is what brings the racket through. The swing concept has changed. From the slot, the swing structure is inside out and up and through. The momentum of the swing is what carries players off the ground and this makes the ball heavier. They do not jump intentionally, rather the energy they build up from the ground up causes them to come off the ground.

So to summarize, a heavy ball is a combination of speed, trajectory and spin.

Hope this helps in your search for hitting a heavy ball. Happy Holidays and best of luck!

If you have a question for Andy Brandi or Harold Solomon, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

Tags: junior tennis, Andy Brandi, Harold Solomon Tennis Institute, Colette Lewis

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Coaches Q and A: Should I take a holiday from tennis?

As we approach the holiday season, it's an ideal time to ask Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida about the need to take a break from tournaments and training.

Today's question:
Should I periodically take a vacation from tennis where I don't play tournaments or train?

Solomon responds:
I think it's vitally important to get away from tennis at various times during the year no matter if you are a junior, college or professional player. Totally getting away and letting your body rest is a good habit to begin as a junior player. Mentally taking a break gives you the opportunity to not only relax and decompress but also to reflect upon the proceeding time frame and objectively look back at how you are doing in meeting your goals. These breaks are also a great opportunity to revisit your goals.

Periodic two week breaks should take place for juniors twice a year. I recommend that the first week be a total break from anything to do with tennis and that in the second week you start a slow jump back into physical training. Other shorter three or four day breaks should be interspersed throughout the calendar year especially during and after the longer tournament swings in the summer.

You should set up your schedule so you can peak during the most important tournaments of the year. It is imperative that you come into the biggest events fresh both mentally and physically, by avoiding over-training leading up to these events. At our institute we recommend that most players take at least one and a half days off per week during normal training. It helps if coaches and parents can help break the year into scheduling segments (three or four) and that these breaks are introduced at the end of each segment. If you learn how to do this at a younger age, I think it helps maintain a healthier body and a fresher perspective down the road.

Do you have a question for Andy Brandi or Harold Solomon? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: What are the Pros and Cons of Starting College in January?

I spent the day at the College Showdown at Michigan State, which I'll be writing more about for the Tennis Recruiting Network next week, making our installment of Coaches Q and A from Andy Brandi and Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida an appropriate one. Former University of Florida women's coach Andy Brandi is uniquely qualified to address this question, naming seven adjustments that college tennis requires.

Q. Should I start my college career in the Fall or in the Spring?

A. One of the most difficult things I dealt with as a college coach was a player coming into our program in January. Of course we welcomed the addition to our team and the strengthening of our line up. What concerned us was all the things that had to go right for the situation to pay off for us and the player.

There were a lot of adjustments a player has to get through with flying colors:

1. Living away from home and having to deal with a roommate and all the things that were taken care of by their parents, like laundry, meals and money. Also having to deal with balancing their school, athletics and social life.

2. Team chemistry is a big if. Remember that the other players have been together since August. They know each other. They have bonded as a team. How are they going to respond to this new player? Will it create tension or problems?

3. Dealing with a new coach. They have to adjust to new ideas and philosophies. Will they embrace this new system? Will they be coachable? Will they be open to new coaching ideas?

4. Having to adjust to a daily routine. Having to go to class and then go to practice, then to fitness and then studying. They may have been taking online courses. Now they have to go to class! They have responsibilities, they have to stay on pace. It is a grind and it wears you out!

5. Adjusting to a new environment. They must familiarize themselves with a new town, the campus and all the landmarks. In a short period of time, they have to know how to get around.

6. The grind of college tennis. It is a long, hectic season. With all the travel, they must juggle studies, getting papers done and even taking tests on the road. Getting home on Sunday at midnight and being at an 8:00 am class ready to take a test.

7. Playing as part of a team. Being responsible to players and coaches. Dealing with the new pressures. Playing to new rules--for example, in men’s tennis, playing net cords.

All in all, before we brought someone in at midyear we evaluated whether the person could successfully make all these adjustments. When they arrived, we helped them along for the first few weeks until we felt they had gotten into the swing of things.

If you are considering going at midyear, be ready to conquer all these obstacles. Best of luck!

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: Should I Scout My Upcoming Opponent at Tournaments?

In this month's installment of Coaches Q and A, Andy Brandi of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida answers this question:
At a tournament, should I scout my opponents or concentrate on playing my game?

This is a very important question. How many times when playing a tournament do you ask a friend if they know your opponent? If the answer is always, "I played them and won and you should not have any problems", you might go into the match overconfident and what happens--you lose!!

When I used to travel with professionals full time, I had a book with players and their tendencies. I would update it every four weeks to keep it up to speed. I would also have the player I was traveling with keep a book with their thoughts about each match and opponent. We would compare the opponents' favorite shots and their placement, serving tendencies, movement, fitness level, mental toughness and what we felt worked the last time they played.

By doing this, we could compare notes and make an accurate strategic plan. There were no guesses. We had a good plan to win the match!

Whenever you do not have the chance to scout your opponent, there are other options. During the match warm-up, see which side they like to take the ball when you hit down the middle. Offer volleys and overheads. See where they like to hit their serves.
Once the match starts, take the first two games to figure out your strategy. Keep in mind that you should make continuous adjustments to your strategy during the entire match.

But if you can, my preference is to scout opponents during a tournament. You do not have to watch the whole match. Watch two or three games and make notes on both players. This way you have a head start and a game plan.

By planning ahead, you give yourself the best chance to succeed. Best of luck.


Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: What are the Alternatives to Private Coaching/Academies?

In this month's installment of Coaches Q & A, Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida addresses this question:

Q. We can't afford a full-time tennis academy or a private coach. Can you suggest some less expensive alternatives that would help continue our 14-year-old's development?


A. There are many ways for junior players to develop their games who for one reason or another don't have access to an academy or a private full time coach.

Private lessons
When I was a junior growing up in Maryland I would take one private lesson a week and would spend the rest of the week working on the information that I learned. My father would attend the lesson and then we would go out during the week and practice the skills that I had been taught.

Since it's often very difficult to find one coach that does a great job of teaching all of the needed tennis skills, I would go to a variety of coaches who had the reputation for specializing in a particular area of the game.

A junior player could also share a lesson with another junior of approximately the same skill level and that way the player could afford to take more than one lesson a week. In some parts of the country there are coaches that have after-school programs that are more like opportunities for players to get together and play matches. Often these practices are supervised, relatively inexpensive and allow the players the opportunity to get good match play on a regular basis.

Sectional grants
Juniors who have excelled in their sections can apply for USTA grants which can help to supplement the funding necessary for the junior's development.

Local help, drilling
If I didn't have access to a private coach or a good academy, I think I would find the best coach in my area and enroll that person to help me develop a plan for my tennis future with the understanding that he would be my primary coach, but that I would from time to time use other coaches to help me develop all of the areas of my game. I would set up with other top juniors in the area a regular practice schedule for drilling and playing matches.


When I was young I took advantage of asking the best men's players in my area to play with me on a regular basis. Many of these players were highly ranked in my section and some were top national and international players. These older players were more than happy to play with me and often offered advice about my game, my style and my technique. Many of them took pride in my accomplishments and ended up being a great resource for my development.

Play as a guest
Even if a junior player can't afford to attend a full time academy it is often possible to play matches at some of the academies in the afternoons with the academy players. The staff at these academies will often offer advice on match play, shot selection, and your mental aptitude during these practice matches.

Other coaching resources
I also think it is a good idea to contact the local head of the USPTA, USPTR, and the USTA to find out about any free or minimum cost programs in the area. Finally, depending on the junior's age, local college coaches who run their own programs outside the school can be valuable resources as long as everyone is well aware of the NCAA rules regulating participation with college and university programs.

Do you have a question for Andy Brandi or Harold Solomon? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line. For access to the 15 previous columns, see the Coaches Q and A category in the sidebar.

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Coaches Q and A: Which Sports are Beneficial to Tennis Development and When is the Right Time to Stop Them?

In this installment, Andy Brandi of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida discusses the advantages of cross-training for tennis and the appropriate time to focus solely on one sport.

Andy Brandi responds:
One sport to look at is track and field. Running cross country or running the sprint races or the mile is great in developing your stamina and speed. This should be a part of any player’s fitness training.

Tennis is an eye-foot sport. It requires being in the right place in order to hit the tennis ball. Quickness and agility are very important in tennis while an explosive first step is very helpful to get to the right position.

With that in mind, look at soccer and basketball as sports that will complement the development of a tennis player. Both demand a lot of quickness and agility. Eye-foot coordination is a must in both sports and they both are very helpful in developing good fitness levels.

Another path would involve the use of martial arts and kickboxing in developing flexibility, footwork and balance as well as developing hip flexors, which are very important to tennis players. Ballet is another activity that will help in this area.

As for the question of when to stop doing them to concentrate solely on tennis, my son Christopher played soccer, basketball and baseball until he decided he wanted to concentrate on tennis at age 11.

You don’t have to stop playing other sports however, if you use them as a way to complement your training. You can use this cross-training as a fitness tool. Playing soccer or basketball for an hour a couple of times a week would not hurt. Going to martial arts classes for an hour 2-3 days a week would be good. The key is that tennis is your main sport and everything you do athletically outside of tennis complements your overall tennis training. You should use all these activities to round out your fitness training for tennis. Best of luck!

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.


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Coaches Q and A: How Does European Clay Differ From U.S. Clay, and What Has Changed Wimbledon's Grass?

With the tennis world making the transition from clay to grass, it's an appropriate time to discuss the differences and evolution of the two surfaces. Former French Open finalist Harold Solomon, of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is the ideal source for an exploration of the differences between U.S. green clay and European red. He also explains how the lawns at Wimbledon have changed over the years.

Today's question: How does European clay differ from U.S. clay, and what has changed Wimbledon's grass?

The primary difference between European red clay and our green HAR-TRU® courts is that generally speaking, the clay here is faster and is much more uniform in its bounce. European clay varies from country to country. European clay courts are not rolled, and after the winter season the courts get harder as more and more tennis is played on them, but rarely achieve the firmness of the clay in the U.S. Consequently, the courts tend to have worse bounces and play slower.

You will notice in some tournaments such as the French, the court speed varies greatly depending on the weather. In Paris, when it gets hot and dry the courts can play very fast; however when the weather becomes cold and rainy, it becomes very difficult to finish off a point.

In Rome, in order to make the matches more interesting the tournament organizers have scraped most of the top surface off the clay and allowed the base to harden and in doing so have produced courts with the speed of some hard courts. Most of the European clay courts are built with a very porous base so that they can drain with all of the rainy weather they can get. This base usually has a very heavy coating of clay material on top which helps to slow the ball down.

On American clay, players can be more aggressive and can finish off points far easier than on European red clay, which accounts for why some of the American players have more success here than on the red dirt! More patience, more margins, the ability to slide effectively, and superior conditioning are necessities for successful European red clay court tennis.

The grass at Wimbledon has changed drastically over the years. It was not too long ago that unless you played on the center court or court one you couldn't stay back on the grass. Especially during the first week, the courts were very green, slippery and fast, with an extremely low bounce. The new grass introduced in recent years is thicker, which tends to slow the ball down and allows for a much higher bounce.

All of the courts now are in excellent condition because of the new strain of grass but also because the courts are now maintained at a superior level. They are constantly covered when not in use and are almost completely dry when play begins no matter how much it has rained that day. They are also much firmer than in past years which allows for consistent and higher bounces.

In years past, a good slice would skid and stay so low that passing shots were hard to come by; today the ball bounces very similar to a hard court. Wimbledon has also gone to a heavier ball which has aided in tempering the speed of the courts. It is now rare to see players venturing into the net on a regular basis because the player hitting the passing shot can pretty well count on a consistent bounce and having the time to set up and make his shot.
Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.
Tags: junior tennis, French Open, Wimbledon, Harold Solomon Tennis Institute, clay, grass, Colette Lewis

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Coaches Q and A: How Do I Market Myself to College Coaches?

With college tennis championships in full swing, today we have Andy Brandi of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida providing advice on getting the attention of the college programs you might like to join. Before joining the HSTI, Brandi was a long-time coach of the University of Florida women.

Today's question: How do I make myself visible to coaches before the start of my senior year and what makes me attractive to those coaches?

Andy Brandi responds:

It is almost time to begin the final year in the recruiting process for juniors in high school. July 1st is the first day coaches can call you.

By now, you have received letters and emails from schools and their programs. Your job was to select 5 to 7 of those schools as your choices to become a college player. For those who did not get letters from schools or did not get letters from the schools they would like to attend, I have the following suggestions:

1-Send an e-mail to the coaches of those schools you are interested in. Send information about your tennis, tournament results and rankings. Let them know you would like to go to school there.

2-Send a video. If the coach is not familiar with your game, a video can show your ability. The coach can then decide if you are good enough to be a part of their program.

3-Visit the campus.You can take unofficial visits during your junior year, meaning you pay for the trip.

4-Lastly, you may call and talk to the coach. Remember that you can call them, but they cannot call you until July 1st! Do not leave a message because they cannot return the call! (Coaches are allowed to return emails during your junior year.)

One thing that you must be is realistic. Be sure that you are good enough to play at the schools you are considering.

Coaches are always looking for individuals that can help their programs. Ability, rankings, tournament results, big wins and talent are the obvious traits they consider. They are looking for players that will be coachable, good students, model citizens and team players. Bear in mind that coaches do recruit players whom they consider developmental projects. If you have the potential, they will consider you.

If all this fails, then your last resort is to contact a recruiting service. They will find you a school for a fee. Bear in mind that it will not be one of your top choices. It might be an obscure school.

Their job is to find you a school. They will fulfill their obligation by going to lower division I or II schools that you might not be interested in. To me this would be the last resort. You can find a school of your choice if you are realistic about your ability and your academic qualifications. Do the research.

Be smart in your decision. Remember this is a major decision that will impact your life for the next 4 years. Good luck!

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q &A: Now we have to play doubles!

Today we tap the professional expertise of Andy Brandi and Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on the subject of doubles. Andy Brandi provies these tips:

Not so long ago, it was not popular to play doubles. In the last few years the ITF and the USTA and its sections have combined their rankings and we are now facing the task of having to play doubles. It is interesting watching juniors playing doubles because it is like two players playing singles. As it is, two good singles player do not automatically make a good doubles team.

Here are five suggestions for better doubles play:

Chemistry
Team chemistry might be the most important factor in a good doubles team. If two players get along really well, they have a good chance of being successful. They will be able to communicate better, keep each other relaxed, and trust each other more. Complementing styles are essential. For example, a good aggressive baseliner will do great with a good all-court player. The all-court player can take advantage of the aggressive baseliner’s groundstrokes and returns while he is at net.

Communication
Communication needs to happen before, after and during the points. Most successful pro doubles teams communicate religiously. They talk before the point and discuss strategy after the point to encourage each other and make plans for the next point. During the point they help each other by calling for balls, or switching sides to effectively cover the court.

Two Important Firsts
Get first serves in play! Be most effective by serving a high percentage of first serves. Make it easy for the net person to poach and put more pressure on the returner. Good serves take all the pressure off your team. Be sure to mix placement.

Make first volleys; if you are coming in, you need to be smart on how to play your first volleys. Do you hit it deep? Do you go with a short x-ct angle or do you hit it down the line?

Returns
Get returns in play; make the other team play. At the same time, look at returns as a means to create some offensive opportunities. Mix up the returns by hitting some down the line or by lobbing.

Be Willing to Poach
Poaching is one of the most difficult things to get players to do, but it makes your team more effective. By poaching, the server will be able to hold more easily because of the distractions the partner is creating at the net. Do not forget you can poach off returns as well. When at net, do not be a statue or a good spectator; get involved in the points! Guard the middle and not the alley.

Although very basic, we hope that these tips help you become a better doubles player. Good luck!

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

Tags: junior tennis, Harold Solomon Tennis Institute, Andy Brandi, Colette Lewis

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Coaches Q and A: How Important is Winning?

In this edition of Coaches Q an A, Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida responds to a question on the importance of winning on the junior level.

Q.Many coaches tell their students that focusing on winning is not in their long term best interests; what do you think?
A. I have a different perspective on winning than some other people in our profession. In my opinion it is ridiculous to ignore that the intention of tennis players when they compete in tournament play is to win. I don't see anything wrong with having that intention every time you walk on the court if you are thinking correctly about winning.
Questions to ask while on the court
I think that every player's job when they walk on the court is to figure out how they can use the various parts of their game in order to be successful on the court against each and every opponent. In order to do that each player must constantly ask themselves questions. I am always in a dialogue with myself asking what's working and what's not working.
What does my opponent like and what doesn't he like?
How is he hurting me?
Does he like high balls, does he like slices, how is he at the net?
Am I effective when I go behind him, does he like pace, does he have a serving pattern?
Am I varying my serves, how is the depth of my shots, how can I use the wind to my advantage?
Is he slow, are drop shots effective?
The love of competition
I ask all of these questions so that I can be effective and so that I can come out the winner at the end of the match. Some matches I may have to resort to just moon balling to be effective, some matches I might come in on everything; my job out there is to do whatever I have to do within the rules of the game to be effective. Most importantly, I have to love the competition, I have to thrive in that environment. I am not afraid of competing, it's what I live for. My job is to push myself, to test myself, to challenge myself. On the other hand, if I incapacitate myself with the fear of losing, then I am not focused on winning. I am trying to avoid losing, which is a whole different way of thinking and one that will set me back, not push me ahead.
Finding the right level
Winning breeds winning; learning how to win is a skill that has to be developed with success. Too often I find parents or coaches have their children or students play the majority of their matches in age groups where they have little or no chance of being successful, under the theory that playing older and better players is the best thing for their development. I have personally seen too many of these players forget how to win, forget what it takes to win seven matches in a row to win a tournament. Learning to win is the process of taking your skills and resources no matter what they might be and finding a way to use them successfully against whoever is on the other side of the court and then have the character to be able to walk off the court and objectively look at your performance (no matter if you were successful or not) and make the appropriate decisions about what work needs to get done to take your game to the next level. What do you think?
Do you have a question for Andy Brandi or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

Tags: junior tennis, Harold Solomon Tennis Institute, Colette Lewis

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Coaches Q and A: What is the difference in players successful at ages 12 & 14 and those who excel at 18?

In today's edition, Andy Brandi of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida responds to this inquiry from a reader:

What is the difference in players successful at ages 12 & 14 and those who excel at 18?


That is a great question. We as Americans live in an instant society. We want everything to be done yesterday. Tennis is like a marathon. It takes time to learn and develop the finished product.

The necessary steps to fully develop a tennis player are:

1-Technical Phase

2-Game Style Phase

3-Competitive Phase

In the technical phase, the focus is the development of a good foundation. In the game style phase, the players style of play is identified and formulated. Lastly, in the competitive phase, the player focuses on taking that game style and learning to play and win with it.

Players who are successful at 12 and 14 achieve this for many reasons. They may be better athletes. They may be more physically developed. They may have been playing tennis longer. They could be more consistent or powerful. They could be better competitors. They may be more emotionally mature. They may have more competitive playing experience.

Players who are successful at 18 are winning because they successfully passed the three steps of development mentioned earlier. They are the finished product. They have a good foundation with no glaring weaknesses. They know their game style and can play and defend according to that style. Lastly, they have gone through the school of hard knocks learning what works and what does not relative to their game style. They know how to win with their game style.

When we work with a player, our vision of the finished product anticipates that player reaching age 18. What happens in between is only a stepping stone to the finished product. We are not concerned with results at 12s, 14s or 16s. We want them to be able to perform their best when they are 18. At that point,they will be a successful professional or a top level D-1 college player.

So what is your developmental plan? Be patient. Remember a marathon is 26.2 miles! Best of luck.
Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: National-level Junior Answers Questions about Tournaments, School and Training

A few weeks ago, I received a list of questions from a parent of a young junior, most of which addressed the challenges of being a ranked player and juggling training, tournament travel and academics. In the last edition of Coaches Q and A, Harold Solomon provided a detailed account of their work at the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute with 14-year-old Monica Puig of Miami. In this edition, Puig gets an opportunity to answer several of the questions posed via email, to recount her recent experience in Colombia as part of the Puerto Rican Fed Cup team, and to turn the tables a bit on Solomon and Andy Brandi, giving her thoughts on working with them.

What is it like to tour the US playing national tournaments?
For me to tour around the U.S. is a great experience and it is an incredible opportunity. I love to play against older and better players and that in the long run has made me stronger and wiser. I am very grateful that my family can support me financially to take me around the U.S. Not to mention, it is very cool to visit other different states and cities because it is very nice to see the difference in between one place to the next. I love to fly also, so that makes it very comfortable for me to travel from place to place.

How do you handle school and homework?
School for me is very important. I try to stay as ahead as possible so that if I ever go to a tournament and the internet is not available to me, I still can be relaxed and know that I am still ahead. However, it is not always easy for me to do school because I have such a tight schedule, but I always manage to find a little bit more time to sit down and finish my week. Sometimes, if I can't complete the week in time, I still have the weekends to do my studies. One thing that I have to say is that I can never fall behind because I have heard that catching up is very difficult and requires a lot of time. I am glad that I have never fallen behind and I am just happy to be ahead and on track.

Who travels with you to these tournaments?
My mother is the person who travels to me to tournaments. I love traveling withmy mom because she is like a sis ter to me. We have so many laughs and it is so nice to travel with her. Not to mention that if I ever need someone to hit with, she is always an option because when she was younger, she too was a tennis player. I am lucky to have a mother that supports me and is willing to travel with me to wherever it is that the tournaments are. I am very lucky to have such an incredible mom and I am glad that she is there with me no matter how hard it gets.

Talk about your social life.
Well, my social life is not that great. I don't really go out often on the weekends, and I stay at home doing homework. My social life really includes just being at my academy and talking to the people who I train with. I think that my social life is very brief. I like to go out when I have time, but I don't really go out with friends that often. I usually just go out with my cousins, and we have a great time. Even though I don't have that great of a social life, I still try to do my best to have one with family as much as I can.

Talk about your Fed Cup experience in Columbia.
Playing Fed Cup for Puerto Rico was a great experience for me. I had a great time training and playing with some really good players that are on the WTA tour at the moment. It was my first time playing on red clay and it was also my first time traveling out of the United States. I had a great experience in just adapting to a different surface that I am not usually used to, and I also had a great time adapting to the weather conditions and the different game style that you have to choose. I was the youngest girl that was there, and I also thought that i did a really good job. I was given a humongous opportunity by playing in two doubles matches, and a singles match. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the situation, on the contrary, I was beyond excited. I had a great experience playing against some really good WTA players, and I hope I get that experience again soon.

What is it like training with Harold and Andy?
Training with Harold and Andy is great and I have a lot of great things to say about them. Recently, in November and December of 2007, I had two of the greatest months in my career so far, by reaching the finals of the Eddie Herr and Jr. Orange Bowl. I think that a lot of my success had to do with the fact that both Andy and Harold pushed me to the limit. Because of this, I became stronger physically, and mentally. They also had long talks with me about having to pick up my game, and also about being so mentally strong that I can't break when things don't go my way. When I was at the Eddie Herr, unfortunately neither could make it to the finals, but I knew that they were there even if they weren't. However, in the Orange Bowl, I was lucky enough to have Andy with me in the Semifinals and Finals. I might have been nervous to start those two matches, but Andy sort of calmed me down with his positive attitude towards me. Harold and I are like best friends on and off the court. I think I can come to Harold and talk about anything. That is a bond that I have established with him and I wouldn't give it up for anything. Andy and I have had a tough time establishing that bond, but little by little, we have come to understand and know one another to finally be able to work with one another. I am a very lucky girl to be at this academy and training with two of the greatest coaches that I have ever trained with. I owe a lot of my success to them, but both of them agree with me that there is more to come, and we need to keep working as hard as we can to achieve those long term goals.

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches' Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: The Transformation of a Junior

This edition of the Coaches Q and A is a particularly fascinating look, by Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the recent success of HSTI student Monica Puig. Solomon pulls no punches in describing what Puig came to them with, what parts of her game needed revamping and how the changes have led to impressive results in the past months. If you are looking for bland generalities, you won't find them below.

Harold Solomon:

We have a student at our Institute, Monica Puig, who has really come in to her own recently, having reached the finals of both the Eddie Herr and the Orange Bowl 14s. We thought it might be interesting for many of you to see the process that she has been going through since she arrived here 18 months ago.

Assessment
When Monica first arrived, we did an assessment of her technical, mental and physical skills. It was immediately evident that she possessed an uncanny ability to hit the ball very hard and accurately for a girl that was very average physically. We knew that for Monica to be successful we would have to build upon her ball striking ability and work with her to develop other areas that would compliment her aggressive style.
We determined that she would have to improve her strength, conditioning and speed by at least 70% over where it was when she arrived.

Getting to Work
To help her achieve those improvements, Monica began working privately for an additional hour and a half a day with our conditioning coach Jim Hartt, in addition to the four hours of tennis she was playing 5 and a half days a week. We helped her learn when it was appropriate to use open, semi-open and closed stances on the court. We spent a great deal of time with her developing her recovery skills and her ball recognition skills on the court. We changed the grip on her serve, volley, and overhead to a more conventional continental grip, and we changed her forehand from a western to a semi-western grip.

The Game Style
We determined that Monica's style of play would be an aggressive baseliner who had the ability to dominate the mid-court area and felt comfortable finishing off points at the net. To that end we have spent hour after hour working on Monica's volley, shortening the swing off the forehand, getting the wrist in the right position on the backhand and teaching her how to move and position herself at the net. Her overhead was a mess, mostly because she wouldn't move her feet to get in position for the ball, she wouldn't use her legs, and her preparation was extremely late.

Developing the Serve
We also saw a huge need for improvement in Monica's serve, both first and second, but we felt that her serve could end up being a big weapon for her in the future. Andy shortened her swing, worked with her to improve the accuracy of her toss and got her to use her legs in order to jump into the court. We have been working with her to understand the importance of moving her serve around and changing the spin and pace of her delivery. Andy also helped her develop a very impressive kick second serve after hitting thousands and thousands of serves. We saw a need for vast improvements in Monica's defensive skills, most notably the development of a slice backhand and the ability to neutralize points when pushed off the court by using high heavy balls. Recently we have been working on Monica's ability to add drop shots to her game in order to keep her opponents off balance.

The Mental Side
We knew Monica had a lot of work to do mentally. When she first arrived, she couldn't take a "push," meaning that we couldn't push her past her comfort zone to get the job done. We have spent countless hours with Monica talking to her about developing the attitude and character of a "champion" and being clear with her about what we thought it was going to take for her to develop the discipline necessary to achieve her goals. Every morning before the other students arrived, we would talk to Monica about starting to take responsibility for herself, which she has now started to do. When she first arrived I don't think Monica recognized that she was a thinker, that she was responsible for her thoughts and her attitude both on and off the court. Monica now knows that she needs to be the problem solver on the court, not the problem; she recognizes that there is no room for "drama queens" at the highest levels of tennis. In the past, Monica had a tendency to play very up and down tennis; although she still has lapses, we have constantly been working with her mentally to stay focused and on task throughout the entire match.

The Future
Monica realizes that she is just starting up the ladder to becoming a successful tennis professional. It hasn't been easy and there have been quite a few ups and downs along the way. She is an extremely hard worker, she has become more self-confident due to all of her hard work and her successes. So far her achievements have made her mentally stronger and more determined to achieve her goals. Who knows what the future holds for Monica; we think she can be a top player one day if she stays on the path she has chosen, but there are no guarantees. We hope this helps some of you see part of the process of developing a successful tennis career. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches' Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: How do you suggest dealing with an opponent who continually cheats?

Nick Bollettieri has written a two-part series (the second installment will be published soon at The Tennis Recruiting Network) called "Beat the Cheat." It's a topic that concerns every single junior tennis player, so Andy Brandi of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida was asked to address the issue in this edition of Coaches A & A.
Today's question: What do you suggest a junior player do when the opponent continually cheats? What do we do at our institute when this happens?
Andy Brandi responds:

Cheating is an act of dishonesty. Many times this act comes from pressure to win either from the player himself or the people that surround him.

When this occurs in a tournament, the USTA has rules in place to deal with these circumstances. In fact, there is a system in place that will suspend players when they accumulate enough suspension points. The problem arises when there are not enough officials at tournaments to monitor this kind of behavior.

If you experience cheating during a match, call for an official and ask them to stand and watch the match. In most cases the cheater will not make bad calls with the official present. Sometimes the person makes such bad line calls that even with an official present and watching, they try to cheat. The rules are such that an official, after correcting a certain number of calls, will start giving point penalties for overrules. The sad thing is that most cheating happens at the most crucial times of the match. In most cases the officials are not around when it occurs. The bottom line is that players must learn to deal with it and play on! You must keep your composure. Take the cheating as an incentive to win the match! Not only is the opponent trying to cheat, he or she is trying to get you upset and out of the match.

Another alternative is to ask for an umpire to monitor your match before you go on court when you play someone who is known to give bad calls.

Whenever we experience this kind of behavior with one of our students, we address it right away. We speak to the student and make them aware of the common occurrence of their bad calls.

If it persists, we discuss it with the student and the parents.

When it happens during our practice matches, we make the correction on the spot. We want the player to know that cheating is not allowed. We will put them on the spot even if we are watching them play in a tournament; they know we will overrule their call!

Other coaches and parents should follow this rule when they see their son or daughter make bad calls on a consistent basis. They need to recognize there is a problem and it needs to be addressed!

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches' Q and A in the subject line.


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Coaches Q and A: What's The Most Important Lesson for a Junior to Learn?

This is the new year's first installment of a continuing feature on zootennis which taps the professional expertise of Andy Brandi and Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Today's question: What's the most important lesson for a junior to learn?
Harold Solomon responds:

I think the most important lesson for juniors to learn is that there are no miracles that will enable them to reach their goals. Developing your skills as a tennis player is a step-by-step learning process. Each learned skill allows for the student to take the next step on the learning ladder. Students need to be committed to learning the entire set of basic technical, physical, and mental skills which will provide the foundation for their future growth and development.

Being open to "not knowing" is a key in this learning process. So many students pride themselves on already knowing everything; in fact, they have been rewarded for how much they know or think they know that they lose the benefit of not knowing, of being inquisitive, of being open to new information.

What this really boils down to is the kind of attitude that the student is willing to develop for themselves. In order for a player to be successful at the college or professional level they have to be committed to totally reinventing themselves on a constant basis. What worked in 12-and-unders is not sufficient for being successful in 16-and-unders; what worked in the 18s will not produce the results at the professional level.

Life is about learning, tennis is about learning, it's a lifelong never-ending process that if we can learn to embrace will serve us in all areas of our lives.

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches Q and A in the subject line. The next question, sent in by a reader, will address the issue of cheating.

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Coaches Q and A: The Need for Independent Thinking

While I was in Florida, I had an opportunity to stop by the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and to meet Andy Brandi and Harold Solomon, who are now regular contributors to zootennis in this Coaches Q and A forum. There may be a finite number of issues to address when it comes to junior and collegiate tennis, but I don't think we've even begun to scratch the surface.
Today's issue: Independent thinking and its role in grooming great players.
Andy Brandi explains:

At the age of 18, Arthur Ashe explained to me what a good tennis player was. In his words, ”a good player is a player who, on a bad day, finds a way to win”.

As coaches, how do we teach our students to give themselves the best chance to compete for each match? How do we make our students good thinkers and problem solvers? How do we teach them that they do not have to play their best at all times?

One thing that we must do is to make them independent thinkers. Too many times we incapacitate them by doing the dirty work for them. Let them take care of getting the rackets strung. They can arrange for warm ups in tournaments. They can carry their own racket bag! We need to be helpful yet give them room to grow, develop and mature as players and as individuals.

Often parents ask what we can do as coaches to help players reach their full potential. It is not so much what we can do for them but what they can do for themselves. First, we must give them good information and support. Second, we must make them understand that they are responsible and accountable for what happens out there. Third, they must make their own decisions and lastly, that they play for themselves and we must be positive with them.

Many times we are concerned about results too early. Tennis is like a marathon. Players struggle before they succeed. We have to give them chances to fail and learn for the future. Many players who are successful at 12 cannot compete at 18. The first meaningful benchmark is around ages 16-17-18. They will learn more from a loss!

My brother Joe, who traveled with Pete Sampras in his younger days, would give him a plan A or B for matches. He would tell him not to look over after every point. He wanted Pete to learn to be out there on his own and make the decisions he felt were right. This gave him confidence as a person and player. He also took him to Europe to play on clay where he took his lumps, but that September, he won the US Open!

By teaching them to compete and love the battle, they will feel comfortable and confident that they can compete under any circumstances and give themselves a good chance to win.

All this will happen if they become self sufficient and independent thinkers.

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches' Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: Dealing with Nerves

This is the fourth installment of a new feature on zootennis that taps the professional expertise of Andy Brandi and Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Today's question from a zootennis reader: Our son is a junior tournament player. Whenever he plays National level tournaments, or a player he knows is ranked higher than him, his “nerves” get to him; he will get up in a set, and then end up losing the match. What advice could you give him to help get though these situations, and to help him win? Thanks.

Harold Solomon responds:

Your son's problem is quite a common one from the juniors up to and including the top professionals in the world. Most players think that they get into trouble when they get ahead in a match because they start to think too much. The truth is that they fail to think effectively. Many players, if they are honest, will tell you that when up in a big match or serving for the match, they have thoughts such as: "what will this win will do for my ranking?" or "who will I be playing in the next round?" In other words, they are totally getting out of the moment. Up until the point in the match when they think victory is in their grasp, they have probably been doing a pretty good job of thinking strategically and have been totally engaged in what's working and what's not working on the court.

It takes a great deal of discipline to be an effective regulator of your thoughts. I would say that everybody has thoughts during crucial times in matches that are off track; I think that the champions have trained themselves to chose thinking that supports being successful. For many players, it helps them to make sure that they continue to use their on-court rituals before and after every point. I used to tell myself to "hit the ball" at big moments in matches because I knew that most of the time players that were ranked above me were not going to give me the match, I was going to have to earn it. We tell our players at big moments in matches to focus on what has been working and to play the ball and focus their attention on the ball. I found in my matches that if I totally focused on the ball almost to the point that I was trying to read the writing on it, it helped me stay in the present.

There are no secrets that we know of to avoid choking. Everyone gets nervous; we think that the players who are successful are able to deal with their nerves knowing that nervousness comes from the way we think about things. We have the ability at any time to choose the thoughts that work or don't work for us, it's our choice.

Do you have a question for Andy or Harold? If so, please send it to clewis[at]zootennis[dot]com with the phrase Coaches' Q and A in the subject line.

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Coaches Q and A: The College Choice

This is the third installment of a new feature on zootennis that taps the professional expertise of Andy Brandi and Harold Solomon of the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Today's question: Should I choose a university for the team or the lineup? Brandi, a two-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association Coach of the Year, responds:

Deciding where to go to college is a tough decision and many factors need to be weighed in making it. Should a player attend a university based on the strength of the team or should they go where they will be in the lineup in every dual match?

Some factors in making the final decision are:

• the coach
• academic counseling
• athletic department
• the facilities
• size of the school
• size of the campus
• dorms
• weather
• academics
• school location
• teammates
• team chemistry
• competition in the conference
• school’s dual match schedule
• fall tournament schedule
• and of course, whether you will be able to play in the lineup as a freshman.

During my 17 years as the women’s coach at the University of Florida, I had the tough job of juggling great players and giving them adequate playing time. It is important that during college, everyone plays enough matches to continue their development.I n some instances players compete in a total of 40-60 matches a year between the fall and spring schedules.
So the question is: do I go for the team or do I go where I know I will play in every match?

The best would be a mix of both. If the team is good then you will have the opportunity to practice every day with players that will challenge you. This will make you better. But if you do not get the opportunity to compete, then your progress would be limited. On the other hand if you play in every match and the daily challenge is not as demanding, then you might not be ready to face tougher opponents.

My suggestion would be to go to a school where the team is very good even if the amount of playing time is limited. It is the coach's job to keep everyone involved and challenged and to look after the development of every player on the team. The coach must be certain that everyone competes in enough matches to keep that competitive edge and to make everyone better, which will then make a very good team! So best of luck in your search!


TAGS: tennis, Colette Lewis, college tennis, junior tennis, Coaches Q and A, Andy Brandi, Harold Solomon

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