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Reading the Server

Posted on July 7, 2015 by in Championship Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Championship Tennis.  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloChampionship Tennis Cover

Reading the Server
Anticipatory skills are one of the most important elements in a player’s ability to execute
effective returns of serve. Knowing the intended serve location before the ball is struck
is a serious advantage for the returner. How does it work? Basically, spotting and understanding
those millisecond clues aid the brain’s ability to send the desired motor program
down the nervous system to recruit the appropriate muscles in the appropriate fashion.
Again, this is a learned behavior that requires time and commitment. Exceptions shadow
every rule, but the following sections describe the most frequent serving cues.

Returns of Serve: Watching the Server’s Preparation
While in the ready position, the returner should study the server’s eyes. Servers often unknowingly give away their intentions by staring down their target. The returner should be coy; he can give that corner of the box plenty of space—that is, until the server tosses the ball. Then he should quickly and quietly slide into position to crush the return.

In addition to watching the opponent’s line of sight, the returner should pay attention to any other possible “tells.” In Andre Agassi’s autobiography, Open, he shares a story that illustrates this point. When returning Boris Becker’s massive serve, Agassi noticed that if “Boom Boom” was about to serve to the left side of Agassi’s service box, Becker
would stick his tongue out of the left side of his mouth. If he was about to deliver a body serve, his tongue would point straight out the center of his mouth. Before each serve to the right side of the box—you guessed it—Becker would stick his tongue out of the right side of his mouth. Agassi could anticipate the intended serve and jump all over it.

Anticipatory skills are one of the most important elements in a player’s ability to execute effective returns of serve. Knowing the intended serve location before the ball is struck is a serious advantage for the returner. How does it work? Basically, spotting and understanding those millisecond clues aid the brain’s ability to send the desired motor program down the nervous system to recruit the appropriate muscles in the appropriate fashion. Again, this is a learned behavior that requires time and commitment. Exceptions shadow every rule, but the following sections describe the most frequent serving cues. (For more info- Championship Tennis)

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Playing Styles

Posted on July 5, 2015 by in Championship Tennis, Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from Championship Tennis (Available at Human Kinetics , Amazon,etc.).  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloFrank Giampaolo

Playing Styles

Once players are fully attuned to their personality, body type, and athletic foundation,
they can more effectively adapt their playing style. Having an innate stylistic preference
leads to numerous advantages. The advantages include the following:
• The knowledge to hire coaches and trainers who possess personalities best suited
to accelerate his/her learning curve;
• The confidence that comes with knowing exactly how she/he performs best;
• The ability to lure opponents out of their preferred style and force them to play
out of their comfort zones;
• The ability to impose his/her best style, strategies, and tactics on the most important points;
• The improved  ability to reach his.her goal of mastering a minimum of three playing
styles—called A, B, and C game plans—which adds depth and variation to the
player’s game; and
• The opportunity to select a stylistically complementary doubles partner to help form a winning
team.
Though there are subtle variations, six basic playing styles are seen in tennis:

  1. Net Rusher
  2. All-Court Player
  3. Baseline Counter-Puncher Player
  4. Aggressive Baseliner Player
  5. Retriever Player
  6. Finesse Player

Do you know what your preferred playing style?

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
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Learn Watching Wimbledon

Posted on July 2, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloFrank Giampaolo

Watching Tennis on Tv

It is time to revisit my post on learning from the professionals.  Tennis on TV represents a great learning opportunity – watch the professionals with a purpose and improve your game:

Watch One Player’s Feet

Most Pros take 10 steps for every 3 steps a ranked junior takes. Have your child simply watch the player’s shoes.

Watch Between Point Rituals

They often appear to be looking at their strings while they use internal vision. Pros control their emotions and spot tendencies. This means they pay attention to how points are being won and lost.

Spot Offense-Neutral-Defense Situations

Shot Selection Way before the incoming ball reaches the net; a pro has chosen the next appropriate shot selection. Call out the correct choice as a Pro prepares to strike. If you can spot the appropriate selection with a Pro, spotting your opponents next shot will become easier.

Spot This Typical Mistake: “Change the Angle …Lose the Point”

Changing the angle is encouraged when you are inside the court. It is discouraged when you are behind the baseline. Watch for appropriate angle changing and inappropriate angle changing attempts. Even top pros often miss when they attempt a down the line screamer from way behind the court!

Spot Styles of Play

Who’s the hard hitting baseliner? Who’s the counter puncher retriever? Is there an all-court net rusher? Spotting the opponents style is the first step to devising patterns and controlling a match. If your child can spot a pros style of play, my bet is they’ll be terrific at spotting their next opponents style of play!

Spot Proactive Patterns

Pros do not simply react. They run one-two punch patterns. Can your child spot them? Ask them to point our serving patterns, return patterns, rally or net rushing shot sequences.

Spot Secondary Shots

Pros do not just have a forehand, a backhand, a serve and a volley. They have a whole “Tool Belt” full of secondary shots and they know when to activate them. Can your child spot a swing volley, a short angle/side door building shot?

Watch for Open versus Closed Stance Ground Strokes

Call out “open” and “closed” when you spot a Pro choose the appropriate stance. Understanding when and why you need them both is an important tool.

Chart Errors to Winners

Having a great understanding of where your winners and errors are coming from, as well as your opponent’s winners and errors may prove to be the deciding factor if your next match goes into a tie breaker! Actually charting a pro will lead to comprehending the importance of limiting errors.

FUN FACT: Top professionals often generate 5 unforced errors a match and 30 winners. Juniors generate just the opposite!

Court Positioning Chart

Chart a pro’s winning percentage while they stay behind the baseline versus their winning percentage while going inside the court. Often, juniors think they are better from behind the baseline. After charting a match, they find their winning percentage is actually better from inside the court. Watching tennis on TV can be a wonderful learning experience. It will secretly lead to improving your child’s mental and emotional performance on the court.

Thanks Frank

 

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Short-Angle (Side-Door) Groundstrokes

Posted on July 1, 2015 by in Championship Tennis, Primary and Secondary Strokes

The following post is an excerpt from Championship Tennis.  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloChampionship Tennis Cover

Short-Angle (Side-Door) 

In a tennis match, most players prefer hitting hard to running hard. A short-angle, or side-door, shot is a terrific short-ball option that forces opponents to produce shots from an uncomfortable position. Instead of crushing the ball back, a player creates a short angle and demands movement, fitness, and agility from the opponent. Like any undeveloped tool, this is a risky option if attempted without training and repetition. When executed properly,
however, it results in taking opponents’ legs out from under them (wearing them out), putting opponents on the extreme defensive, or even giving the player an outright winner.
Unlike the high looper, the target window over the net for this shot is typically lower than on a standard drive. Because this is a cross-court shot, the ball travels mostly over the middle, or lowest part, of the net. Adding extra spin, especially topspin helps bring the ball down quickly into the court, and the resulting bounce can drag the
opponent even farther outside the court.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Practice Smart

Posted on June 30, 2015 by in Championship Tennis, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from Championship Tennis.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

 

 

“Practice in the manner in which you are expected to perform.”

Players wanting to maximize potential at the quickest rate are practicing in the manner in which they are expected to perform.Frank Giampaolo

Here’s a common scenario: John takes a lesson on Friday with his local teaching pro. The pro feeds every ball right to John’s primary strike zone. After a half hour of hitting these perfectly placed balls, John thinks, Forget the club tournament tomorrow—I’m going pro! John leaves the lesson feeling great about his game. The next day, he draws a moonball pusher in the first round of the tournament. The opponent plays at two speeds: slow and slower. He also hits with a higher trajectory than John is accustomed to, forcing John to hit at head level all match long. Not surprisingly, John goes down in flames. After the match, he thinks, I don’t get it. I was on fire yesterday. I’m great in practice, but I stink in a real match. The moral of this story? Players must practice in the manner in which they are
expected to perform. This is why some players feel good about themselves during lessons but seldom improve. Accelerated learning means practicing shots in those pesky secondary strike zones so that they’re second nature during competition.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Serving Myths

Posted on June 28, 2015 by in Championship Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Championship Tennis.  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloChampionship Tennis Cover

Serving Myths

In addition to involving the most varied technique, the serve also invites the most interpretations on how it should be performed. Although certain parts of the motion can be
debated (e.g., pinpoint versus platform stance), there are some popular teaching points
that time has proven to be dated or inaccurate.

Here are a Few Serving Myths: 

  • Toss high and you’ll have more time. Studies using slow-motion cameras have
    determined that a ball tossed 6 feet (183 cm) higher than the top of an outstretched
    racket head passes through the hitting zone of the service swing 20 times faster than a
    ball tossed around the peak of a server’s reach. If the player tosses lower, the ball sits in
    the hitting zone longer.
  • Scratch your back on the back-swing. As the racket head passes between the dominant
    hitting hand and the server’s head, the uncoiling inertia of the body’s kinetic chain
    actually throws the racket away from the back, or the center of the axis. This desired
    centrifugal force doesn’t allow for a muscle contraction, which would pull the racket
    head down to accommodate a back-scratching position.
  • Hit down on a serve. Remember Artis Gilmore from earlier in the chapter? He was
    7-foot-2 and still too short to hit down on a serve. So unless the player is about 8 feet tall
    (according to our serve study at the Vic Braden Tennis College), it is in his best interest
    to hit up and out while serving.
  • Bend your knees for great power. Though it can be important to the rhythm of the
    server’s motion, knee bend supplies the least amount of racket head speed for the serve.
    Instead, the player should focus on fluid, liquid power and hand speed.
  • There’s an ideal service motion. One of the most talked about myths in this book
    is that there is one best way to hit a tennis ball. In fact, customization and personal
    preferences play a critical role in a player’s ability to advance to the highest levels of play.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Doubles Part 2

Posted on June 26, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

DOUBLES- PART 2

Question: My son is on the court working on his strokes five days a week. He practices more than most kids ranked above him at the club. My question is why are doubles so hard for him?

Answer: Winning doubles consist primarily of serving, returning and secondary strokes. In fact, with high school age boys, the doubles points last an average of 3 hits. That is a serve, a return and maybe a volley. Practice in the method in which you are expected to perform. To be great in doubles, spend at least one day a week on serving, return of serve and transition volleys.

 

Question: When should a net player look to poach in modern tennis?

Answer: There are 3 basic poaching opportunities. Poaching as well as “fake” poaching is a critical element in keeping the opponents uncomfortable. Emphasize that poaching is tons of fun! Reward your child every time they attempt a poach.

FUN FACT: Often the poaching player draws errors and wins points without ever touching the ball. Visual distraction is an important element in competitive tennis. If your child needs to poach more, they should look for an opponent who is vulnerable. This could be a vulnerable court position or strike zone at contact.

SPECIAL NOTE: The primary strike zone is waist level. An opponent striking a ball around their shoe laces or leaning back to strike a ball above their shoulders puts them in a vulnerable position. So…poach!

Here are the three most common times to poach:

(For the below example, A= Server; B= Servers Partner; C= Return of Server; D=Return of Server’s Partner.)

1.) A serves to C’s backhand= B is poaching.

2.) A serves & volleys, C returns at the feet of A= D poaches.

3.) A and C are in a baseline exchange, B or D spots a vulnerable strike zone, body language or court position from the opponent= poach.

 

Question: How are doubles different than singles?

Answer: The only true similarity is that both games are played on the same of court. Here is how we break down the differences:

  • Different “secondary” technical strokes are called upon more often
  • Different tactical patterns are used in different formation
  • Different movement is required
  • Different communication and anticipatory skills are required

SPECIAL NOTE: Plan on training doubles and/or playing doubles a minimum of one day a week.

 

Question: My daughter doesn’t like to volley. Can she still win at doubles?

Answer: You bet! At least up to a certain level. Her first step in playing doubles without attacking the net is to choose a partner that’s ok with this fact. Second, she’ll need to choose a system of doubles that exposes her strengths and hides her weaknesses.

The four common systems we see on the WTA pro tour are:

1.) Both players rush the net

2.) One up and one back

3.) Double back

4.)”I” Formation

FUN FACT: The most vulnerable system in doubles is one-up- one-back. The most common system played around the world? One up one back!

 

Question: Our high school coach says don’t ever look back at your partner’s ground strokes, yet I see pro’s doing it. Which is right?

Answer: In my opinion, slightly using your peripheral vision to quickly detect the quality of your partners shot is a huge advantage. Picking up visual and audible clues as soon as possible is a major part of the evolution of the game. Pros make their living by picking up these clues and moving before the opponent even makes contact with their shot. Anticipatory speed is a learned behavior.

FACT: Let’s say you are at the net, only looking forward. Your partner is in trouble hitting a vulnerable, lunging floater. Well, your partner knows your dead, both opponents know your dead…Guess who does not know you’re dead? …You!

 

Question: My son and his partner serve 120 mph and can rip the ball. They are super aggressive, yet they lose in doubles to less talented players. What are they doing wrong?

Answer: Being aggressive in doubles is critical. Offense, unfortunately, is more than just hitting hard. Ask your son to look into the other sides of offense.

  • Time management: Taking away time with aggressive positioning.
  • Changing the angle of the ball versus just crushing it.
  • Applying building shots: These are essential in forcing the opponent into vulnerable strike zones and positions.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Are doubles really that important anymore?

Posted on June 25, 2015 by in Tennis Specific Training

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Is the game of doubles really that important anymore?

If tennis is known as the sport of a life -time, the most popular form of tennis has to be doubles!

In Southern California, doubles can be found in the 10 and under events, all the way up to the 90 and over division. Our children will be enjoying the game of doubles way after their competitive career is over. A common thread found in senior tennis, recreational tennis, junior club teams, high school ball or even college tennis are doubles.

FUN FACT: A top woman’s college coach said this about recruiting players. “In college tennis, doubles is so important, I’d much rather have a top 40 ranked player in singles with a top 30 doubles ranking any day than a top 10 singles player who has avoided playing doubles throughout their junior career.”

The USTA made a critical decision a few years back- combining the singles and doubles rankings into the national ranking system. This means that here in the U.S., a player’s doubles results are an important addition to their overall National Ranking. (The rankings formula includes doubles ranking as a percentage in the overall ranking calculation- singles and doubles are not weighted equally. For more information:http://www.usta.com/YouthTennis/JuniorCompetition/Ranking/#Calculating%20Standings%20&%20Rankings )

On a monthly basis, 20 percent of the questions I now receive are doubles related questions. Below, I have 4 common questions along with answers and solutions:

 

Question: What do we look for when picking a partner?

Answer: There are a few essential elements that make a winning combination: Chemistry! Can they laugh and have fun winning or losing.

  • Seek a partner that compliments their style. It is often called: The Hammer & Wedge System. If you are a hammer…seek a wedge.
  • Possess a common understanding of the nuances of doubles.
  • Pick someone better than you.

I recommend going out to lunch and “talk shop”. See if the basic personalities of all parties “gel.” Some parent/coaches will only allow their child to play one style on all points regardless of the situation. This could prove disastrous. (The pro’s on tour rotate their formations.) Next, play at least 2 practice matches together before committing to an event.

 

Question: My son is shy. He knows he should communicate to his partner during the match, but does not know what to say. What’s your advice?

Answer: Doubles communication is critical in avoiding let downs and dissecting opponents. It is also important that team is synchronized; working as one. Here are some very important strategic issues that your son can use to communicate with his partner:

  • The opponent’s technical strokes, strengths and weaknesses.
  • The opponent’s favorite tactics and patterns that he has spotted.
  • Identify the opponent’s system of play and their likes and dislikes.
  • Investigate the opponent’s focus, intensity or lack of intensity.
  • How to expose your team’s strengths and hide your weaknesses.
  • Nonverbal communication is also very important. Facial expressions, body language or even tone of voice is detectable.

SPECIAL NOTE: Between points and during change-over is when constant communication occurs. On the Pro tour, doubles partners communicate an average of 80 times a match.

 

Question: My 12 year old daughter is scared of doubles. She says it’s confusing. Can you point her in the right direction?

Answer: Promote that doubles is a blast! Its team tennis, so she’s not out there all alone. Take her to watch high school tennis matches or better yet, college ball. As you watch doubles, begin explaining the role of each position in doubles. There are unique job descriptions, patterns, positions, and tactical options in each one.

She will need to develop the tactical options for all four of these positions:

1.)  The Server

2.)  The Server’s Partner

3.)  The Return of Server

4.) The Returner’s Partner

 

Question: My daughter will not go to the net because she says she just gets lobbed. What is she doing wrong?

Answer: Often in juniors, we see players attack the net and place their volley’s back deep, right to the baseline opponent. This gives the baseline opponent plenty of time to lob.

Here’s a question. Which opponent doesn’t have reaction time? Is it the opposing net player or the opposing baseliner? The opposing net player is vulnerable and they can’t lob effectively from that court position.

FUN FACT: The basic rule is hit long to long and short to short. That means if your daughter is back, hit to the opposing back court opponent. If your daughter is at the net, juice the opposing net girl!

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Brain and Body Type

Posted on June 24, 2015 by in Customized Organizational Plan, Maximizing Tennis Potential, Personality Profile/Learning Preference

Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Championship Tennis Cover

To best help your students, you need to understand the mental and physical predisposition of “athletic royalty.” It’s time to get into your player’s world, instead of continually forcing them into yours.

Old-school teaching and coaching requires the student to get into the authority’s training methodology — which disregards the student’s unique brain and body design. This archaic approach produces average athletes at best, and causes gifted athletes to leave the game at worst.

To get into your player’s world, you need to recognize and respect a student’s inborn characteristics, which mean understanding their brain and body types.

Personality Types

To understand brain (and personality) types, we can use the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which has four categories with their opposing profiles.

Introvert vs. Extrovert: Introverts (I) are more comfortable laying back than retaliating. They need alone time to recharge and prefer to be inside their inner world. Extroverts (E) prefer to initiate action. They gain their energy by bringing people together.

Sensate vs. Intuitive: Sensate (S) individuals prefer to collect data and facts before making decisions. Intuitive (N) persons trust their gut instincts and are better quick decision-makers.

Thinkers vs. Feelers: Thinkers (T) make decisions through objective logic and impersonalize the situation. They enjoy the technical components and choose truthful over tactful. Feelers (F) are in tune to the emotional climate of the event and others’ actions; harmony is paramount.

Judgers vs. Perceivers: Judgers (J) prefer structure and like things orderly; they make lists and prefer to work before play. Perceivers (P) are adaptable and flexible; they enjoy experiencing new ideas and methods, rather than agonizing over details.

To help identify your athlete’s personality profile, first try categorizing yourself. Choose your dominant brain functions and write down your four-letter acronym. (While each of us exhibits multiple sides to our personality, we each have a genetically dominant trait.) For example, if you believe you’re an extrovert, intuitive, feeler, perceiver, then you are an ENFP.

Now, sit with your young athlete to brain type him or her. (Be aware that young people sometimes misdiagnose their own personality profile as they may choose characteristics they believe to be more popular.)

Motor Skills

The other part of this puzzle is how body types affect motor skills and athletic potential. The two opposing body types are called “fine-motor-skilled dominant” and “gross-motor-skilled dominant.” We all have a genetic predisposition to one or the other.

Fine-motor-skilled athletes excel from the muscles found from the elbows through the hands and fingers. A common compliment is that the athlete “has good hands.” Gross-motor-skilled athletes prefer the use of the larger muscle groups in the torso, legs and feet, and are known for superior core balance and body coordination.

Raising athletic royalty requires matching your young athlete’s preferred brain type and body type design with the right sport, style of play and/or position. Here’s one example, using two students of mine. Evan and Jarred are 14-year-old twins. They take the same number of private lessons and clinics but their training regimen is polar opposite. Evan is ENFP and fine-motor-skill dominant; Jarred is ISTJ and gross-motor-skill dominant.

Evan, being an extrovert, prefers to make things happen on the court. He often charges the net and ends the point with his volleys (good hands). Jarred is more comfortable assessing and then retaliating — the classic counterpuncher. Being gross-motor-skilled dominant helps Jarred uncoil the larger muscle groups of the kinetic chain — enhancing his textbook groundstrokes.

Teaching each student within their genetic guideline will maximize their potential at the quickest rate. Knowing your student’s genetic makeup and natural strengths and weaknesses helps to avoid the needless frustrations in their development and will better prepare you to assist and encourage them.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
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High Performance Athletics

Posted on June 23, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Fitness training accelerates a player’s physical, mental and emotional performance. When an athlete gets fatigued their movement gets sloppy, their technique is off and unforced errors begin to increase. Poor decision making and negative emotions set in. Often, the actual cause of a child’s emotional breakdown is lack of fitness.

Unfit players do not perform their rituals, they do not spot tendencies and they do not manage their mistakes. Poor physical fitness manifests in mental and emotional breakdowns. For instance, most juniors go for low percentage plays or hasty play options due to the fact that they are too tired to properly execute the appropriate play. So is physical training linked to the mental side of sports? Absolutely!

The Following Training Skills are Essential to High Performance Athletics:

  • Lateral Movement (Side to side)
  • Up & Back Movement (Forward & back)
  • Aerobic Fitness
  • Ability to Accelerate
  • Ability to Decelerate
  • Speed/Agility
  • Stamina
  • Recovery Time between Points/Plays
  • Recovery Time between Matches/Games
  • Strength (Upper body/core/lower body)
  • Body Coordination (Gross motor skills)
  • Hand-Eye Coordination (Fine motor skills)
  • Flexibility/Stretching
  • Anticipatory Speed

Accelerate your child’s game with proper physical training.  High level sports demands high level fitness.  Ignoring training and only focusing on sport specific mechanics will severely limit your child’s potential. I recommend you begin by selecting two or three of your child’s weakest physical skills and begin developing those skills. A stronger fitter player will be more confident and mentally tougher.

FYI: Proper hydration and nutrition is also a critical factor in the physical, mental and emotional links of every competitor. As parents, we have to insist that our players fuel up before battle. Dehydration triggers fatigue, dizziness, headaches and nausea. Improper nutrition lowers the blood sugar levels to the brain. Improper nutrition and hydration guarantees poor decision making skills at crunch time.

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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