Give your players your undivided attention. Listen carefully to them. If you listen closely enough, they will tell you what they want.

Put your cell phone down. Don’t answer it. Don’t check it. Unless you are taking approved video of a player, needing emergency medical treatment for you or one of your players, keep the cell phone in your pocket.

“Stay in your Lane.” Understand the tennis skill sets you possess and don’t. If you are a certified by the USPTA or PTR, make sure your players know that. Your valuable education is their education. If you have no tennis education, get some. The USTA has many online videos that can help you. The USPTA and PTR have entry level certifications designed for high school coaches.

Important!! Have a teaching philosophy. Don’t have one? Develop one. Footwork, fitness, stroke production, etc. Pick one and build your players around it. It serves as a great focus point to your player development. Mine is footwork and positioning. It has never failed me.

Make sure you have all the tools you will need on the court. Tennis balls, drop down lines, back-up racket, water, targets, cones, etc. Make a checklist and live by it.

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