USHSTA Coaches Workbook Contents

Coaching

Getting Started — New Coaches
Getting Ready for the Season
Planning Your Season – Overview
Planning Your Season – Specifics
Planning Practices
Build Tactics into Practices
Individual Practice Plans
Using Personal Evaluation Forms
Personal Evaluation Form
Making the Cut
What Kind of Coach are You?
Building a Team
Selecting the Right Team Manager
Making Line-Ups
Coaching Boys vs. Girls
Dealing with the “Other” Coach
Feeding Tips for Players & New Coaches
Too Many Players, Too Few Courts
The Dead Ball is Dead
Playing Through Short Balls
Improve Play with Charting
Match Charring Form
What’s Your Rally Speed?
Use Doubles to Improve Singles
Review your End-of-Season Statistics
End-of-Season Stat Chart
Stress for Success
Individualize Practices
Short-Term Goal Work
Off-Season Goal Setting
Improve Your Existing Drills

Strategies & Tactics

Tactical Priorities for High School Players
Practicing Shot Combinations
Singles Strategies for High School Players
Doubles Positioning
Playing “Big” Points
Tactical Use of the First Serve
Serve ‘em Out Wide!
Strategies for Shorter Players
Break Serves to Win Close Doubles Matches
Poaching — Part I (When to Poach)
Tactical Mid-Court Volleys: Singles
Using the Topspin Lob
Defending Against an I Formation
Handling a Two-Back Doubles Formation
Practice Match-Play Patterns

Strokes

Grip Basics
Developing Strokes: Power vs. Placement
The Myth of the Follow Through
Win More Points With Your Feet
Primary vs. Secondary Targets
Swing Easy, Hit Hard
Forehand Quick Fix
Two-Handed or One-Handed Backhand?
Playing Short Balls with Two-Handed Backhands
Slice Approach Shots
Poaching – Part II (How to Poach)
Progressions for the Volley
Serve ‘em “Up”
Beware of Pronation
High Toss or Low Toss?
Serving Tips
Improving a Spin Second Serve
Teaching Girls to Serve
Teaching the Serve and Volley
The Slice Serve
The Slice Serve for the Serve and Volley
Warm Up Your Serve Correctly
More Legs = More Power + More Spin
Groundstroke Corrections

Drills

Second-Ball Passing Shots
Producing & Playing Short Balls
Playing Short Balls
Deep-Ball Rally
Singles Depth & Direction
Taking Balls on the Rise
Slice Approach Drill
Playing Short Balls With a Two-Handed Backhand
Develop Stroke Skills More Quickly
Changing Direction Successfully
Forehand Technique Drill
Inside-Out Forehand
Attacking Return
10 out of 10
Return of Serve Practice for Doubles
Short, Crosscourt Return
Serve & Volley
Grand Slam Series
Doubles as Easy as 1, 2, 3
Four-Player Attack
Smashing Overheads
The Topspin Lob
Trick Shots
Drills For Summer Camps
Control your Volleys
Put Away “Sitter” Volleys
Soft Hands
Poaching on an Angle
Rally Poaching
The Side-Arm Serve
Trifecta
Tactical Mid-Court Volley
Handling Defensive Situations
Hitting Over the Net
Two-Player Attack!
Lateral Movement for Doubles
Amarillo
30-Second Hit and Recover

Mental Toughness

How Choking Affects a Player’s Strokes
Sport Psychology: 25 Crucial Seconds
The Ideal Performance State
Warm-Up Intensity
Anger Management & Self Talk
Own the Warm-Up

Conditioning

Conditioning for Tennis
Spider Drill
Are Your Players Stretching Correctly?
Weight Training and Tennis Players
Is Aerobic Training Appropriate for Tennis?
Treating Sprains
Bringing a Player Back from Injury
Beat the Summer Heat
Keep Cool on the Court
The Dangers of Heat and Humidity

Nutrition

Basic Nutrition for Tennis Players
Protein Diets? Fat Chance!
Spotting Eating Disorders

Miscellaneous Topics

Key Rules for Unofficiated Matches
Rules Quiz
Match Etiquette
Fundraising Techniques
Are Ball Machines & Backboards Obsolete?
The Problem with Hoppers and Ball Machines
The Three “Sweet Spots”
Different Racquet Types
Illegal Equipment
Stringing Basics
What’s in your Bag?
Preparing for College
Can You Major in Tennis?
Mixed Doubles & TeamTennis
Promoting your Programs
Summer Camps That Make Sense
Are your Dual Matches too Long?