Workshop: Planning the Season

I. Theory of Specificity – – As we get closer to our tournaments (or time of desired peak performance), our practices should more closely resemble a tennis match.

II. Goals of Drills & Practices

A) Technical
B) Tactical
C) Motoric
D) Physiological

1) Conditioning
2) Exercise
3) Changing Dynamic Stereotypes

E) Psychological

1) Match/Mental Toughness
2) Social/Fun

•Don’t violate one when working on another

III. Discuss and Plan Styles of Play

A) Based on Percentages (unforced errors/forced errors/winners)

•Newer Players = defensive, baseline tennis
•Better Players = Forcing Errors
•Advanced = Forcing Errors and Short Balls; Attacking & Winners

B) Based on Technical Ability
(baseliner vs. server and vollyer; strengths vs. weaknesses)

C) Work Backwards

1) Strategies Dictate Tactics
2) Tactics Require Shots and Shot Combinations
3) Shots Require Stroke Mechanics

D) Teach Forcing Tennis

•One-Up, One Back

IV. Planning a Season

A) Pre-Season (Preparation Phase)
1) Technical Work (strokes) — Dead ball drills to Cooperative Drills

•Warmup Drills
•Serve & Return Drills

B) Pre-Competitive Season
1) Shotwork — Cooperative to Competitive Drills

C) Competitive Season
1) Match-play environments

D) Off-season (Transition Phase or Active Rest)
1) Cross-training
2) Technical Work