Coaching

If you play tennis to win, there is not a level of play that does not involve pressure. In tennis, someone will win and someone will lose. As a player, I felt my best when something was on the line. Money, trophies … pride! I liked playing tons of sets and if that was not an option, then tons of...Read more

Many of us probably know the suffix “-logy” means “the study of.” For example, astrology is the study of stars, neurology is the study of the nervous system, and ideology is the study of ideas. So, what does this have to do with sports? I would like to introduce a new “-logy” into the world, one...Read more

Hello, it’s been a while since we “spoke.” So, I’m giving a lesson the other day and on the adjacent court is another pro (unnamed to protect the guilty) going through the motions … you know what I mean. His charge was a 10-year-old with little hand-eye skills, but even less enthusiasm! This...Read more

Glen Head, N.Y.-based North Shore Country Club has announced the hiring of Spike Gurney as director of tennis. Gurney comes to North Shore with impressive credentials, having served as director of tennis at Palm Beach Country Club in Palm Beach, Fla. for the past 17 years and has also worked at...Read more

Does it feel like winter has dragged on endlessly and spring will never arrive? Do you find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning and get yourself to the club? Are you making up excuses on your way home from work to avoid stopping at the gym? Rest assured, spring is here and summer is sure...Read more

The spoiled child will always grow into the athlete who gives up and throws in the towel at the first sign of pressure or adversity. Here is why. A child who is given everything he or she asks for never learns the important psychological skills of patience, perseverance and determination. Since...Read more

As we all know, no matter our level of skill, tennis is a “mental game” and often won in the head. Anyone who has ever picked up this wonderful, yet sometimes unbelievably frustrating game will know exactly what I’m talking about. Learning a specific stroke or technique and mastering it to its...Read more

The net height on the center of a tennis court is three feet from the ground and slightly higher near the sideline. Cross-court shots are therefore safer because the net is lower in the middle, right? Not so fast. While the net is lower in the center, it is also further away than the sideline net...Read more

One of my very astute tennis buddies once said about me that I love everything about being in tennis tournaments except for playing the matches. Maybe ONE-ON-ONE DOUBLES is finally getting me over that last hurdle, learning to enjoy the competition without being overwhelmed and waylaid by all of...Read more

How many of you take lesson after lesson, hoping to learn the latest technique that will give you the edge? And how many of you read all the key tennis publications, looking to glean one or two valuable instructional tips? Most probably answered “yes” to these questions, but what if you could...Read more