| 1. A Difficult Process | | | | what you paid for, with little or no lasting improvement. |
| Finding good tennis instructors and tennis coaches is | | | | Instead, demand a high NTRP level to better assure |
| difficult. The vast majority are former college or high | | | | yourself of more rapid improvement. |
| school players who look reasonably good hitting a ball, | | | | 5. Ranking in the USTA |
| but have little actual teaching experience. | | | | While a higher USTA (United States Tennis |
| Indeed, they've seldom studied basic principles of | | | | Association) player ranking is no guarantee of getting |
| education, read books about proper technique, taken | | | | good tennis lessons, it certainly does help. Tennis |
| courses in the basic principles of teaching progressions | | | | Instructors who have never been ranked, or have |
| and tennis coaching, or attained certification by either | | | | never even competed for a USTA ranking, should be |
| the PTR (Pro Tennis Registry) or USPTA (US Pro | | | | avoided. |
| Tennis Association). | | | | Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors about |
| Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors their | | | | their current and/or past rankings: The higher, the |
| NTRP rating, if they are nationally certified (which | | | | better. |
| association and level: low, medium, or high), whether | | | | 6. Years and Kind of Experience |
| they have ever been ranked highly in the USTA, the | | | | There's no substitute for experience. But, tennis |
| number of years they have been teaching | | | | teaching experience can be gained in a variety of |
| professionally, the ages and levels of the students they | | | | settings. These include year-round indoor and outdoor |
| have taught, the types of locations at which they have | | | | facilities, as well as outdoor summer-only institutions |
| taught (year-round indoor centers vs. part-time outdoor | | | | such as adult and junior camps, recreation department |
| summer camps), and which notable authors they have | | | | programs, and country clubs. The tennis teaching |
| read. | | | | experience a Tennis Instructor gains at a summer kids' |
| And, while you're talking to your potential Tennis | | | | camp is greatly inferior to that gained at a year-round |
| Coaches, try to gain an understanding of their level of | | | | club. This impacts directly on the quality of your tennis |
| professionalism, dedication, level of maturity, type of | | | | lessons. |
| personality (personable; gregarious), and their ability to | | | | Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors exactly |
| communicate clearly and effectively. | | | | where they have gained their experience. |
| 2. Expect RAPID Results | | | | 7. Experience Teaching Different |
| You're paying good money to take tennis lessons, and | | | | Ages, Levels, and Groups: Different ages and levels |
| you've got a right to expect good results soon. If you | | | | require different approaches and techniques when it |
| have difficulty understanding your Tennis Teachers | | | | comes to tennis instruction. |
| during your tennis lessons and have been progressing | | | | If your potential Tennis Instructor has spent the bulk of |
| slowly, stop crossing your fingers hoping you'll one day | | | | his/her time teaching children, he/she will be |
| have a magical epiphany and suddenly improve. | | | | hard-pressed to provide proper tennis instruction to |
| Instead, demand results NOW while you're on-court, | | | | you as an adult. The skills required to teach privately to |
| and not at some later time. If your Tennis Teachers | | | | a single person are very different and more |
| are truly worth their grain of salt, you'll start improving | | | | demanding than teaching a group. |
| with your very first tennis lesson, and will continue to | | | | Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors how |
| improve with each successive tennis lesson. | | | | much time they have spent teaching people of your |
| A good Tennis Teacher is absolutely worth the price. | | | | own age and level, as well as whether they have |
| A poor Tennis Teacher simply waists your time and | | | | taught group and private lessons. |
| money. | | | | 8. Expert Knowledge of Proper Technique |
| 3. National Certification | | | | Knowledge is critical, and a great Tennis Instructor |
| While certification does not guarantee a GREAT | | | | gains it only from the great effort he/she has made to |
| Tennis Coach, it certainly guarantees a reasonable | | | | educate himself/herself. He/she needs to have read a |
| minimum level of expertise. It's unfortunate, but the vast | | | | large quantity and variety of tennis instruction books, |
| majority of Tennis Coaches are unable to measure up | | | | viewed a sufficient number of instructional videos, and |
| to this requirement. | | | | attended many salient courses and workshops on |
| Always ask your potential Tennis Instructors and | | | | proper stroke technique. There are no short-cuts. |
| Tennis Coaches if they are nationally certified, and to | | | | Always ask your potential Tennis Instructor how he |
| which level. | | | | she has gained his/her knowledge. |
| The PTR and the USPTA are the only two | | | | 9. Communication Ability |
| well-respected, USTA-sanctioned, certifying bodies in | | | | Regardless of the depth of your Tennis Coach's |
| the USA, and both have been certifying Tennis | | | | knowledge of proper technique, this information is |
| Coaches for almost 35 years. They certify Tennis | | | | useless if he/she is unable to communicate it to you |
| Instructors to essentially three ascending tennis | | | | clearly and concisely. |
| coaching levels (low; medium; high). | | | | When you speak with your potential Tennis Instructor, |
| Good Tennis Coaches always work and study hard to | | | | always listen to the manner in which he/she |
| periodically retest and elevate their certification to the | | | | expresses him/herself. If you are unable to clearly |
| highest level. | | | | understand him/her during your initial discovery process, |
| 4. NTRP Level | | | | chances are you will be just as bewildered while on |
| It's simply impossible for a Tennis Teacher to teach | | | | court. |
| you to do something he/she can not already do him | | | | 10. Personality |
| herself, regardless of what he/she might think or claim. | | | | Although Personality is presented here last, it is by no |
| So, if a Tennis Teacher only has an NTRP of 4.0, he | | | | means less important than the other considerations. |
| she can not teach you to play at NTRP 4.5 or higher. If | | | | Indeed, a personable, gregarious, punctual, reliable, |
| you happen to improve beyond your Tennis Teachers | | | | mature professional who is also upbeat, encouraging, |
| NTRP level, it is solely due to your own abilities, not | | | | enthusiastic, and animated makes for a fun time on the |
| your Tennis Teacher's. | | | | court. |
| Always ask your potential Tennis Teachers their | | | | When you have your initial conversation to discuss |
| NTRP level. It is ill-advised to settle for a lower NTRP | | | | tennis lessons, always remember to look for these |
| level for the sake of a lower price. You will only get | | | | inviting traits. |