I drove through the “Cimarron Pass.” We wanted to get to Telluride, Colorado. We were in Lake City. There were two main roads, one north, one south, that circumvented the considerable mountains. They call them “THE FOURTEENERS” or 14,000 feet up. Four hours each way around.
Usually I’m the cautious one. Margaret’s “spirit” is amazing. I am grateful now for all the times she’s challenged my “timidity.”I looked at my map. There was an obscure line that looked like a road. It was 21 miles long. Twenty minutes instead of four hours.
I asked a local if we could take that road.
“What you driving?”
“A convertible” pointing at the Sebring.
“No way man, four wheel dive jeeps have trouble with that road.”
Why, I didn’t know but to ask an obvious drunk, carrying take-out BBQ, the
same question. “Sure, piece of cake” as he walked out. My guess is he’s still laugh- ing. Wicked Jerk.
Against Margaret’s objection, the most concern I’d witnessed, we took off. I’d show her courage.
Actually about six or eight miles of that road is simply a dirt road. No worse than a thousand a redneck like me has traveled. “The drunk was right, must be some local ‘wussies’ around here.”
“Wrongy—Dongey.”
The road ran out. Hardly a visible path. We were literally riding “through the mountains.” The warm weather was melting the snow. The tires spun in the mud and on the rocks. Rear end bouncing everywhere. Two miles per hour max. Margaret had to stand up in the convertible front seat to spot a route. “A foot left, no, no, back, ouch!” The bottom of the Sebring banged rocks, mud flew everywhere. We pushed it six times. And it was getting dark. We came to a “Y” or what looked like two roads. Which one goes to Silverton, our destination?
We guessed right and to the right. We found out the other road would have taken seven hours. Alone at night with the grizzlies?
Silverton is one of those train ride towns, where you hang over the mountains, wondering if the engineer was still driving. Now, I’m the engineer.
Never been so scared for so long. At twilight, near darkness, we spotted what might be a road, or a sophisticated path. It led to a better road. Then a house. Civilization.
There was a “yuppie” party in full blast. Music, booze, all turned inward from the visible balcony. One guy stood, drink in hand, overlooking the road I was meandering down, top lowered.
He stopped the party! “Damn ya’ll come over here.” The music stopped, the yuppies wandered to the rail.
Quiet now, I heard the guy marvel, “That Son of a Bitch drove that rental through the Cimarron Pass!”
I stuck out my chest, felt like John Wayne, and waved.
When we got about to Silverton my instructions to Margaret were: “We’re stopping at the first motel open. You rent any room at any price.”
When she opened the motel door I went directly to a bed, laid down and thanked God. I didn’t move till morning.
The Sebring was so muddy I felt I had to have it washed. I told the attendant what I’d done and asked if we should examine it underneath?
“Mister, I believe I’d just try to turn this one in, if you can get it back.”
The Little Green Book of Tennis
Harvey Penick’s “Little Red Book of Golf” is one of the best recent examples of coaching a sport. I have patterned my new book on tennis instruction using methods similar to Coach Penick. Drawing from fifty years of teaching and coaching, I share insights from my mentors who helped me craft repeatable techniques for winning. I also share our personal experiences and observations that have proven to be solid advice. Hopefully, you’ll find this book to be succinct and filled with gems for all levels of players and coaches.
TOP TEN RANKED AMERICAN MEN TENNIS PLAYERS — 1960-2013
TOP 10 U.S. MEN’S RANKINGS
1960
1. Barry MacKay
2. Bernard Bartzen
3. Earl Buchholz Jr.
4. Charles McKinley
5. R. Dennis Ralston
6. Jon Douglas
7. Ronald Holmberg
8. Whitney Reed
9. Donald Dell
10. Chris Crawford
1961
1. Whitney Reed
2. Charles McKinley
3. Bernard Bartzen
4. Jon Douglas
5. Donald Dell
6. Frank Froehling III
7. Ronald Holmberg
8. Allen Fox
9. Jack Frost
10. William Bond
1962
1. Charles R. McKinley
2. Frank Froehling III
3. Hamilton Richardson
4. Allen Fox
5. Jon Douglas
6. Whitney R. Reed
7. Donald Dell
8. Eugene Scott
9. Martin Riessen
10. Charles Pasarell
1963
1. Charles R. McKinley
2. R. Dennis Ralston
3. Frank Froehling III
4. Eugene Scott
5. Martin Riessen
6. Arthur Ashe Jr.
7. Hamilton Richardson
8. Allen Fox
9. Tom Edlefsen
10. Charles Pasarell
1964
1. R. Dennis Ralston
2. Charles R. McKinley
3. Arthur Ashe Jr.
4. Frank Froehling III
5. Eugene Scott
6. Ronald Holmberg
7. Hamilton Richardson
8. Allen Fox
9. Clark Graebner
10. Martin Riessen
1965
1. R. Dennis Ralston
2. Arthur Ashe Jr.
3. Cliff Richey
4. Charles R. McKinley
5. Charles Pasarell
6. Hamilton Richardson
7. Mike Belkin
8. Martin Riessen
9. Ronald Holmberg
10. Tom Edlefsen
1966
1. R. Dennis Ralston
2. Arthur Ashe Jr.
3. Clark Graebner
4. Charles Pasarell
5. Cliff Richey
6. Ronald Holmberg
7. Martin Riessen
8. Frank Froehling III
9. E. Victor Seixas Jr.
10. Charles R. McKinley
1967
1. Charles Pasarell
2. Arthur Ashe Jr.
3. Cliff Richey
4. Clark Graebner
5. Martin Riessen
6. Ronald Holmberg
7. Stan Smith
8. Allen Fox
9. Eugene Scott
10. Bob Lutz
1968
1. Arthur Ashe Jr.
2. Clark Graebner
3. Stan Smith
4. Cliff Richey
5. Bob Lutz
6. Ronald Holmberg
7. Charles Pasarell
8. James Osborne
9. James McManus
10. Eugene Scott
1969
1. Stan Smith
2. Arthur Ashe Jr.
3. Cliff Richey
4. Clark Graebner
5. Charles Pasarell
6. Bob Lutz
7. Thomas Edlefsen
8. Roy Barth
9. Jim Osborne
10. Jim McManus
1970
1. Cliff Richey
2. Stan Smith
3. Arthur Ashe Jr.
4. Clark Graebner
5. Bob Lutz
6. Tom Gorman
7. Jim Osborne
8. Jim McManus
9. Barry MacKay
10. Charles Pasarell
1971
1. Stan Smith
2. Cliff Richey
3. Clark Graebner
4. Tom Gorman
5. Jimmy Connors
6. Erik van Dillen
7. Frank Froehling III
8. Roscoe Tanner
9. Alex Olmedo
10. Harold Solomon
1972
1. Stan Smith
2. Tom Gorman
3. Jimmy Connors
4. Richard Stockton
5. Roscoe Tanner
6. Harold Solomon
7. Erik van Dillen
8. Clark Graebner
9. Richard Gonzalez
10. Brian Gottfried
1973
1. Jimmy Connors
1. Stan Smith
3. Arthur Ashe Jr.
4. Tom Gorman
5. Cliff Richey
6. Charles Pasarell
7. Marty Riessen
8. Erik van Dillen
9. Brian Gottfried
10. Bob Lutz
1974
1. Jimmy Connors
2. Stan Smith
3. Marty Riessen
4. Roscoe Tanner
5. Arthur Ashe Jr.
6. Tom Gorman
7. Dick Stockton
8. Harold Solomon
9. Charles Pasarell
10. Jeff Borowiak
1975
1. Arthur Ashe Jr.
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Roscoe Tanner
4. Vitas Gerulaitis
5. Eddie Dibbs
6. Brian Gottfried
7. Harold Solomon
8. Bob Lutz
9. Cliff Richey
10. Dick Stockton
1976
1. Jimmy Connors
2. Eddie Dibbs
3. Arthur Ashe Jr.
4. Harold Solomon
5. Brian Gottfried
6. Roscoe Tanner
7. Dick Stockton
8. Stan Smith
9. Vitas Gerulaitis
10. Bob Lutz
1977
1. Jimmy Connors
2. Brian Gottfried
3. Vitas Gerulaitis
4. Eddie Dibbs
5. Dick Stockton
6. Harold Solomon
7. Stan Smith
8. Roscoe Tanner
9. Bob Lutz
10. John McEnroe
1978
1. Jimmy Connors
2. Vitas Gerulaitis
3. Brian Gottfried
4. Eddie Dibbs
5. John McEnroe
6. Alex Mayer
7. Roscoe Tanner
8. Harold Solomon
9. Arthur Ashe Jr.
10. Dick Stockton
1979
1. John McEnroe
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Roscoe Tanner
4. Vitas Gerulaitis
5. Arthur Ashe Jr.
6. Eddie Dibbs
7. Harold Solomon
8. Peter Fleming
9. Gene Mayer
10. Brian Gottfried
1. John McEnroe
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Gene Mayer
4. Vitas Gerulaitis
5. Harold Solomon
6. Brian Gottfried
7. Eddie Dibbs
8. Roscoe Tanner
9. Eliot Teltscher
10. Stan Smith
1981
1. John McEnroe
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Gene Mayer
4. Brian Teacher
5. Vitas Gerulaitis
6. Eliot Teltscher
7. Roscoe Tanner
8. Brian Gottfried
9. Bill Scanlon
10. Mel Purcell
1982
1. Jimmy Connors
2. John McEnroe
3. Vitas Gerulaitis
4. Gene Mayer
5. Alex Mayer
6. Johan Kriek
7. Eliot Teltscher
8. Brian Teacher
9. Steve Denton
10. Brian Gottfried
1983
1. John McEnroe
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Jimmy Arias
4. Gene Mayer
5. Bill Scanlon
6. Eliot Teltscher
7. Johan Kriek
8. Sandy Mayer
9. Brian Teacher
10. Brian Gottfried
1984
1. John McEnroe
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Johan Kriek
4. Eliot Teltscher
5. Jimmy Arias
6. Aaron Krickstein
7. Vitas Gerulaitis
8. Gene Mayer
9. Brad Gilbert
10. Mark Dickson
1985
1. John McEnroe
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Kevin Curren
4. Tim Mayotte
5. Johan Kriek
6. Paul Annacone
7. Brad Gilbert
8. Eliot Teltscher
9. Scott Davis
10. Greg Holmes
1986
1. Jimmy Connors
2. John McEnroe
3. Brad Gilbert
4. Tim Mayotte
5. Kevin Curren
6. Robert Seguso
7. Aaron Krickstein
8. Johan Kriek
9. David Pate
10. Tim Wilkison
1987
1. Jimmy Connors
2. John McEnroe
3. Tim Mayotte
4. Brad Gilbert
5. David Pate
6. Eliot Teltscher
7. Paul Annacone
8. Jimmy Arias
9. Kevin Curren
10. Andre Agassi
1988
1. Andre Agassi
2. Jimmy Connors
3. John McEnroe
4. Tim Mayotte
5. Aaron Krickstein
6. Kevin Curren
7. Brad Gilbert
8. Michael Chang
9. Robert Seguso
10. Dan Goldie
1989
1. John McEnroe
2. Brad Gilbert
3. Michael Chang
4. Andre Agassi
5. Aaron Krickstein
6. Tim Mayotte
7. Jay Berger
8. Jimmy Connors
9. Kevin Curren
10. Jim Courier
1990
1. Andre Agassi
2. Pete Sampras
3. Brad Gilbert
4. John McEnroe
5. Jay Berger
6. Michael Chang
7. Jim Courier
8. David Wheaton
9. Aaron Krickstein
10. Richey Reneberg
1991
1. Jim Courier
2. Pete Sampras
3. Andre Agassi
4. Michael Chang
5. David Wheaton
6. Derrick Rostagno
7. Jimmy Connors
8. Brad Gilbert
9. John McEnroe
10. Richey Reneberg
1992
1. Jim Courier
2. Pete Sampras
3. Michael Chang
4. Andre Agassi
5. Ivan Lendl
6. John McEnroe
7. Aaron Krickstein
8. MaliVai Washington
9. David Wheaton
10. Richey Reneberg
1993
1. Pete Sampras
2. Jim Courier
3. Andre Agassi
4. Michael Chang
5. Todd Martin
6. MaliVai Washington
7. Ivan Lendl
8. Richey Reneberg
9. Brad Gilbert
10. Aaron Krickstein
1994
1. Pete Sampras
2. Andre Agassi
3. Todd Martin
4. Jim Courier
5. Michael Chang
6. MaliVai Washington
7. Ivan Lendl
8. Richey Reneberg
9. David Wheaton
10. Aaron Krickstein
1995
1. Pete Sampras
2. Andre Agassi
3. Michael Chang
4. Jim Courier
5. Todd Martin
6. MaliVai Washington
7. Patrick McEnroe
8. Richey Reneberg
9. David Wheaton
10. Aaron Krickstein
1996
1. Pete Sampras
2. Michael Chang
3. Andre Agassi
4. Todd Martin
5. MaliVai Washington
6. Jim Courier
7. Richey Reneberg
8. Alex O’Brien
9. Chris Woodruff
10. Vincent Spadea
1997
1. Pete Sampras
2. Michael Chang
3. Jim Courier
4. Chris Woodruff
5. Jeff Tarango
6. Richey Reneberg
7. Todd Martin
8. Vincent Spadea
9. Jonathan Stark
10. Alex O’Brien
1998
1. Pete Sampras
2. Andre Agassi
3. Todd Martin
4. Michael Chang
5. Jan-Michael Gambill
6. Vincent Spadea
7. Jeff Tarango
8. Jim Courier
9. Justin Gimelstob
10. Steve Campbell
1999
1. Andre Agassi
2. Pete Sampras
3. Todd Martin
4. Vincent Spadea
5. Jim Courier
6. Michael Chang
7. Chris Woodruff
8. Jeff Tarango
9. Jan-Michael Gambill
10. Justin Gimelstob
2. Bernard Bartzen
3. Earl Buchholz Jr.
4. Charles McKinley
5. R. Dennis Ralston
6. Jon Douglas
7. Ronald Holmberg
8. Whitney Reed
9. Donald Dell
10. Chris Crawford
1961
1. Whitney Reed
2. Charles McKinley
3. Bernard Bartzen
4. Jon Douglas
5. Donald Dell
6. Frank Froehling III
7. Ronald Holmberg
8. Allen Fox
9. Jack Frost
10. William Bond
1962
1. Charles R. McKinley
2. Frank Froehling III
3. Hamilton Richardson
4. Allen Fox
5. Jon Douglas
6. Whitney R. Reed
7. Donald Dell
8. Eugene Scott
9. Martin Riessen
10. Charles Pasarell
1963
1. Charles R. McKinley
2. R. Dennis Ralston
3. Frank Froehling III
4. Eugene Scott
5. Martin Riessen
6. Arthur Ashe Jr.
7. Hamilton Richardson
8. Allen Fox
9. Tom Edlefsen
10. Charles Pasarell
1964
1. R. Dennis Ralston
2. Charles R. McKinley
3. Arthur Ashe Jr.
4. Frank Froehling III
5. Eugene Scott
6. Ronald Holmberg
7. Hamilton Richardson
8. Allen Fox
9. Clark Graebner
10. Martin Riessen
1965
1. R. Dennis Ralston
2. Arthur Ashe Jr.
3. Cliff Richey
4. Charles R. McKinley
5. Charles Pasarell
6. Hamilton Richardson
7. Mike Belkin
8. Martin Riessen
9. Ronald Holmberg
10. Tom Edlefsen
1966
1. R. Dennis Ralston
2. Arthur Ashe Jr.
3. Clark Graebner
4. Charles Pasarell
5. Cliff Richey
6. Ronald Holmberg
7. Martin Riessen
8. Frank Froehling III
9. E. Victor Seixas Jr.
10. Charles R. McKinley
1967
1. Charles Pasarell
2. Arthur Ashe Jr.
3. Cliff Richey
4. Clark Graebner
5. Martin Riessen
6. Ronald Holmberg
7. Stan Smith
8. Allen Fox
9. Eugene Scott
10. Bob Lutz
1968
1. Arthur Ashe Jr.
2. Clark Graebner
3. Stan Smith
4. Cliff Richey
5. Bob Lutz
6. Ronald Holmberg
7. Charles Pasarell
8. James Osborne
9. James McManus
10. Eugene Scott
1969
1. Stan Smith
2. Arthur Ashe Jr.
3. Cliff Richey
4. Clark Graebner
5. Charles Pasarell
6. Bob Lutz
7. Thomas Edlefsen
8. Roy Barth
9. Jim Osborne
10. Jim McManus
1970
1. Cliff Richey
2. Stan Smith
3. Arthur Ashe Jr.
4. Clark Graebner
5. Bob Lutz
6. Tom Gorman
7. Jim Osborne
8. Jim McManus
9. Barry MacKay
10. Charles Pasarell
1971
1. Stan Smith
2. Cliff Richey
3. Clark Graebner
4. Tom Gorman
5. Jimmy Connors
6. Erik van Dillen
7. Frank Froehling III
8. Roscoe Tanner
9. Alex Olmedo
10. Harold Solomon
1972
1. Stan Smith
2. Tom Gorman
3. Jimmy Connors
4. Richard Stockton
5. Roscoe Tanner
6. Harold Solomon
7. Erik van Dillen
8. Clark Graebner
9. Richard Gonzalez
10. Brian Gottfried
1973
1. Jimmy Connors
1. Stan Smith
3. Arthur Ashe Jr.
4. Tom Gorman
5. Cliff Richey
6. Charles Pasarell
7. Marty Riessen
8. Erik van Dillen
9. Brian Gottfried
10. Bob Lutz
1974
1. Jimmy Connors
2. Stan Smith
3. Marty Riessen
4. Roscoe Tanner
5. Arthur Ashe Jr.
6. Tom Gorman
7. Dick Stockton
8. Harold Solomon
9. Charles Pasarell
10. Jeff Borowiak
1975
1. Arthur Ashe Jr.
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Roscoe Tanner
4. Vitas Gerulaitis
5. Eddie Dibbs
6. Brian Gottfried
7. Harold Solomon
8. Bob Lutz
9. Cliff Richey
10. Dick Stockton
1976
1. Jimmy Connors
2. Eddie Dibbs
3. Arthur Ashe Jr.
4. Harold Solomon
5. Brian Gottfried
6. Roscoe Tanner
7. Dick Stockton
8. Stan Smith
9. Vitas Gerulaitis
10. Bob Lutz
1977
1. Jimmy Connors
2. Brian Gottfried
3. Vitas Gerulaitis
4. Eddie Dibbs
5. Dick Stockton
6. Harold Solomon
7. Stan Smith
8. Roscoe Tanner
9. Bob Lutz
10. John McEnroe
1978
1. Jimmy Connors
2. Vitas Gerulaitis
3. Brian Gottfried
4. Eddie Dibbs
5. John McEnroe
6. Alex Mayer
7. Roscoe Tanner
8. Harold Solomon
9. Arthur Ashe Jr.
10. Dick Stockton
1979
1. John McEnroe
2. Jimmy Connors
3. Roscoe Tanner
4. Vitas Gerulaitis
5. Arthur Ashe Jr.
6. Eddie Dibbs
7. Harold Solomon
8. Peter Fleming
9. Gene Mayer
10. Brian Gottfried
Top U.S. Women
2010
1. Andy Roddick
2. Mardy Fish
3. Sam Querrey
4. John Isner
5. Michael Russell
6. Robert Kendrick
7. Ryan Sweeting
8. Taylor Dent
9. Donald Young
10. James Blake
2011
1. Mardy Fish
2. Andy Roddick
3. John Isner
4. Donald Young
5. James Blake
6. Ryan Sweeting
7. Ryan Harrison
8. Sam Querrey
9. Michael Russell
10. Bobby Reynolds
2012
1. John Isner
2. Sam Querrey
3. Mardy Fish
4. Andy Roddick
5. Brian Baker
6. Ryan Harrison
7. Michael Russell
8. James Blake
9. Tim Smyczek
10. Rajeev Ram
2013
1. John Isner
2. Sam Querrey
3. Tim Smyczek
4. Michael Russell
5. Donald Young
6. Bradley Klahn
7. Ryan Harrison
8. Jack Sock
9. Dennis Kudla
10. Rajeev Ram
Bac
I Didn’t Change Anything
A few comments on groundstrokes and women. I was “pre-two handler,” in 1961. Pancho Segura showed the world how to hit one, but conventional wisdom said, “Two hand backhands are only for those who can’t hit a one hander.” No Evert, No Connors, Borg, Austin, etc. I’m glad many young ones didn’t listen. Pretty soon the tennis world realized not only can a lot of people hit it two handed, it’s often a better shot offensively. The two-hander gave many average players something they’d never had: Offense or topspin. Until the two-hander college men followed this regimen: They’d practice like heck on hitting a one-handed top- spin backhand. Then, when the match was on the line they’d revert to their more trusted under spin backhand ball. There were certainly exceptions, but by and large this statement is true: “Most average college men players can’t hit a reliable one handed topspin ball.”
Once the two-hander got “certified” you began to see average high school players who could “tattoo” a topspin two-hander and the game changed forever, for the better.
However, a valuable tool was neglected for many. Coach Jim Verdieck of Redlands gave me one of his business cards. It had an interesting sentence on it: “I didn’t change anything, I gave you a new one.” I asked him what he meant. Essentially he said the two handers were so protective of their new found weapon, the under spin one-hander was abandoned. The under spin one-hander is a tool every truly complete player would possess. Too many awkward and/or short shots (approaches, service returns, defensive cross courts) are best hit by one hand under spinners.
Very often these balls are very difficult to handle with two handed top spin “full” or lengthy shots.
Like golfers, you have to have a lot of “tools” in your bag of tricks. The “chip” or “slice,” is truly a great tool to master. Think “wedges,” golfers.
And slices are tough for little people, young girls, especially. And its tough to add it once you’ve neglected it in “formative years”.
One reason it’s difficult is that people don’t understand the value of the “hit- spot” regarding two different backhands. While the two handed backhand is “much like a one handed forehand”, and therefore it works best when hit off the front foot. One-hander’s must be hit about the width of one’s shoulders in front of the front “balance” foot.
When teaching adult women a “hush” would come over the group. These “strugglers with the backhand” would grip the racket just as I; yet neglect movement to the “hit-spot.” Good backhands come from good grips and good “hit- spots.” I’d bark: “Good hit-spots make good shots. Lousy “hit-spots” make lousy shots. Lousy “hit-spots” make wristy shots, and wristy shots are lousy shots.”
The term “hit-spot” is a direct steal from Coach Verdieck. My guess is Dennis Van Deer’s early unique contribution to tennis instruction was teaching pupils to understand the pupil’s adjustment to the bouncing ball. Van Der Meer and Verdieck were friends.
Once I became better at conveying “movement to the hit-spot” my players at all levels got better quickly.
And the one handed slice may be the one most helped by proper “hit-spot”.
BORG’S SPEECH
Borg taught a magnificent lesson one day on TV. Having just beaten McEnroe in “the greatest match ever” I watched commentator Bud Collins interview the Wimbledon Champ. Collins asked Borg how he did it? Borg, stoic as ever said simply: “legs.” Nothing more. Collins had several minutes in his hands and rambled on in a commentary I don’t remember.
Then, Borg, having thought some, took the mike from Bud. His comments were:
- I was very nervous inside
- I thought, surely I will lose.
- I told myself, I must put these thoughts out of my mind.
- I will not quit under any circumstances.
End of clinic. Pretty good advice for a lot of areas.
COLLEGE RATIOS: MALE TO FEMALE
1. Wake Forest University drops S.A.T. admissions requirements. 2. Pembroke University, UNC-Charlotte, Campbell University, and Old Dominion University are regional institutions that have recently added varsity football teams. 3. Barton College has joined the Conference Carolinas in adding Men’s varsity volleyball. Wake Forest cites diversity as their rationale for dropping the S.A.T. My guess is the high standards for the S.A.T. scores skews the male/female ratio heavily toward females. All three moves are, in no small part, related to the continuing growth in the female populations in higher education. Private schools are particularly affected with a near normal ratio of 70% to 30% in favor of women. Football additions, of course, would be male. And not for the reason one might think: Not only would the male players be additions, but male students who want to attend a “football playing school.” I am pleased that Barton College has elected to join an exclusive group (varsity volleyball for men in Conference Carolina). While men have been playing collegiate varsity volleyball for many years on the west coast (and to some degree in the northeast), almost no colleges play in other parts of the country, most notably the south. There are some 300 women’s volleyball teams in American higher education institutions. There are only about 80 for men. Volleyball, for men, women, or co-ed is a great game. It is comparably inexpensive to fund teams, with institutions already having gyms and equipment ready to go. BUMP,SET, SPIKE. Let’s go! P.S. You people in the big time (the SEC, the ACC, SOUTHERN CONFERENCE, and all DIVISION I AND II schools) ought to get on board too.
‘
Pulling the trigger (55)
I think Peter Van Grafailand was the nicest kid I coached. That’s saying a lot, but Peter is a “sweetheart”. And he did struggle. It’s tough to watch the good kids take a pounding. I finally figured out how to help Pete.
He didn’t know “how hard” to hit it when. Bad judgment led to over hitting, taking unnecessary chances, and “pulling his trigger to quick”. Once we taught PVG how to keep it in play patiently until he got “his shot” he got better fast. I was delighted. Pete was characteristically grateful. “Don’t pull your trigger until you have your shot”, PVG.
The Coach in “The Cloud”
But I’m trying…I’m trying real hard to be a shepherd. –Jules to Ringo, “Pulp Fiction”
My two sons work in technology. They have made me aware of the “cloud”. Summing up my understanding, the cloud is a modern, idealistic, even utopian way to gain free access to information. Sort of the internet on steroids. Or, for those of us on the other side of the “digital divide,” a giant free library in space.
Prior attempts to impart what I know included “Play is Where Life Is”, my “best seller” of 2007. It was such a best seller that my garage had oodles left over. I have given many copies away. I have learned to question readers, knowing how to ascertain whether they have actually read their gift, or parts of it. The book includes my conversation with a revered coach, the late Jim Verdieck of Redlands University in California. I once asked Coach Verdieck if he had written down his voluminous knowledge of tennis. He said “No.” “What happens if you die?” I asked, respectfully. “If I die, it dies” was his answer…one of the few times I disagreed with the legendary coach.
There is an article on my blog entitled “Mentors”. It describes how one with a thirst for knowledge in any arena might best learn. Maybe I am a little naive about the drive to learn that exists out there. I have had only one college coach ask for my advice since 2004. After an hour he said, “Coach, I’m supposed to meet someone at the local bar.” One hour of learning a profession? My angel wife, Margaret, recently made “All Volunteer”. She and I cannot list all the people she helps, or has helped, gratis. Angel she is, Angel I’m not.
I have tried to give back to tennis…recently my friend, Ronnie Watson, bought a racquet club (formerly White Oak Racquet Club). Ronnie not only changed the club name, (it is now “Olde Porte Racquet Club”) but almost everything else in a most positive way. Ronnie is a great tennis enthusiast and has made a tremendous investment in local tennis in our coastal area. I volunteered to be an “advisor” to Ole Porte because of the qualities of Ronnie’s effort. In addition to traditional clinics, lessons, tips, assisting high school coaches, our pro staff and mentoring talented youngsters, I am trying to get my information in “the cloud.”
You can Google Olde Porte Racquet Club to learn more about the club. On the club’s homepage there is a column entitled “Coach’s Corner”. Punch that link and you will find recommended articles from my blog and book. The blog (www.tomparham.wordpress.com) has half tennis articles. There is a place to add your comments or questions. It is all free. Hope someone out there has the “thirst.”
“Sometimes people don’t want what you have got. Sometimes you can’t give it away”–Bob Dylan from “Floater”
Coach of the Year
When they presented me with the 1990 National “Coach of the Year” for NAIA Tennis, I tried to give it to Coach Fred Kniffen of the University of Texas at Tyler.
Fred had a firm rule in 1990 that no one rode in the van without their seat belts on. No exceptions.
En route from Tyler to Kansas City, one of the two team vans ran off a 35-foot embankment.
All belted, there was one minor injury.
Know the Court
I know I gave one player above a thousand career points or more. It had a strange origin. I taught badminton in PE classes. Soon, thinking myself a pretty good player, I encountered one Anand Jaggi, Professor of Economics. Anand was ranked 13th in the world of badminton. And was his “State Champion” in his native India.
Rarely did I get a point. He won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles state badminton championships, held annually at Duke University. And I soon noticed an “uncanny” ability he had. He never played the shuttle-cock when it would land out of bounds. It was “dropped” or let alone.
While my badminton ego suffered, I took this logic to my tennis team. We need to “learn the court”, or like Dr. Jaggi, not hit out of bounds points. We adopted this policy:
- 1) In practice, if you have any doubt let it go and lets see if you are right
- 2) In a match, with any doubt, go ahead and play it
Soon I could see our players use better and better judgement. We would occasionally let one drop in, but our percentage grew drastically.
The player that benefited most from this was Chai Navawongse, a Thai left-hander who came in on “everything”. Chai had played doubles with Pandorn Schriciphan, so he came in “with game”. Soon, however, I noticed he was playing anything close. There may be 10-20 points a match he played that would have been out. Some, way out.
I explained the “Jaggi” or “learn the court” theory. A bright youngster, and fine player, you could see the light click in his head. Before long he was close to Jaggi in judgement, rarely playing an out ball, simply pointing “out” with the left hand.
The Little Green Book of Tennis 