Category: General

Not all tennis coaches are created equal. A great player will not necessarily turn out to be a good coach. So what makes a great tennis coach, and what should you look for when choosing yours? We will tell you everything in this article!

 

1. Proper qualifications

Being a tennis coach, and being a good one, requires qualifications. Training people of all levels is something that requires learning and experience. In Singapore, look out for coaches certified by the Singapore Sports Council (SSC), the US Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), the Australasian Association of Tennis Coaches (AATC), or the Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association (GPTCA). These are a few coaching accreditations that tennis instructors are certified by.
 

2. How well does your coach play?

If the playing level of a coach is not everything, it is still an important factor to take into account. The more time he has spent on the tennis court, the more attention to detail he is likely to pay. Someone who has worked a lot on their game will be better equipped to spot your mistakes quickly and correct them properly.

Check if the coach you are interested in has won any tournaments, and if he has ranked at a regional or national level. Also, a tennis coach who has worked with different types of players and at various tennis schools would be better equipped to understand the player’s needs.
 

3. Student record

It can also be a good idea to look into who your potential coach has taught before. Did they achieve their goals? Have they ever competed? And if so, what was their level? How much did they progress? The answers to all those questions will help you assess how efficient your coach has been with others, and if he is capable of getting the best out go you.

If possible, it can also be interesting to get in touch with current or former students of the coach, to know what kind of relationship they had with him, and how much pleasure they were feeling from their tennis lessons. You always learn better when you are happy on the court!
 

4. Experience

Coaches with several years of experience are usually better than those just starting out. Of course, this is a general rule and you will always find some exceptions. But someone who has been in the loop for years, and even more so if he has been employed in the same club for a long time, is likely to be good and reliable.
 

5. Communication skills

This part may be often overlooked by future clients, but communication skills are essential when looking for a tennis coach. Indeed, if your coach does not clearly communicate with you, or if there is not a good feeling between the two of you, your learning pleasure and your progression will likely be affected.

If possible, try to meet up with the coach for a chat before committing to a whole season with him. You will thus be able to assess his personality, and if his teaching style will work with you.

In Singapore, you will most definitely have solid tennis coaches that can be found island wide. At the Future Sports Academies tennis school, you are ensured tennis instructors and coaches that are put through their paces to ensure that they fit in with their proven methodology of building players. They are friendly, professional and put your specific needs before anything else. Several locations are available across the island, making it convenient for anyone to get to them. It’s important to learn tennis from an instructor at a reputable tennis school to ensure that you start playing tennis for life!

Tennis can be a greatly beneficial sport for your kid. It will teach him many useful skills beyond the primary physical effort that everyone first thinks about in sports. Let us explore the 5 best reasons for you to get your child started today!
 

1. He will get in great shape

Tennis is a physically demanding game. It requires the player to hit the ball and run around the court to retrieve it during the whole lesson. For that reason, when practicing tennis on a regular basis, your kid will get stronger, faster, and will enhance his endurance abilities. This is a great way to lose weight and stay fit while having fun!
 

2. He will learn that it’s ok to fail

When playing tennis, you necessarily lose at some point. Of course, the loss can be big or small; it can be a point, a game, a set, a match, or even a tournament. However, it is not because you lose a point, a game or a set that the match is over.

Consequently, it is capital to learn that failure is not an end, and that you can get back up on your feet after it arrives. When playing tennis, you must learn not to be overwhelmed by emotions when you lose, to be able to turn the match around. Once your kid has learnt that, he will be able to apply it to other areas of his life – so what’s keeping you from enrolling your kids in tennis lessons now?
 

3. He will take responsibility for his actions

Tennis is a predominantly individualistic game. When things go wrong, there are no team mates or a bad racket to blame, just yourself (or your partner in doubles, of course!). On the contrary, when you win, you also have no one else to congratulate but yourself.

Being able to take responsibility for your actions and their outcome is a fantastic skill to have in life. Your focus should be on how to keep improving rather than stay stuck in emotions. Keep your eyes on the prize!
 

4. He will be aware of himself

When playing tennis, you should remain aware of yourself at all times. Are your feet placed correctly? Will your racket hit the ball from the best angle? Where should you aim to trick your opponent? The surface you are playing on, as well as your opponent’s game also must be analysed.

Tennis forces you to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses in order to win and improve. This is certainly a skill that can be applied to many other things in life, like school or work, for example.
 

5. He will develop mental strength

If tennis requires a good deal of physical strength, it is also very demanding on the mind. Being fast and strong will not make you the best player out there. Throughout the match, your kid will learn how to stay in control of his emotions, not to feel overwhelmed by over-confidence when winning a point or a set and, on the contrary, not to lose all hope when one is lost.

In addition, tennis requires you to analyses how your enemy plays in order to adapt your strategy and defeat him. With every point, the way the ball is hit has to be carefully thought about, and you decide beforehand where it will land on the other side. Apply these skills in life, and you’re in for a win!

Find out more on quality beginner tennis coaches, kids tennis programs and lessons nearby you in Singapore, here!

If you are thinking about starting to play tennis, you will surely be confronted to having to choose between private lessons or a group class. Here are a few tips to help you decide.

Private lessons: technique at your own pace

A private tennis lesson will have you being one-on-one with your tennis instructor. This is obviously great, because all the attention will be on you. You can truly learn at your own pace, without having to level down to the slowest learner in the group. The tennis coach will also focus on exactly what you need to work on, giving you a tailored training. So, whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced tennis player, it is a great option if you want that focus to be on you for results!

Certain specific cases can also benefit from private tennis lessons. If you are left-handed and a beginner, for instance, a private lesson could be more beneficial. Indeed, sometimes the instructor will ask the group to stand in a corner of the court and hit forehands – that would not work the same for you!

Last, but not least, private tennis lessons are the most likely to work for you if you have a busy schedule and are not available during traditional group classes times. An instructor is more likely to take you on early in the morning or late at night if you are booking a one-on-one session with him.

Get back into shape thanks to group tennis classes

As the name suggests, in a group class, whether you are a kid or adult learner, you will be taught how to play along with several other players. This can be interesting in many ways. When playing around other people, it is easier to notice what mistakes they are making than to acknowledge your own mistakes. Seeing what others are doing wrong, and how it is corrected by the instructor can help you make progress quicker.

Group lessons are also usually more fun, dynamic and allows you to make friends who can become playing partners for that extra weekend session! When you are just starting and especially if you are out of shape, group lessons are also a good choice, as they will be less physically challenging. Remember, make sure to choose the right group for your level when you sign up. You don’t want to be joining an advanced tennis group when you are looking for beginner tennis lessons!

Finally, group lessons are the most cost-effective for players on a budget. With more players on court, you get to interact with others, learn from their mistakes, and have fun! What better way than that correct?

Get the best of both worlds!

As we have just seen, both private tennis lessons and group classes have advantages inherent to their nature. As such, the best of strategies for any individual’s development would be to opt for a mix of both forms of training.

Focus on your technique and strengthen your weaknesses in a private lesson, and put everything you have learned in practice during a group class. There are plenty of academies and tennis coaches in Singapore – whether you are an adult or looking for a tennis lesson for your kid, choose wisely and make sure you start at the right place! While private lessons will give you great skills, group classes are an amazing way to test yourself against different players and to experience different types of game, like doubles. After all, tennis is a social sport and why pick up a sport if you are always going to be playing with the tennis coach only!

Lastly, above all, the most important thing will be to choose your instructor and tennis coach carefully, and to get a good feeling and relationship with him. Understand the tennis program that is being offered. You want to be learning the basics correctly from instructors that know their stuff. As the saying goes, “where you start, determines how you play.” Hence, don’t pinch over a couple of dollars if it gets you on your way; so start your tennis journey with Future Sports today!