If you are new to tennis, finding an instructor is essential to learning the basic techniques of the game. It is highly recommended for new students to schedule some lessons to familiarize themselves with the most basic strokes and strategies. After all, there is no one better to learn the game from than someone who has been around the sport and knows its “ins” and “outs.”
Granted, beginners make up a large portion of instructors’ clientele, but instructors are also there to lend a helping hand (fore or back) and offer pointers to more advanced players. No matter your age or skill level, you should never be embarrassed to ask for help. Heck, most of the top players in the world even have instructors. In this guide you will learn what to look for when picking an instructor, what to expect during the earliest lessons, and how much these lessons will cost.
Do Your Homework
Before rushing out and committing to the first person who says they trained Arthur Ashe one summer in the ’70s, it is important to do some background research. No, this research is not for a History paper or an English assignment. Rather, it’s for finding out about any instructors in your area and making sure they really did tutor a tennis legend. Meeting some instructors at the local tennis club can be sufficient, but with the growing popularity of the Internet, finding instructors, reading reviews on them, and contacting them directly have all been simplified for you.
Have a Good Time
The first duty for any tennis instructor is to make the game fun. The ability of the instructor to create drills and games that teach the fundamentals of the game – such as the forehand and backhand – while simultaneously creating an environment that is fun for the student is essential. To gain a sense of a tennis instructor’s teaching style, try to sit in on a lesson at your local tennis club or a public court.
If you notice that the student does not look like he/she is enjoying being out on the court, and instead looks bored and uninterested, it is time to find a new instructor. If a beginner-level instructor cannot captivate the student’s interest in the game, then he has failed the most basic of coaching duties. Why would a student want to pursue something that is neither fun nor exciting? This is a sign that you should take notes before you commit to an instructor.
The Good and The Bad
A tennis instructor should care about the students. There should be a focus on the student’s progress and if improvements are being made. The coach should be comfortable expressing to the student when something is done well, such as hitting an outstanding forehand. Furthermore, the coach should vocalize to the student when something is done incorrectly, but in a manner that doesn’t bring unnecessary criticism to the player.
If an instructor is able to point out things done right and wrong, the student will have a better understanding of the basics of the sport. An instructor must care for his students in order to have a functional relationship with his clientele.
What to Expect From Your First Lessons
So what should you expect from your first initial tennis lessons? The first 5 to 10 minutes of the lesson will be mostly a feeling-out process for both the student and the instructor, but more so for the coach. This is the instructor’s initial glimpse at you, and he is looking for how much hand-eye coordination you have, your ability to move around the court without any proper training, and your overall athletic ability.
After the first 10 minutes or so, the coach most likely will start your first drill. The most basic of drills involves hitting a forehand, then running back to the middle of the court, then hitting another forehand. This drill will continue back and forth until you call for a break or until the instructor points something out to you regarding the technique of your stroke.
After a brief word with the coach, he will ask you to try and incorporate his instructions and continue on with the drill. If you are a visual learner, ask the coach to demonstrate what the stroke should look like, and have him correct your motion by showing you what you are doing wrong. Once the instructor is finished demonstrating, he will continue on with the initial groundstroke drill to see how well you took to his instructions.
Remember to ask plenty of questions if things don’t seem to click, because the last thing you want to do is build on bad habits before you even get started with the game.
Expenses
Instructors are generally very good at what they do. For this reason, many of them charge a premium for their services. Tennis lessons for beginners can range anywhere from $20 to $100 per hour, depending on the experience of the coach and what is required of them during a lesson.
There are people who are eager to rush out and grab the first coach that they meet. If you are the eager-to-get-on-the-court type of person, and do not care to research a coach, try to take a few lessons with different coaches before committing to one. By testing the waters, you can see what appeals to you in terms of teaching style and instructor personality.
Certain teaching styles do not necessarily fit well with all students. Most lessons last for a full hour, but some coaches offer 30-minute sessions. Take a quick, 30-minute practice lesson with a few coaches before selecting the one you are most comfortable with. This will save you both time and money.
What a coach can accomplish in a 30-minute practice lesson will tell a lot about what you can expect from full-length sessions. If you don’t like what you see after the first half hour, move on to the next instructor. There are plenty of instructors out there, but being able to experience their teaching methods first hand will help you determine what you want from a coach and find the perfect match to improve your game.
