Training Both Sides of the Court
A short workbook to support reflection from the session. Use alongside the video and presentation.
Session Notebook
Coaches workbook
The Tennis Coach Lounge was created in November 2024 as a space for coaches who want to keep learning, reflecting, and developing their practice.
It is built around real coaching environments — sharing ideas, conversations, and resources that support what actually happens on court.
This session is a small part of that thinking.
If this resonated with you, the Lounge is where this work continues. You will find a QR code in the main presentation which will take you directly to the Lounge.
Opening
"I always say there's three things that you need to know about me"
"It is borderline scandalous how much I love tennis"
"It is amazing to me how much I still love learning myself"
"We will never remotely come close to reaching our coaching potential"
"I genuinely love helping people learn"
Session Intent
"Nothing I show you today will be rocket science."
"The most important thing is not just the drills, but the principles and methods."
Principle 1
Control the Ball
"Everything is about controlling this ball"
Principle 2
Accountability & Self-Learning
Clarity Drives Accountability
"If we are really clear about what we want this to do, we raise accountability"
Turbocharge Self-Learning
"You turbocharge the self-learning of our players"
Tap In
"Do we tap into their self-learning?"
Core Idea
The Central Principle
"We are working both sides of the court."
"If I help the attackers get better, I have to help the defenders get better."
The Coaching Tendency
"We have a tendency as coaches to focus on the theme."
Working both sides means no side is neglected. Attackers and defenders develop together.
Environment & Standards
Desperate to win in practice
"This lowers the bar across the board."
The Problem
"They are not determined. They are desperate."
What We Want
"We want determination to be better."
What to Avoid
"Not hollow wins, empty wins in practice."
First Practice Design
A simple structure that immediately creates real context for both the attacker and the defender.
Accountability
Attackers
"Attackers hitting within one racket length over the net"
"If it goes higher, that's out"
Defenders
"Defenders block and stay in the point"
Learning Through Doing
"The accountability, self-learning goes on."
"You are trying to score."
Observation
Key questions to guide what coaches look for during the drill.
"Do they engage the full chain?"
"Do they keep the racket head up?"
"Do they release from the legs through the trunk?"
Coaching Approach
Observe
"We observe and cross-reference what we see."
Intervene
"Quick interventions"
Second Layer, Defensive Skill
Stay Safe
"Stay out of trouble"
Control the Zone
"Keep the ball out of the strike zone"
Neutralise
"Disempower the attacker"
Key Language
"Respect versus disrespect"
"You've got to respect the incoming ball"
Technical Feel
Rotation
"Less rotation"
Contact
"More staying with the ball"
Core
"Tighten the tummy"
Shape
"Compact body"
Application
"We need to be able to do this on forehand and backhand"
Player Awareness
"We don't see the up and back positioning in young players. They are in the same position for all phases of play"
Additional Skill
Counter
"Counter"
Hold Ground
"Stand your ground"
Direction
"Hit back towards their feet"
Concept
Stretch Neutral
1
"Stretch neutral"
"They feel like they are attacking"
2
Perception
"You feel like you are neutral"
3
Reality
"You feel like you are playing in neutral"
4
Outcome
"They look like they are in defence"
Racket Training
The Name Matters
"This is racket training."
Word to Avoid
"My least favorite word is just."
"We don't want players to just do anything."
Tactical Theme
"Create a four-ball directional pattern", "Locking in the pattern"
Attack Ball Accountability
"If you cannot change direction on ball 3, the attack ball needs to be better."
"The coach doesn't need to point this out."
The ball does the talking. The pattern creates its own feedback.
Respect Within the Pattern
"Respect versus disrespect."
"You've got to respect or disrespect the incoming ball. When you disrespect the incoming ball, you end up disrespecting yourself"
This applies inside the pattern. The quality of each ball determines what the next ball can be.
Potential interventions used
Rotation in defence
Compact body
Use incoming ball speed
Less rotation, more staying with the ball
In attack and defence - Core
Tighten the tummy
Attack - Jump and turn
Keep the racket head up
Expanding the Options
"Now we start to unlock more."
Attacker
Now the attacker can go inside-out or inside-in.
Defender
Now the defender can defend middle or cross.
Next Layer
Now the defender can counter-attack up the line.
The pattern stays.
The options expand.
Moving Into Serve and Return
"We need to be able to plug all of this work into serve and return."
"The same principles apply but the serve is disruptive so the return must be a stabiliser."
The pattern doesn't change. The entry point does. It feels different so our players must learn how to adapt to the feeling of serve and return being added.
Closing Reflections
Everything comes back to control of the ball. The player who controls the ball better, wins.
The goal is to help players feel like they have time. To look like they are choosing exactly what to do with the ball.
This is not a born with gift. It is learned through the right training and environment.
Take the principles from today. Think about them. Apply them in your own sessions.
