Don, how about a few more articles

[10splayer]

Don,

Thought your two contributions to this site were brilliant. Any thoughts about doing a few more? Anyone else think this is a good idea?

[stotty]

I agree!

[vrc10s]

Me too!

[johnyandell]

Yeah Don I can go with that.

[llll]

so far unanimous
me too

[gzhpcu]

ditto

[tennis_chiro]

What do you want me to write about?

It's very flattering to know someone is interested in what I have to say. Thankyou. I've wanted to write another article, but haven't really gotten around to the details.

I am continuing to work on the technical article about the "window of acceptance" and the position where the ball is met as far as leaning into the court. Eventually, I think I will have something interesting on that front. Julian has been encouraging there and I've enlisted the help of Division III Claremont-Mudd Hall of Fame coach and former head of the math department at Harvey Mudd, Hank Kreiger. We will have something on that soon. Trying to turn something very technical into something that is actually useful for those of us who are somewhat more mathematically "challenged".

In addition, I have been working with Ed Weiss, my co-writer/ghost writer on the first two articles in Tennisplayer, in a longer term way to help him develop a set of fundamentals and a core curriculum for a grass roots program he volunteers for in Norwalk, CT. Some articles are expected to eventually grow out of that collaboration.

Everything is subject to what John sees as appropriate for Tennisplayer. Sometimes the passion I have for the topic gets me going here on this forum and I end up writing more in posts than I would need to write for a full article. Nevertheless, the prospect of putting something together specifically for an "article" seems to have a more daunting threshold of initial commitment to overcome. In light of that, here are a few of the issues that I am interested in putting something together on. You guys seem to be willing to give some feedback, so please let me know what interests you. Again, John has to be interested in what I put together, but I'd like to know there is an audience for a particular topic. So...here is a list of some things I've been considering:

1. Progressions I use to develop the serve, emphasizing the importance of rhythm and integrating the weight transfer/rock and the toss and some of the drills I use when people get stuck at one stage or another. This is the area I am most inclined to write about. Perhaps not as long as Chris Lewit's articles, but somewhat detailed.

2. Progressions to develop the second serve

3. A compendium of Various Teaching "Tricks" to fix problem areas. Here are a few: Medicine Ball for weight transfer; holding the follow through to get the weight transfer or the feel of hitting through the ball; the "smiley Pete" forehand follow through (clip of 11 year old Sampras); using "Racket Bracket", "Wrist assist" or Greg Norman's "Secret" to get the wrist snap out of the forehand; volleying while kneeling on one knee to feel the advantage of getting down for your volleys; limiting a student's followthrough (or even backswing) with my racket while they hit volleys on the machine to learn to "punch" correctly; using the weighted racket to get the sense of using the momentum of the racket head; learning progression for the volley and learning to get the ball to "retrace its' path" to develop the ability to hit deep and handle low volleys; "seeing under the racket" follow through for forehand and backhand

4. Moving to the outside ball with an open stance, forehand or backhand

5. Moving "hard" Right to Left to hit Left to Right (inside out forehand)

6. Taking the racket head to the ball on approach shots so you are prepared to hit when you arrive at the ball (no time for a backswing)

7. Service return progression to learn to handle big serves with an abbreviated backswing

Bits and pieces of some of these things were in the original two articles.

Please let me know what you would like most to have me cover in a full article.

Again, thanks for the kind words.

don

[chuck62]

Future Articles from Don

Don, I too have enjoyed your various posts especially the Roscoe Tanner analysis and think all of the above topics would be good reading. I would also be interested in your take on the footwork and swing for the overhead.

[johnyandell]

I like 1 through 3 for a start. Tell Ed to get going!

[stotty]

I think topic 3 would be the most useful from my standpoint.

[llll]

2,7,1,3,6
really don anything you write will be informative,educational,and helpful
larry