How can we improve this forum?

[lobndropshot]

Guys,

I may not be a voice that speaks up every day on this forum. But I do read it every day and I have to say I am disappointed with the trend I have been seeing. It seems like there are fewer people contributing to the forum then there were last year at the same time. Also, to me it seams like posters are posting the same thing over and over. Can we move on?

I don't mean to be a jerk. Can we get this forum to be what it was? An asset to tennisplayer.net that was worth the price of admission.

[GeoffWilliams]

The five pillars of spiritual tennis improvement:

Forgiveness: We can forgive all bad posts and threads, all our bad shots, habits, lacks, etc.
Love: We can love the game and our own progress and others' progress.
Service to others: We can help others improve their own game/selves.
Make amends for past wrongs: Apologies and amendments to all we have treated badly.
Karmic advancement past wrongs righted: Delusion aside, believe you will continue to become better so your next tennis life time will include a bigger serve, a better ground stroke, a deadly volley.

[lobndropshot]

Jeff good point!
Let me be the first to apologize for my post.
Maybe it was hasty but I was frustrated.

[gzhpcu]

Maybe with a bit of art? Just finished this painting last week...

[stotty]

Great thread, lobndropshot

Nice painting, Phil. Seems you've got many skills.

I think a good way to improve the form would be for coaches to post clips of their students. It would be fun if coaches posted clips of their own strokes as well. In a way, we'd get to know each other better by doing this.

It would be great to see clips of any forum members...just everyday players would be fine.

Some of my most responded to threads have been those of my students' strokes. Many of the forum's best coaches have chipped in with observations and comments...useful.

I don't think we go in to the current affairs of tennis enough. It's like we only recognise the top four. All those beneath them we seem to know little about. We don't even seem to take them in much of the time. Warwrinka has had a bit of airtime on the forum recently...but he's the only one outside the top four.

I'd like to know more about the posters on the forum. Whether they are coaches, players or just tennis fans. I like Phil a lot because he is open, willing to post his strokes, and has honest opinions. I would like posters to introduce themselves: where they come from, where they coach (if they coach), what club they play at, and what their level of play is.

I think the main thing is for posters not to talk to themselves but to engage with others. The best way to do this is to quote another poster's text and respond directly to them. don_budge is very good like this, and his reception to others is warm. I think many posters warm to don_budge because of his writing style and willingness to engage and make others feel like they are the centre of attention. I really like the skill he has in this regard.

Another thing would be not write in sentence fragments. Fragments are cold and don't engage others. If you have something to say, say it as clearly as you can. Posters who write fragments get the fewest responses.

Above all I would like the people lurking in the background reading posts to post as well. They would certainly get a response from me whatever the subject matter. For me, it's the more the merrier.

[GeoffWilliams]

[QUOTE=gzhpcu;26163]Maybe with a bit of art? Just finished this painting last week...



Some of my pieces:
sleeping creek
3 water pieces

[johnyandell]

There are definitely more individual posters than a year ago. It's great to find so many voices with a range of interests and viewpoints. Compared to a place like TennisWarehouse there are not professional trolls and people with marketing agendas.

One of the problems Tennisplayer faces is the huge amount of free content--much of it pirated and most of it at a low level of intelligence--that has flooded the internet. There are literally dozens of "authorities" out there that have taken the research of Brian Gordon, or myself, or others, and then claimed it and put it out as their own--usually misunderstanding and/or misrepresenting it at the same time. And that is just the nature of the modern digital world.

Our biggest challenge is to find more students and lovers of the game who want to have the level of analysis we offer, the ability to study high speed video frame by frame, and to engage in dialogue with like minded coaches and players who love learning about the game and discussing what they know, think, and are learning.

[bottle]

Amen.

[klacr]

Nice painting, Phil. Seems you've got many skills.

I think a good way to improve the form would be for coaches to post clips of their students. It would be fun if coaches posted clips of their own strokes as well. In a way, we'd get to know each other better by doing this.

It would be great to see clips of any forum members...just everyday players would be fine.

Some of my most responded to threads have been those of my students' strokes. Many of the forum's best coaches have chipped in with observations and comments...useful.

I don't think we go in to the current affairs of tennis enough. It's like we only recognise the top four. All those beneath them we seem to know little about. We don't even seem to take them in much of the time. Warwrinka has had a bit of airtime on the forum recently...but he's the only one outside the top four.

I'd like to know more about the posters on the forum. Whether they are coaches, players or just tennis fans. I like Phil a lot because he is open, willing to post his strokes, and has honest opinions. I would like posters to introduce themselves: where they come from, where they coach (if they coach), what club they play at, and what their level of play is.

I think the main thing is for posters not to talk to themselves but to engage with others. The best way to do this is to quote another poster's text and respond directly to them. don_budge is very good like this, and his reception to others is warm. I think many posters warm to don_budge because of his writing style and willingness to engage and make others feel like they are the centre of attention. I really like the skill he has in this regard.

Another thing would be not write in sentence fragments. Fragments are cold and don't engage others. If you have something to say, say it as clearly as you can. Posters who write fragments get the fewest responses.

Above all I would like the people lurking in the background reading posts to post as well. They would certainly get a response from me whatever the subject matter. For me, it's the more the merrier.

Stotty, All good points. I'm not big on self promotion, just not my personality. But I'm a fan of transparency. If you'd like to know more about me...just ask, or click the link.

http://www.kylelacroix.usptapro.com

I hope that helps. Any thing else you'd like to know just ask. And yes, You will see my strokes eventually stotty. That is on my to do list for this Summer.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

The Parallax dimension.

There are definitely more individual posters than a year ago. It's great to find so many voices with a range of interests and viewpoints. Compared to a place like TennisWarehouse there are not professional trolls and people with marketing agendas.

One of the problems Tennisplayer faces is the huge amount of free content--much of it pirated and most of it at a low level of intelligence--that has flooded the internet. There are literally dozens of "authorities" out there that have taken the research of Brian Gordon, or myself, or others, and then claimed it and put it out as their own--usually misunderstanding and/or misrepresenting it at the same time. And that is just the nature of the modern digital world.

Our biggest challenge is to find more students and lovers of the game who want to have the level of analysis we offer, the ability to study high speed video frame by frame, and to engage in dialogue with like minded coaches and players who love learning about the game and discussing what they know, think, and are learning.

Well played, spoken as a true student of the game...thanks for the opportunity to participate under the conditions that you mention above. TennisWarehouse doesn't compare to this venue. The forum is a wonderful place...virtual as it is. A place to escape...yet to discuss reality. It's a parallax dimension. A thousand thanks...for this classic!

Anybody want to improve it? Just step up your game here. Bring it. It's welcome here. This much is true. It's a wonderful opportunity to engage with other like minded fellows.

[don_budge]

lobndropshot...I am curious

I don't mean to be a jerk. Can we get this forum to be what it was? An asset to tennisplayer.net that was worth the price of admission.

lobndropshot...you have never come off as a jerk. But I am curious...what specifically are the issues that you would like to express or see addressed? I know you must have had something on your mind otherwise you wouldn't have brought it up.

Perhaps your suggestions could make a difference...surely everything has room for improvement...potential.

[gzhpcu]

I think I hear what lobndropshot is saying: that the active posters are just the usual handful and that lurkers are not making themselves heard... Don't honestly know how to improve the situation... Hmmm... create a section like some other forums have for members to introduce themselves perhaps, as a starter?

[stotty]

lobndropshot...you have never come off as a jerk. But I am curious...what specifically are the issues that you would like to express or see addressed? I know you must have had something on your mind otherwise you wouldn't have brought it up.

Perhaps your suggestions could make a difference...surely everything has room for improvement...potential.

I think I hear what lobndropshot is saying: that the active posters are just the usual handful and that lurkers are not making themselves heard... Don't honestly know how to improve the situation... Hmmm... create a section like some other forums have for members to introduce themselves perhaps, as a starter?

It would still be interesting to hear what lobndropshot himself has to say about the forum situation.

For me it's just a questions of numbers. More posters with diverse opinions would be great. Posters who enjoy writing and expounding their ideas.

[gzhpcu]

Geoff,
I have some of my stuff up on Flickr....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120397846@N08/

[GeoffWilliams]

Wow. That's a lot of great big cat realism!