Macci's article on Developing World CLass Players

[tasha]

So glad to see that more coaches like Rick Macci (and Robert Landsdorp earlier) are speaking out on the deleterious effect of letting young juniors "westernize" their grips, going from an Eastern through all the semi-western grips, until they look like that poor kid in the video clip, who can't be more than 11 or 12, but has a grip like Alberto Berasategui. That kid might as well tie a brick around his wrist. Where was his coach, why didn't he try to prevent this, how could he let it develop into the absurdity that it is? It's a shame. Thanks Rick for raising this.

[EricMatuszewski]

I'd be interested to see if Rick could change that kid or if he believes that the kids stuck that way.

For instance it would be great if someone could take us through the process and document on video what it takes to unlearn that extreme grip (if it's possible).

The before and after videos would be nice to see.

[johnyandell]

That particular player I just happened to catch at a tournament where I was doing some filming for Jose Higueras. It's not one of Rick's players. A change there would be a challenge. Have you looked closely at how he moves his hand as he comes forward? Hurts to watch.

[stroke]

John,

I don't know whether or not you remember Spanish player Alberto Berasategui, but he had an extreme, probably the most extreme, western grip ever for a world class player. He was a finalist at the French Open one time in the mid 90's. His forehand grip could have been called a "Hawaiian" grip, it was basicly a continental forehand grip, using the other side of the racquet face to strike the ball. I brought this up because I don't think even his grip was as extreme a this kid's.

[EricMatuszewski]

John,

Yea, I did see that followthru with that "Hawaiian grip", unfortunatelly It's not the first time I've seen kids do that. Yes, it is painfull to watch. I wouldn't let that kid play another tourney till that grip was changed if I had anything to say about it!


The kid wasn't one of Higueras's players was he?

Did you get the parents to sign a release form to have his video up on your sight? Or are releases not neccesary?

How about the girl with the "no extension" forehand (arm tucked to the ribs during the whole stroke).

What about the other players?

Eric

[johnyandell]

Well, I spoke to the parents. So if there's a problem I doubt it--it's not Mel Gibson we're dealing with and it was a public event...

In any case, the other kids are mostly Rick's, I think, but some had been there much longer than others.

[jayfro]

That happened with a student of mine. I changed his forehand grip from Conti to Eastern and eventually to a semi just before the summer. He was gone all summer and came back with that grip where the heel pad is lined up on 5 if not 6 (reverse continental basically). After he cemented that in for 3 months I wasn't able to change him back. Once someone turns the hand over that far on the grip for any length of time they pretty much have no chance of going back. They also have pretty much no chance of being an attacking type of player and low balls give them fits.

[tasha]

Origins of the Extreme Western

Let me throw out something for discussion here. I realize I am likely to get pummeled by the PC police force, but so be it.

I have been teaching tennis for nearly 20 years. I have noticed that most of the really extreme semi-western grips (Yandell's nomenclature) are picked up by young females rather than young males (the majority of males seem to stop at a moderate semi western). I think it might be related to the fact that most young girls are not taught correctly how to throw a ball overhand.

You've all heard the phrase, "he throws like a girl." Look at a group of young kids, boys and girls, throwing a ball. Most untrained kids throw about the same way. They have little or no shoulder turn, their throwing arm is mostly in front of their body, elbow down, and much of the energy going into the throw is a snapping forward of their forearm. Contrast that with the proper way to throw a ball: shoulder turn, elbow up and bent at a right angle, stepping forward with weight into the ball, etc.

Boys, because they start playing ball-throwing sports at a younger age and more consistently, learn to throw a ball overhand properly. (I grew up in the country, where we honed are throwing skills by pegging rocks at things). Girls, sadly to say, don't get as much instruction on proper ball throwing.

I suggest that this lack of proper ball-throwing skills leads girls, more than boys, to adopt an extreme semi-western grip.

Watch a group of beginner young junior tennis players. Many of the girls without good ball-throwing skills approach striking a tennis ball with the same motion that they use when incorrectly throwing a tennis ball. That is, they raise their forearm up and slap down on the ball.

Now, unless they are taught how to throw a ball correctly, tennis instruction for them is just going to be a refinement of their poor ball-thowing technique. You may get them to turn their shoulder but they will still have a tendency to slap down on the ball; often their looped backswing is upside down and they strike the ball high to low.

With additional training, you can get them to hit the ball more horizontally and not swing down as much, but they are still hitting a tennis ball with their untrained throwing motion. And to do this with any consistency they will have to modify their grip toward a moderate or extreme semi-western grip.

The inability to throw correctly is not genetic. Males and females are different, but both can learn to throw a ball properly and to hit a tennis ball with an Eastern or mild semi-Western grip. The problem is training. If a kid comes to us without the proper ball-throwing skills, he or she may be at a distinct disadvantage in trying to develop a forehand groundstroke, and by not teaching the young player how to throw correctly we might be unintentionally inviting him to adopt these deleterious extreme grips.

It doesn't take much to teach kids these throwing drills. I often spend 5 minutes teaching kids to throw underhand properly so I can divide them up to do tossing and hitting drills (freeing me to move among the hitters). It shouldn't take much more time to teach a group of kids how to throw overhand properly. I think it is time well-spent.

Oh, the Asian boy in the video we were discussing above, I doubt that anyone ever taught him how to throw a ball properly and that is why he has the extreme grip on his forehand.