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Old 04-23-2021, 12:07 PM   #11
Young Drachma
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Quote:
Coaching is a VERY mixed bag. Our school they're basically irrelevant, most every player on both varsity rosters has had private coaching from about age 5-6. We're on the extreme end of that though, most of the local schools have at least somewhat more involved school coaches, though pretty much all the players at the top schools (public or private) are all privately coached from an early age, with both group and individual instruction. And if you don't have that in Georgia, honestly, you're not usually advancing very far once you get to state tournament play.

It's the same here too. My best players are surely coached and I let them go to their own coaches and leave our practices early often. But I have a whole cadre of kids who are just multi-sport athletes (small school) so they are motivated and coachable and want you to calm them down or give them tips during changeovers.

My boys team were mostly chill to be left alone most of the time, save for a few who were way needier. But on this team, I find some will actively call for me if I don't come around, which was an adjustment as I tend to be hands off. If you're doing your job in practice, they hear you in their heads when they're on the court, so you don't have to shout at them in games...they're already stressed out, you gotta keep it light.

Honestly, that team yesterday probably would've won a match or two from us if their kids had more familiarity with holding leads, but their coach probably got in their heads and also on balance we were more talented and my kids didn't crack.

That said, building a practice schedule for a team with disparities in talent is difficult with only one coach so if I do this again next year, I'm going to ask for another coach even if I just have to split my stipend to do it, I only do this for fun anyway. (my JV coach isn't a tennis coach, so he just works exclusively with the JV kids)

I am kind of over it, but with a year of practice and experience these super sophomores we've had will come back as juniors and I have those two junior rock stars who I imagine will want more crack at winning state individually so it'd be fun to give it one more whirl before handing it someone else.
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