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Tóm tắt nội dung (trích từ tài liệu gốc): Vol. 8, No. 4 High-Performance The NewsletterforTennisCoaches The Progressive Development of a High Performance Tennis Player by Anne Pankhurst, B.A. (Hons.), Administrator, Coaching Education Recently I had a call from a coach who consider is making a plan that is appropriate Michael Baz wanted advice on the training program for your player. Coaches know that issues of he had developed for an 11-year old girl. growth and development should underpin a I was concerned about the plan on several Developmental Plan, but sometimes they are counts. The first concern was that a number of understandab

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                                                                                         Vol. 8, No. 4



High-Performance The NewsletterforTennisCoaches



The Progressive Development of a

High Performance Tennis Player



by Anne Pankhurst, B.A. (Hons.), Administrator, Coaching Education



Recently I had a call from a coach who             consider is making a plan that is appropriate       Michael Baz

        wanted advice on the training program      for your player. Coaches know that issues of

        he had developed for an 11-year old girl.  growth and development should underpin a

I was concerned about the plan on several          Developmental Plan, but sometimes they are

counts. The first concern was that a number of     understandably a little hazy on how to relate

skills and abilities were left out of the plan.    this to teaching technique, tactical and mental

Also, I was concerned that the volume and type     skills, as well as competition.

of training, as well as the schedule of training,

related to an older player and not an 11-year-        In this article we will address the following

old girl.                                          questions:



   My conversation with the coach revealed            � What are the Windows of Opportunity

that the plan was a copy of a recent schedule            that exist to maximize learning?

and training program for a current world-

ranked player. Needless to say, we then talked        � What are the common growth and

about growth and development and progressive             development stages that affect learning?

development in tennis and rewrote the program

to make it appropriate for an 11-year-old who      Growth and Development

seemed both talented and enthusiastic to learn.

                                                      The reality of understanding and applying a

   When outlining a program, the first thing to    sound knowledge of growth and development

                                                   is important to successfully working with a

In This Issue                                      player. As coaches, it is essential that we under-

                                                   stand that at different ages, different things are

Dear Coach                          2              possible and that there are critical times--                     Allie Will of Boca Raton displayed the development

                                                   Windows of Opportunity--that must be recog-                      of her game by her winning the 2006 Orange Bowl

USTA High Performance Coaching                     nized and utilized.                                              16s Championship.



Program Update                      2                 For example, players under 12 or 13 years                        What actually happens to the player and

                                                   old lack the ability to generate power because                   when it happens is important to understand. A

USTA High Performance Coaching                     physiologically they lack speed and strength--                   watershed for every player is the onset of

                                                   the components of power. So what is the impact                   puberty and a growth spurt. Coaches really

Program Attendance                  2              of growth and development on teaching tech-                      need to understand the implications of this in

                                                   nique? Boys moving through puberty often                         determining what players can and should do.

The Links Between Physical Maturity and            "lose" coordination, especially when they are

Technical Development in the Serve 5               growing very fast. The length of their arms and                     If we can use and understand the concept

                                                   legs increases so rapidly that they temporarily                  of Windows of Opportunity, progress is rapid.

Strength and Conditioning Training                 lose the ability to control the increased length                 Ignore that concept and learning chances

                                                   of the levers. So how do we help the natural loss                and valuable time are lost. Worse, the player

Through the Phases of Progressive                  of confidence in the player when things that

                                                   once worked no longer do?                                                                      continued on page 3

Development                         10

DEAR COACH       W ith the new year upon us, it is a good time to spend some time planning. Planning is essential to success on many

                            levels. The players you coach certainly need a well-planned training and competitive schedule that includes goals

                            to develop technical, tactical, physical and mental aspects of their games. These plans should be based on prin-

                 ciples of periodization that incorporate rest and time away from tennis. In addition, any long-term planning should take

                 into account the "age and stage" of each player you coach. Knowing the "Windows of Opportunity" or what to teach when,

                 based on player readiness is essential to long-term development. In this issue, you will read articles by Anne Pankhurst and

                 Scott Riewald that will provide you with information related to the progressive development of a high performance player

                 that will help you in your efforts to coach your players in a more effective and systematic manner.



                    Speaking of planning, 2007 will mark the last year that the High-Performance Coaching newsletter will be available in

                 paper form. This decision was not an easy one, but with technology comes change and it is important that we take advan-

                 tage of technology to broaden our scope to make the newsletter and other resources available to all tennis coaches in the

                 United States. Our website, www.playerdevelopment.usta.com, will now become the centerpiece of our Coaching Education

                 efforts, where you will find the newsletter in electronic form, along with some new and exciting resources like our "Digital

                 Library."



                    Launching in February, the USTA Player Development Digital Library will feature video clips from the US Open that you

                 can watch in slow motion and will even provide you the ability to create your own sequence pictures, which you can print

                 out and share with the players you coach. Stay tuned to the website and also the next High-Performance Coaching newslet-

                 ter for more information about our new plans.



                 All the best to you both on and off the court,



                 Paul Lubbers, Ph.D.

                 Director, Coaching Education, USTA Player Development



                 USTA High Performance Coaching Program Update



                    The USTA Coaching Education Department is accepting applications for the High Performance Coaching Program. This

                 educational program is intended specifically for the coach who is working with players striving for excellence in competi-

                 tive tennis (i.e., sectional and national ranked junior players to collegiate and young professionals). Applications for the

                 2007 program dates are available by e-mailing us at Coaching@USTA.com or by going to the USTA Player Development web

                 site, www.playerdevelopment.usta.com, and downloading the program application.



                 USTA High Performance Coaching Program Attendance



                    The following coaches successfully completed the USTA High Performance Coaching Program conducted at Harvard

                 University, May 16-21, 2006. Congratulations to each Coach for his/her efforts!!



                 Nelson Alapi       Gordon Graham      Jonas Lundblad

                 San Diego, CA      Arlington, MA      Cedar Park, TX



                 Carlos Baez        Nancy Grimes       Francisco Montoya

                 Trujillo Alto, PR  Bedford, NH        Manchester, MA



                 Jeff Bearup        Bruce Gullikson    John M. Raker

                 Duxbury, MA        Burnsville, MN     Harrisonburg, VA



                 Mark Beede         Phillip Hayman     Kim Reid

                 Honolulu, HI       Pawtucket, RI      Arlington, MA



                 Vlatko Bosevski    Arun Jetli         Tyler Thomson

                 Amherst, NY        Orange, OH         Minneapolis, MN



                 Tim Donovan        Rhona Kaczmarczyk  Gwinyai Zengeni

                 Boston, MA         Denver, CO         Norwalk, CT



                 Duane Evans        Lance Lee          David Zeutas-Broer

                 Charlotte, NC      Philadelphia, PA   Westborough, MA



2 Vol. 8, No. 4  David Geatz                  Christopher K. Lewit

                 Minneapolis, MN

                                    T H E U SYTorAk TNoEwWn HSeLigEhTtsT, ENRY F O R T E N N I S C O A C H E S

                                                                                                                   continued from page 1



The Progressive Development of a

High Performance Tennis Player



might never catch up to learn the skills needed to develop          Performance Coaching newsletter, you will find a copy of a new

into a top player.                                                  version of the USTA progressive development poster. We also

                                                                    have taken the opportunity, through our usual photo sequences,

   As coaches we should know when the best time is to develop       to illustrate the link between the physical development and the

spin, develop a game style or use goal-setting with the player. It  technical ability of players at different ages.

is not when we decide, but when the window to learn is open. We

should know when (at what ages) we should use play as the           The Progressive Development of a

teaching tool rather than structured practice. We should know       High Performance Player

when practice should be led by the player and why.



The Link between Growth and Development The Introduction and Foundation Phase (ages 5 - 12)



and Performance                                                        In this phase, young players are introduced to the sport and a

                                                                    solid foundation is laid for their future development. The learning



What is the link between growth and development and the theme for the phase is fun and fundamentals--making the initial



progressive process that develops a high performance player? experience one that will encourage the player to make progress,



After all, not every tennis player becomes a high performance have fun and stay in the sport.



player; nor does every talented young player become an expert The issues of growth and development are obviously very real



player. Progressive development is the long-term development of at this stage and underpin what is possible for the age group. The



expert athletic performance. It has a pattern, is planned and Windows of Opportunity are identified under the physical,



does not happen by chance. Over the years, different researchers technical, tactical, and mental and emotional sections on the



have noted that at different ages and stages in their lives, enclosed poster. They are important to know because the specific



athletes make faster progress in certain skills and abilities. skills of physical development will affect what is possible techni-



Furthermore, they rarely make the same progress in all skills at cally, and the elements of mental and emotional development



the same time.                                                                                                                           Simon Joyce



For example, skill learning takes place ear-



lier than tactical understanding--typically



between the ages of 8 and 12. Researchers also



note that the stages of development in different



skills have to be moved through in a progressive



manner for the expert performer to eventually



emerge. They note that the ages at which dif-



ferent abilities develop are similar across most



sports and that athletic development is



undoubtedly linked to growth and development.



Also, they note that the years spent at each



stage are similar and that the age and length of



expert performance was roughly the same



across all sports.



As a result of these findings, a number of dif-



ferent models of athletic development have The learning theme for the introduction phase is fun and fundamentals.

been drawn up. Recently, the USTA adopted a



well-researched model developed in 1985 by Benjamin Bloom. will have a strong bearing on what is possible tactically.



Coaches will be familiar with the original tennis-specific model. But the key issues for this phase move beyond these skills.



It identified the key technical, physical, mental, emotional and The phase covers childhood, which means the young player is



tactical skills that were important at each phase of development small in stature, has limited sports experience, is physiologically



of the player. The importance of competition was recognized and underdeveloped and certainly has different needs from a teenager



the types of competition appropriate at each of the three stages or adult. Another important need for the coach to consider is the



were identified.                                                    concept of multiple sport participation.



Since the introduction of that model, we have undertaken Court sizes and equipment must "fit" the child. The ball is



more study and research in our quest to help give coaches the important too; a normal ball will move through the air too fast and



best information and ideas and, thereby, give the best opportu- bounce too high for a small child learning the game skills. The



nities to every player. Along with this edition of the High- length of the racquet must enable the child to control the length



                    THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES                                                    continued on page 4                     3 Vol. 8, No. 4

continued from page 3



         The Progressive Development of a

         High Performance Tennis Player



                 of the lever, so shorter, lighter racquets are vital to rapid learning.                                                                         Anne Pankhurst

                    In the introduction part of this first phase, a foam ball is used

                                                                                          A systematic approach to coaching is essential for continued

                 on a 36-foot court, but as the child grows and moves to the foun-        development during the refinement phase.

                 dation part of the phase, the court size increases to 60-feet and

                 finally to a full-size court. The ball moves from a foam ball to a       used to coach simple skills like winning, losing and scoring. In

                 low-compression ball to a normal ball and the racquet length             this phase the opportunity and feasibility exists to teach skills

                 steadily increases. The ages and abilities of the player in this         such as defense, offense, counter-attacks, etc., because the play-

                 phase will also be reflected in the scoring system and types of          er has the mental maturity to understand such skills. Therefore,

                 matches played. For young children, a three-set match is too             competition is a vital development tool. The ratio of competition

                 long, but they do need to learn certain competitive skills as well       to training increases as players move through this phase and the

                 as the foundations of winning and losing, sportsmanship, and             type of competition changes. Rankings become increasingly

                 respect for others. Specific scoring systems that lay a good             important as benchmarks of improvement.

                 foundation are essential, as are team competitions. Teams help

                 young children learn to play as an individual, but with the                 At the end of the foundation phase, the ratio of training to

                 support of others. This is important in building confidence.             competition should be about 1:5, but by the end of the transition

                                                                                          phase it will have moved to 1:2. The players will have a peri-

                    Finally, young players need to be in an environment where             odized schedule for their training, competition and rest. As they

                 they are taught by those who understand their need for fun               move through this phase, the players also are moving through

                 and enjoyment as well as for learning in relevant ways.                  puberty--a stage that represents the greatest changes in their

                 Consequently, coaches, teachers and parents who are experi-              lives in terms of physical growth and emotional and mental

                 enced with young children are more likely to progress the                development.

                 players and keep them in the sport.

                                                                                             Good practice in terms of coaching, training, and competition

                 Refinement and Transition Phase (ages 10 � 20)                           in this phase is crucial because it has such a huge impact on the

                                                                                          player's future as a tennis player.

                    This phase has three characteristics:

                    � It builds on the skills and abilities from the Windows of              There are significant changes in players in this phase. In phys-

                                                                                          ical terms there are real biological/physical differences between

                       Opportunity developed in the Introduction and                      young players of the same chronological age. Players in this phase

                       Foundation phase.                                                  can be up to two years above or below their chronological age in

                    � It develops the key needs of players at this stage in their         physical terms. This poses a challenge for coaches who need to

                       tennis careers.                                                    coach players appropriately in groups. A further dilemma for

                    � It serves as the launch pad for the World-Class phase of            coaches is that a player may appear talented, but simply be bigger

                       performance that follows it.                                       and stronger than his or her peers. The differences in chronological

                                                                                          and biological age also mean that coaching technical and physical

                    The learning theme for the phase is training and compe-               skills becomes increasingly individualized.

                 tition, since this is the prime time in the player's development

                 to learn the skills for both. In terms of tennis training, the basic        In this phase, there also will be marked physical differences

                 technical skills should be in place by this time. The player is able     between girls and boys. These differences will be reflected in the

                 to develop more pace and improve movement and footwork                   way each play the game. As the player matures throughout this

                 because of the physical skills learned in the foundation phase           phase, his or her tennis really improves, so the range of knowl-

                 and because they are growing stronger and faster.                        edge of the coach will need to be higher to ensure that the

                                                                                          coaching skills match the player's needs.

                    Physical and technical training is especially important in this

                 phase. However, an increased emphasis should be placed on the                                                              continued on page 9

                 Window of Opportunity for tactical development. The player is

                 maturing rapidly, both mentally and emotionally, and this is

                 reflected in improved concentration and ability to conceptualize

                 things like goal-setting and anxiety control. Tennis is an open

                 skill sport in which success depends on rapid decision making

                 and a sound tactical understanding. In this phase, players are

                 able to make quality decisions when presented with a range of

                 options. A personal game style makes sense as the player's

                 personality becomes more evident.



                    In the foundation phase, competition is team-based and is



4 Vol. 8, No. 4  THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES

TECHNIQUE        The Links Between Physical Maturity and

                 Technical Development in the Serve



                 by Paul Lubbers, Ph.D., Director, Coaching Education, and Anne Pankhurst, B.A. (Hons.), Administrator, Coaching Education



                 In previous editions of High-Performance Coaching, we have presented many photo series of adult professional play-

                     ers. For the first time, and to illustrate the issues of progressive development raised in this newsletter, the four sets

                     of photos show the progressive development of the serve in young female players.

                    A successful serve depends on a number of key factors that are not always possible for young players to develop until

                 they reach a specific phase. These are the key factors in developing an effective serve:



                    � an overarm throwing motion

                    � dynamic balance

                    � rotation of the hips and shoulder

                    � the use of all the segments of the kinetic chain

                    � the generation of racquet head speed



                    In the sequences of photos from different phases, it is possible to see that the young players are able to incorporate

                 these different factors at different times. The Windows of Opportunity and the physical development issues have been

                 identified for each phase.



                        PHASE        WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY                   PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

                                                                                          ISSUES

                  Introduction and

                 Foundation Phase    Develop                                  � ability to use dynamic balance

                   5 � 12 years old  � throwing action and grip                 to control body at full height

                                     � stance and dynamic balance

                  Refinement and     � rhythm                                 � unable to use complex

                  Transition Phase   � basic shape                              coordination at start of phase

                  10 � 20 years old  � hip rotation and then shoulder

                                                                              � lack of strength

                    World-Class        rotation

                 Performance Phase

                                     Develop                                  � different rates of growth in

                    15+ years old    � integration of body segments of          different players



                                       kinetic chain through the core         � development of strength and

                                     � ability to use both sides of body--      speed leading to ability to

                                                                                generate power

                                       non-racquet arm and back leg

                                     � use of increasing upper and lower      � temporary loss of coordination

                                                                                with rapid growth in height

                                       body strength

                                     � use of ground reaction force--



                                       shown in increased use of knees

                                       and leg drive

                                     � ability to control length of lever

                                        (racquet arm) through service motion



                                     Develop and Improve                      � ability to maximize all physical

                                     � use of ground reaction force and         capacities to produce effective

                                                                                serves

                                       leg drive

                                     � shoulder rotation (further than hip



                                       rotation) to increase arm speed

                                     � use of power

                                     � landing position and preparation



                                       for next shot



5 Vol. 8, No. 4                      THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES

Photos by Lance Jeffrey



                         THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES

THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES

THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES  8 Vol. 8, No. 4

                                                                                                                                     continued from page 4



              World-Class Performance (ages 15+)                                          Physically, all components of strength, speed, endurance,

                                                                                       power and flexibility are trained to maintain peak performance

                 The learning theme for this phase is personal excellence.             and reduce injury. Mentally and emotionally, the player has the

              In any sport, the talented athlete is aiming to achieve expert           tools to play at peak level, to win and lose and have the ability

              performance on the world-class stage. In tennis, we know that            to move on.

              the timing of this phase for females is around two years earlier

              than it is for males. Essentially this is the phase when all the            Practice is very specific to the individual. After all, the play-

              work in the previous phases comes to fruition, coupled with the          er is now an independent adult seeking to achieve goals for

              fact that the "playing field" is level--almost every player has          which he or she has trained for a number of years. In addition,

              completed physical, physiological and emotional growth.                  the relationship with the coach will probably have developed

                                                                                       into a more mature relationship.

                 The Window of Opportunity is now to capitalize on and train

              every capacity so that players can utilize their abilities to the max-      The progressive development of a world-class player is a sys-

              imum with the objective of winning. A real difference in this phase      tematic process in which the pathways for training and compe-

              is that each and every player is now working to an individualized        tition can be clearly identified. The increasing maturity of each

              training, competition and rest schedule. The ratio of competition        player is obviously a critical feature. It also is necessary to

              to training of 1:1 reflects the fact that the objective of all previous  understand how growth and development contributes to the key

              training was to play and succeed on the world-class stage.               phases of development toward world-class performance. The

                                                                                       progressive development poster is only a summation of all the

                 Top players often have a team of people to help them reach            skills, abilities and factors needed by players as they develop,

              and maintain their full potential--coach, physical trainer and           but it gives all of us as coaches a clear framework from which to

              sports science support. In technical terms, the players have             work with every player.

              sound, but flexible technique, especially in relation to their

              game style and the different surfaces on which they will play.



Getty Images



              Expert performance and a focus on performance and winning highlight the world-class performance phase of development.                          9 Vol. 8, No. 4



                                                 THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES

                  Strength and Conditioning Training Through the

                  Phases of Progressive Development



                  by Scott Riewald, Ph.D., CSCS, Administrator, Sport Science



                  T his edition of the High-Performance Coaching newsletter                Foundation Phase

                         focuses on the progressive development of a high perform-

                         ance player. As tennis coaches, it is natural to think about         Players in the foundation phase are still in childhood in terms

                  how this information pertains to on-court training and developing        of growth and development, but they should start incorporating

                  a game style, but strength and conditioning should be approached         some basic strength and conditioning exercises into their training.

                  in much the same way. It is pretty obvious that players in the           In this phase, the principle objective should be injury prevention,

                  world-class performance phase possess physical attributes that           particularly preventing overuse injuries that have become so com-

                  younger players do not have. But there also are physical and             mon in tennis. In particular, we want to focus on developing

                  physiological differences between players in the introduction/           strength and stability throughout the core of the body and the

                  foundation phase and those in the refinement/transition phase.           muscles of the upper back that support the shoulder blades. An

                                                                                           example of the type of exercise that could be included in this

                     In this article, we want to take a look at a series of exercises      phase is the Inverted Hamstring exercise.

                  that can be used to develop lower body strength in a tennis player.

                  As we present these exercises, you will see how the demands of                                                                                   Scott Riewald

                  each match the physical attributes of the players in that phase.

                  One exercise per phase will be described in this newsletter.

                  However, additional exercise descriptions are available on the USTA

                  Player Development website (www.playerdevelopment.usta.com)

                  under Strength and Conditioning. Online, you will find that in addi-

                  tion to offering more exercises for each phase, we also take you

                  through a second physical training progression designed to improve

                  coordination and on-court movement. Please note that the infor-

                  mation presented here and online is not meant to be "all inclusive."

                  Rather, the intent is to provide some direction as to how strength

                  and conditioning plans can be developed to complement the

                  physical, mental and emotional development of the player.



                  Development of Strength



                  Introduction Phase                                                       The Inverted Hamstring exercise builds core strength while also

                                                                                           developing balance and coordination.

                     In the introduction phase, it is essential to lay the foundation

                  for athleticism. The physical skills to emphasize and develop in            The Inverted Hamstring exercise addresses many of the physi-

                  this phase are the ABCs--agility, balance and coordination.              cal demands that are important in this phase. It will help develop

                  Muscular control underlies all the ABCs, and players should strive       body awareness and control, core strength and stability, and bal-

                  to develop and improve motor control and coordination. As                ance. Start the Inverted Hamstring exercise at the doubles side-

                  much as possible, "exercises" should be incorporated into                line, facing out from the court. Stand on the left leg and bend at

                  games, since this will keep things fun and enjoyable. A sample           the waist until a slight stretch is felt in the hamstrings of the left

                  game that will build motor control and can be included in this           leg. Keep the left knee bent slightly. Engage the core to keep the

                  phase is Tennis Dodgeball.                                               back flat and avoid twisting. When done properly, there should be

                                                                                           a straight line between the shoulders, hips and the right ankle.

                     In Tennis Dodgeball, you should divide the group of players into      Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Return to the starting position,

                  two teams. One team will form a large circle 20-25 feet across. The      but step back slightly when you put the right foot down. Repeat

                  other group should stand in the center of the circle. The group          while standing on the right leg and gradually walk backward

                  around the outside will have 1-2 playground balls that they will         across the court to the other doubles sideline.

                  roll/bounce into the circle trying to hit the players from the other

                  team. It is the job of the players on the inside of the circle to avoid  Refinement Phase

                  being hit. The players on the outer ring should roll or bounce the

                  ball (not throw it) with both hands in a motion like they are hitting       Developing muscular endurance and dynamic balance are the

                  a forehand or backhand and in such a way that the ball would hit         keys here, and as we design a resistance training program, the

                  a player below the waist. When a player is hit, he or she will join      focus will be on using low resistance and performing a large num-

                  the outer circle. This continues until there are no players left in the  ber of repetitions for a given exercise. Remember, players in this

                  center, at which point the teams switch positions and play again.        phase are typically entering puberty. Consequently, they do not yet



10 Vol. 8, No. 4                           THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES

have the hormones and other building            and power gradually. Just because a girl or    Michael Baz

blocks in place that will allow them to real-   boy reaches age 12 or 15, respectively, does

ly see large muscular gains, although they      not mean either should suddenly jump into                   The Medicine Ball Squat with chest throw is an

will see some strength gains. The exercises     a full-blown plyometric or Olympic lifting                  appropriate exercise for developing power in

in this phase should include some tradi-        program. Things still should progress grad-                 the transition phase.

tional exercises you would see in a weight      ually, recognizing that the true benefits

room (like bench press or lat pull downs),      come in the world-class performance                         of your thighs. Driving with the legs, explo-

but should also go beyond that to include       phase. With that said, an example of an                     sively extend the knees, hips and back as

multi-joint exercises that develop complex      exercise to include in the transition phase                 you jump upward to accelerate the bar.

coordination. It is also important during       is the Medicine Ball Squat/Chest Throw.                     Shrug the shoulders and keep the weight

this phase to start teaching the techniques                                                                 close to the body. As the weight moves

used for more advanced exercises, such as          The Medicine Ball Squat/Chest Throw                      upward, drop under the bar to "catch" it

Olympic lifts. However, little or no weight     is a moderate-intensity exercise that will                  across your shoulders. You should catch

should be used as the techniques are            develop lower body power and use of the                     the weight in a front squat position and

learned. An example of the type of exercise     kinetic chain. Starting in a standing posi-                 your upper arms should be parallel to the

that should be introduced in this phase is      tion, hold a 3-5 kg medicine ball (depend-                  floor with the elbows pointing forward in

the Star Drill.                                 ing on player size and strength) at chest                   order to help control the weight. Finish the

                                                level. Drop into a front squat position and                 movement by executing the front squat.

   The Star Drill is similar to a one-leg       immediately explode upward, performing a                    Bend the knees slightly as you return the

squat, except that balance is challenged to     chest throw that launches the ball straight                 bar to the starting position.

a greater degree. Start the exercise by bal-    up in the air. Land in a balanced position

ancing on the left leg. Imagine you are         with the weight on the balls of the feet and

standing in the middle of a compass facing      the knees and hips slightly flexed. Let the

north. Slowly drop into a one-leg squat         ball bounce once and, as the ball is caught,

while lightly tracing a line on the floor with  immediately drop into a squat position and

your right heel in the direction of North.      repeat the movement. Perform 1-2 sets of

Extend the right foot as far forward as you     10-12 repetitions of the exercise.

can, making sure you do not bend forward

at the waist and keep the upper body            World-Class Performance Phase

upright. Return to the starting position and

repeat the motion, except this time you            Power development, which incorpo-

will trace a line pointing NE. Complete         rates both strength and speed, is the focus

additional repetitions tracing a line with      of this phase. It is here that a player will

your heel to the E, SE and S directions on      truly reap the benefits of having engaged in

the imaginary compass. Go through that          a well-structured, age-appropriate training

entire exercise 3-5 times and repeat stand-     plan for his or her development. To build

ing on the right leg. When this becomes too     explosiveness and power, the player now

easy, do the same exercise standing on a        focuses on low-rep, high-intensity exercises

foam pad. As you gain better strength and       with a great deal of rest. These exercises

balance you will be able to go deeper and       also require a good deal of skill and are not

deeper into the squat.                          recommended for any player unfamiliar

                                                with strength training, regardless of his or

Transition Phase                                her age. One example of an exercise to

                                                include in the world-class phase is the

   With a base level of strength estab-         Hang Clean.

lished in the refinement phase, players

normally move through and past puberty in          The Hang Clean is a modification of an

the transition phase. Now the focus can         Olympic lift and helps develop full body

shift to increasing strength and power.         coordination and power. Start this exercise

Keeping in mind the idea of progressive         by grasping a loaded barbell with an over-

development, players should be exposed to       hand grip, slightly wider than shoulder

the exercises designed to build strength        width apart. Bend the knees and hips

                                                slightly so the barbell rests on the middle



THE USTA NEWSLETTER FOR TENNIS COACHES                                                                                                                      11 Vol. 8, No. 4

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High-Performance                                           USTA High Performance

                                                           Coaching Program Dates

             Published Quarterly By

                                           Program Dates for 2007

                 USTA Coaching

            Education Department           Date                Location                          Application Deadline

            7310 Crandon Boulevard                                                               February 23, 2007

          Key Biscayne, Florida 33149      May 8-13, 2007      Minneapolis, MN                   May 15, 2007



                  305-365-8782             August 14-20, 2007  USTA Training Center, Carson, CA

      www.playerdevelopment.usta.com

                                                 Applications for the above program dates are available

                      Editor                          by contacting 305-365-USTA or e-mailing us at

              Paul Lubbers, Ph.D.

                                                   Coaching@USTA.com. We encourage all interested

             Editorial Consultant                          coaches to apply as soon as possible.

                  Mark Preston



                   USTA Staff

              Scott Riewald, Ph.D.

         Anne Pankhurst, B.A. (Hons.)



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