Two service toss exercises we are working on and Summer time memories

 

 

Thanks again for the birthday card.  This was a kind gesture and probably the nicest thing that I had happen that day.  It seems that we have some artist who play tennis here too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I once attended the camp which is attached to the same camp many just attended out in Medford, and for some reason they used this picture for their brochure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to score tennis appropriately. How to hold the racquet with the right Eastern Grip with advice from one of the best coaches ever & how the palm is important for the forehand groundstroke which many are using.

Where the idea and prizes came for the biggest giveaway we've EVER had. You'll also see here where the first place that the famous 'Halloween,' movie was envisioned. Plus a view from the spooky night time Centennial Tennis Courts which few ever get to see. All that wrapped around a picture essay on the subjects.

This house sits at 130 Walnut and only a block away from the tennis courts.  The house was built in 1863 and would be described as 'Capenter Gothic.' This also is the house of the only baby-sitter that I ever knew growing up and where mom would take me to be watched  when needed, but most important behind these doors lies the prize box. 
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if you look closely you can see a picture of the ghost in one of these pictures

Virginia, on the left was my babysitter's daughter and my friend dave on the right is a book seller, who I sometimes help with his business, who is seen here holding his book purchase from the house.  I was asked by Virginia and her sister Louise and brother Carl to help with the packing and moving of the this grand old home. It is amazing how much a family can accumulate after living in a house for 60 + years, and a lot of it was kept on the 4th floor.  It was a lot of hard work but considering this was the home of the only babysitter I ever knew or had, and that I had spent much time here between the ages of 1 and 13, well it was the least I could do. 

I would finish my morning tennis instruction and then, less than a block away from where the Centennial Tennis Courts are, sits their once family house, which we were preparing to be sold.  I spent each weekday afternoon for the past month or so, moving and packing 61 years of Chateau Nittienger's belongings.   I found the huge prizes you see in the picture bellow, which the flying monkey was one of many, in a box on the 4th floor.  I instantly thought the kids would get a kick out of these toys of the 60's and 70's, so I asked Virginia if I could have them to give out as prizes.  I told her you loved the first prize we gave out and she was thrilled.

On the search where I discovered these huge prizes, I also learned  a bit of Haddonfield history.  An old HMHS friend of Virginia's showed up to support her friend during this tough time.   This friend was thumbing through our town calendar, see below, and saw this write-up on  Debra Hill, she then explained to me that Mrs. Hill grew up right around the corner from here, at 126 Center St. Here is a picture of that house, actually four pictures of it, arranged below.

With the help of photoshop, with overall inspiration from Andy Warhol, I brought this house out of the shadows community folklore and present it to you here.   I had heard there is actually a friendly ghost who still lives
there.  


                                                                   

                                                                                 

Now remember the friendly ghost I just mentioned, well this is a little tool once given to me by a coach to help remind me of something I needed to work on or be mindful too during match play.  He 'd say something crazy, which wouldn't allow me to forget it and might also get me to loosen up if I got too frustrated.  I tried one the other day, when I told Isabella that I am prone to mistakes.  To remind her and Carolyn that our group lesson was a place where mistakes were a good thing so to speak.  You are now going to get this tool and maybe it'll help you remember to bend your knees going forward.  When you see that ghost in the future, you must bend your knees and hide behind a bush. If the Ghost sees you he'll come back many times in the future to say, "BOO!"  This picture you see below, contains something very important about topspin and how that relates to bending of the knees.  I want parents and kids to read to further understand why it is so important to bending of your knees when striking a tennis ball.

                                

This is some good advice, which I feel strongly about, in getting the right junior tennis racquet.

 When picking out a junior tennis racquet, make sure that the weight corresponds with the child's strength and ability to swing the racquet. Choose smaller rackets for younger tennis players with advice from a USPTA certified tennis pro in this free video on tennis racquets.

                                       http://www.ehow.com/video_4974483_choose-junior-wilson-tennis-racket.html

Hi, my name is Lincoln Ward. I am the director of the Austin Tennis Center here in Austin, Texas as well as a USPTA Certified Teaching Pro. Today we're going to talk about how to choose a Wilson junior tennis racquet. Generally junior rackets are shorter in length and lighter in weight than adult racquets. If you're less than six years old I would recommend using a nineteen or a twenty one inch tennis racket. If you're between the ages of six and eight, I would recommend using a twenty, twenty five, twenty three inch racquet, probably a twenty three inch racket. If you're between the ages of eight and ten, I would recommend using a twenty five inch racquet.  If you're between the ages of ten and twelve, I'd recommend using a twenty six inch racquet. Now, if you've been playing for a while, and you're anywhere between ten and over, you could get away with a twenty seven inch raquet or an adult racket. Again, the weight of the racquet is most important than the length. The younger your are the less power you have to get that racket really swinging. And it really helps to generate the racket head speed for instant success. So the younger you are the smaller the racquet pretty much. Thank you very much.

Q. Why are tennis rackets made of graphite and titanium composites instead of wood? Where have all the wooden tennis rackets gone?

A: Weight, strength and speed are the names of the game in tennis racket design. Graphite, carbon fiber and titanium are the most common materials used in tennis rackets today (aluminum is still used in very low-end rackets as well). These high-tech materials cost less, are stronger and more versatile than is wood, lending greater creativity to racket designers and a much broader selection of products for players.

http://www.doittennis.com/buyers-guides/racquetfaq.php#whygraphite

I also like this short video clip below a great deal, as it adds some details which the first one doesn't.
                                                                                                    

                                                                            

                                                                                                  

The belated crying edition, but breathing is important too. Breathing will be naturally regulated when crying and also upon exhaling at the moment you are striking a tennis ball. First there is the 2012 Wimbledon Men's Final speeches and trophy presentation...I cried watching it and a lot of British tennis fans who wanted Brit Andy Murray to win cried too. Then there is another British crying moment from the James Bond film, "The Spy Who Loved Me," well Carly Simon can make me cry, how bout you. I cried today when a new student arrived for our tennis group, and it was the great American gymnastics star, Kerri Strug. Her greatest olympic moment made everyone cry, so watch here and see why. AND a tennis tip on breathing from Coach Bo's regular doubles partner and close friend Chris Evert.

 

What a great Wimbledon men's final.  The Brits who've hosted this major tennis tournament for 100+ years so wanted their home-grown tennis star, Andy Murray to win.  However watching this speech, there is no doubt he won the hearts of any tennis fan, in simply how he fought to win during the match and how he showed you his heart in the speech after losing the match to the greatest tennis player of all time.  Get some tissues before you watch this video clip.   Well at least the one above this caption, as the one below is Roger Federer's winning speech.

                                                    

Why is breathing important to your tennis game?

It was truly an honor to have Kerri McCormick Strug join us for tennis.

I was wrong this Carly Simon hit song was from, 'The Spy Who Knew Too Much.'

Last but not least is Billy Baldwin's greatest movie scene ever, which also makes me cry as it shows my second home and favorite city on earth, Chicago, in such a majestic way.  Billy actually came to tennis today, but the only person who recognized him was Mikey McCorrmick

You wanna see Warren Zevon perform 'Werewolves,' in the summertime, but you don't want all his hair in the summer heat. Pat Bone's daughter Debbie, will light up your life best in the winter, which is the same time of year to visit the Lapid's Reindeer farm in the country they own, Lapland.

 

I think if you look at this picture, and listen to one of the two music videos below, you'll quickly become cooler than it appears outside to be the opposite of ..  hot! have a HAPPY 4th of July!

 

Warren Zevon doing a live show in our garden state. 

but bringing the 'Werewolves of London.' too.    

                                                                   Debbie Boone - You Light Up My Life...live

                                                        This is a serious piece of real estate which someone you may know own all of it.

Kids can add a solid assist in the process of teaching other kids tennis. I was privileged to watch this happen today with an assist form Carolyn and Molly.

Vic Braden is the most influential tennis coach to how I teach tennis today, and how I now know I was first introduced to the sport as a excited 7 year old at summer swim club.  His book "Teaching Children Tennis The Vic Braden Way," has long been my way of instructing the sport to kids.  He has a long established tennis college, the first of it's kind, where instructors go to learn how to improve their craft.  He also founded a sport science research facility, connected to his tennis college.  One field study he just completed and released the findings,  was on kids teaching each other, and in different sports, not just tennis.

The article below is now a program that was the outgrowth of that study.  I cut and pasted it here, and also another link to a brief FYI on the man himself.

Published: April 14, 2010 Updated: April 15, 2010 1:39 p.m. 

Orange County Register News

Legendary tennis coach trains kids to be coaches, too

Vic Braden seeks parent volunteers for junior ambassadors coaching program.

By RASHI KESARWANI / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

COTO DE CAZA Nothing seems to slow down 80-year-old tennis coach Vic Braden, not even the loss of eyesight in his left eye from an infection he suffered a year ago.
Braden, the legendary coach known for using video to improve players’ strokes, has spent his life applying the laws of physics and biology to tennis instruction. His pioneering methods are now used at Vic Braden Tennis Colleges in Utah and Arizona.

Vic Braden is re-starting his Tennis College in Coto De Caza for three days, April 23-25, to rejuvenate the Coto Valley Country Club. He also hopes the three-day tennis college will raise awareness for his philanthropic effort: The Junior Tennis Ambassadors program.

Braden is now hard at work launching a junior ambassadors program for Orange County students. The program, primarily sponsored by the Ronald Simon Family Foundation and run by Braden, aims to train young tennis players to be coaches for kids who go to school where tennis courts are non-existent or rundown.  Braden recently connected the varsity girls’ tennis team at Troy High School in Fullerton with elementary school students at Rolling Hills Elementary, also in Fullerton.

“I think it boosted up my confidence,” said Sara Gordon, a sophomore at Troy. “He would tell us even if you’re having a  bad day, you can still try to win and you can still win.”The varsity girls’ tennis coach at Troy, Donna Judd, credited Braden for his ability to draw out the best in people. “He really makes you feel like you can do it,” Judd said.

Braden’s work as a school psychologist in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s laid the groundwork for the philanthropic efforts he is pursuing today.

 “I ran an experiment where I taught kids how to be coaches,” Braden said. “When they took responsibility for other kids, concentration went up.”As a coach and spectator, Braden has seen that the players who win are the ones who focus on the execution of each stroke, not on the outcome of the point, game, set or match. He said this focus has the potential to help kids perform better in school.

Braden never intended to become a tennis icon. As a kid in Michigan in the ‘40s, Braden figured he would work on the railroad when he got older. His father worked as a coal miner and later in a paper mill, and his mother stayed home raising Braden and his six siblings.“I started playing tennis when I was caught in a theft,” Braden said.

At 10, Braden was caught stealing tennis balls that were hit over the fence of the tennis courts on his way to the football field.  The recreation director told the young Braden, “You’re going to jail or learning to play.” So began Braden’s tennis career. He went on to play tennis at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where he won the league singles championships before graduating in 1951.

Braden said he’s in need of parent volunteers to assist in the training of young players to serve as coaches to other kids for the junior ambassadors program. To get involved, contact Vic Braden at 949-257-9863 or e-mail vicbraden@vicbraden.com.

Here is a link to another fantastic article about Vic Braden.  Some of these quotes, about his opinions on the state of the game today are so dead on, and ring in my head right now. 

 http://www.racquetsportsindustry.com/articles/2010/06/21_pioneers_in_tennis_vic_brad.html

 Here's a 15 second video clip where you'll get a little flavor of Vic. 

Snoopy loves Wimbledon so you should too. He went there to play tennis, but all you have to do is tune it in on your Telly via ESPN. .

Snoopy is going to Wimbledon to play some tennis.  We need to turn on our telly to connect with the tennis there.  So follow his journey in the cartoon below. Wimbledon is a famous tennis club located just outside the city of London, the capital of England.  We play tennis on a hard court.  What type of tennis court you think Snoopy is playing on, this is the same type that Wimbledon is played on. think your backyard, for a hint.  Snoopy also mentions a few names, which are famous tennis players from a long time ago. 

 

tel·ly 

 [tel-ee] Show IPA

noun, plural tel·lies. British Informal .

1.

television.

2.

a television  receiving set.

Origin:
1935–40; tel(evision)  + -y²

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/index.html

Click the link aright above here to find out anything and everything you wanna know about the 3rd major tennis tournament of the tennis year.  The US Open played at the end of the summer is the 4th and last major tennis tournament of the year.  ESPN will carry all the tennis action from Wimbledon, each and everyday this week, and the coverage starts at 8am and ends at 6pm.  You can also catch the live action at this site, just click the link above and the header will tell you where.

I have a favorite and he's got some great initials and a great story, Brian Baker, tell me if you happen to catch his next match, tomorrow, it starts too early but I am certain it'll be on in the evening on ESPN and 7pm on Tennis Channel.  If Baker wins tomorrow to get to the Quarterfinals, and after 6 years of inactivity and now 27 years old, moreover this is only his 2nd grass court tournament ever.  I feel he'll win this 4th round match against Philip Kohlschreiber, the veteran German player ranked #34 in the world.  Baker has beaten far better players than Philip, during his tourney play this spring.  He started this comeback in January at the Australia open, the first major of the tennis season.

I know this win will instantly turn him into the biggest story of this year's tournament and even the tennis world.  American tennis and especially the men have needed this boost in interest and new blood so to speak for quite some time.  Needless to say I hope you all catch at least a little of the tennis action.  The women's final will be televised on ABC channel 6 this coming Saturday at 9am.  The men's final will be televised on ABC channel 6 this coming Sunday at 9am.

http://www.tennischannel.com/ - The Tennis Channel also carries some of the action, but ESPN is the primary telly broadcaster of the tournament.

 http://www.tennischannel.com/news/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=10642 - this is a story on the Tennis Channel site about the amazing comeback story of American Brian Baker.   A comeback story, America and BB ... this all sounds like apple pie music to my ears. 

k

All You Need Is Love & Cats In the Craddle .. both were sung in today's group lesson.

All You Need Is Love

Lennon/McCartney

The Beatles were asked to come up with a song containing a simple message to be understood by all nationalities. "It was an inspired song and they really wanted to give the world a message,"said Beatles Manager Brian Epstein.  The lyrics are priceless and I think about them all the time.  It is a simple and timeless mantra, "all you need is love," and I hope all might use it well into the future. I feel coaching, each and everyday, teaches me how important love can be.  I'd define a coach's love as a positive energy,  he then brings recognition of the student's successes, so over the course of a lesson, the pupil can clearly see how many moments where they see themselves as successful.  This positive reinforcement is vital for any coach who wants to encourage their tennis student to also attempt to improve on their weak points.  I feel strongly that for learning to spark and have sustained interest, then this type of love and or energy is a must. The by-product of this, is instilling CONFIDENCE in the individual, one small block at a time.   My overall objective is the hope that the student will continually challenge themselves to improve.

When you believe in your student, then after a period of time of learning and working together, they see what you saw and believed from the start.  When they finally own the skill, and the teacher witnesses this realization toward the end of whatever learning curve, you can't help but to feel great pride.  Then the skill is solely there's, to have forever, and hopefully continue to grow from, for a long time to come.  I know that the tennis skill which I once acquired as a youngster, has now afforded me many terrific life experiences and can be connected to many life long friendships.  I now get to met many great people which I have come to know through teaching tennis.  I guarantee that you will have friends and fantastic life experiences tied to learning experiences your active in right now, and they may or may not be tennis. 

Carolyn Smith and all you see below in the picture reminded me of something during our lesson today, by singing 'All You Need Is Love," by the Beatles.  Their out of the blue singing of this song reminded me of some unfinished business, and gosh darn you all say or in this case sing the darnedest things.  I had one more blog post at paulvitennis.blogspot.com, with the purpose of drawing some closure to the blog and my entire experience there. I didn't want to write the last post under the banner of Paul VI Tennis.   I was not the boys or girls coach there anymore, moreover I had heard from a little birdie that it wouldn't be the correct place to close the curtain.   I can't thank you all enough for such a reminder and inspiration, to now write the final PVI blog post here. 

I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing when you guys started singing this song today.  I had once wanted to make this song central to my last blog post, and thank all the great people I came across at Paul VI for the love they showed me and how over time I saw how very important this was for success and personal growth of myself and everyone connected to either program.  I simply wanted to say good-bye, good luck and that I love them all no matter if I am here or not, which someone tried to not allow me to do, but I had unquestionably earned the right to do.  I really wanted to thank them as a whole team & both teams together in one place.   None of my hopes seemed to be possible, until you guys reminded me of such today by via my favorite song, 'All You Need Is Love,"  I think what you guys were telling me,  without knowing it, was to write it here on the new blog.    

I actually wanted to use my PVI blog to also say good bye, and closure there too, not some disconnected last post, which it ended up being.  I'd add to that my strong belief, that the writing of the blog (paulvitennis.blogspot.com) had an overall goal of continuously explaining to the player and parent alike what I was doing per instruction, along with daily observations and of course a dash of fun.   Too often I had a coach in my youth who told me what to do but not why, and that often puzzled me, wherein I learned from my 1st experience coaching at Haddon Heights that many a student and their parent desired such, and doing our blog connected those converging ideas, thus it was easy and fun to do. 

Heights Tennis Team '07

The blog is never going anywhere so please continue to use it to perhaps learn and reference for such, but promise me you'll smile and laugh now and then when you check it out, moreover any of you, parent and or student simply use it to help recall one of the funny adventures/moments  we experienced, but pour yourself a glass of ice tea first.  That ice tea tradition was one I first started with this team seen above, and I hope that tradition which we continued here at PVI will always be something you remember too, whether you liked the ice tea or not.  Finding whatever small tradition will always make an experience more memorable, sincere and positive.  I loved making the ice tea for each and every match for our team members and their parents, and it made me feel good the quicker the two big pitchers disappeared.  The girls on this team had a few traditions and making those shirts was one of them, which they did many times.  So again I learned and made myself better in a small way, and maybe I passed it on as a reminder to your own creative inclinations, and whatever they may be in the future for whatever setting.

 The journey was never boring, and I saw and you must have too, a lot of other teams and coaches who looked to be having the opposite of our teams' experience.  Having fun in the opening stage of our three year journey was of utmost IMPORTANCE, considering the experience level of many.  If I could do whatever little things to keep reminding you to only worry about moment by moment & day by day growth and improvement in practice and matches, without worrying about what it said on a scorecard, than one day, when you all starting winning on said scoreboard in the Courier Post, it would never stop, whether it was on or off the tennis court.

Our school was more often then not smaller than our opponents on the other side of the net, wherein both our teams were playing in the toughest, biggest conference in South Jersey.  Cherry Hill East, Shawnee, Lenape, Eastern, Bishop Eustace and Cherokee, boys and girls tennis teams, in one year or another while I was coach, competed in a South Jersey Sectional Title match.   This was one or two steps away from a state championship match.  All of these schools had a sustained level and expectation of success which never dropped.  I understood from the get go, this is what we were up against and I loved the long term challenge.  How cool would it feel to know where we all started and then feel where I hoped we could arrive at, by one day simply looking those teams and their players in the eye and them knowing that they now had some real competition and we weren't an instant win anymore.  

It would have been foolish of me not to expect a considerable amount of losses for either team in year one.  In stating all that I was sad that I couldn't complete the story or write our song in a final blog post.  I very much wanted to be there in year four and share in the enjoyment with each team and its members who without doubt won more on the scoreboard as seniors than they did in year one, therein I could have easily wrote that pretty tune over and over again on the blog.  I had that joyful experience for a brief moment with the boys team in year two, where we won our first conference title in 15 years and then repeated that feat again in year three.   I know I would have experienced a similar feeling if I was there with the girls team in year four.  I thought I had totally missed the boat in expressing myself to you in anyway... until.

Eureka you guys in my tennis class today(see above picture) made the light bulb, above my head start to flicker and the old ideas for the once forgotten the last post were quickly  coming back  Now that good-bye and thanks would take shape from the song lines below, from 'All You Need Is Love,'  and be the blog's final post.  I had long ago thought to highlight three specific lines of the song and comment on how each was related to my reflections now.  I had posted many a Beatles music video on the blog, and frequently encouraged the PVI kids that they get hip to the Beatles, and explained often why they should do so, all the time stating how and why they were timeless.   This was the connection to this greatest of bands via the blog, and there would be no better way to end the blog, then to connected it to the aforementioned song in the final post.  I could have just posted the final song line from the 'The End,' ..."The love you make is equal to the love you take...." but I hit a writers block over my head with that theme, moreover John and Paul are still fighting over who really wrote the line and what it actually was.  Anyway, here we go, the end.   

'Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game, It's easy.' 

I think we, coach and team-members, learned how to play this game, along with the game of life, over those 3 years of boys and girls team seasons.  The tennis part was easier than we all might have believed, from where we all once started in 2008.   However, I didn't learn the game of politics fast enough, and for that I am sorry and I could have if I wanted to, but I guess I was foolishly stubborn in that regard.  I am specifically sorry to all the seniors, on either team, and not being able to finish what I started as you were the freshman I came in with.  I tried to have only that chance and then I'd walk away. I felt that if I served you, the team member and their parents, to the best of my ability, that this would somehow be more than suffice.  

I wish tennis was perceived and garnered the same respect and support as the other sports at PVI, but in my opinion this wasn't necessarily the case, and in a sense I don't fault them at all.  I know football, soccer and basketball will always be more important than tennis, perception has long ago become reality.  It is also an undeniable fact that you could fill in the blank of that first sentence of this paragraph with 90% of the other schools in our area and the same statement would be true. What is the same, no matter what the sport, is the positive life lessons we've all experienced by simply being an active and engaged participant in any sport. These athletic experiences have long been proven to enhance and improve the individuals' class room learning experience. 

 I felt strongly from the beginning that we could all feel like winners and I wanted each and everyone of you to be able to feel the same, no matter your ability or contribution noted on a scoreboard.   This is one example of how I viewed such, and each one of you has had more than your fair share of conversations with me about your success in the classroom.  These conversations and periodic emails were always positive and garnished with a healthy dose of encouragement.  Sometimes they were long but you know that's how I roll.  Really this was my sheer will, and came from my heart to say any and everything possible with the hope of one day seeing and hearing of your successes, on and off the court.  You, parents and team members, all have my email and that will never change.  So at anytime in the future anyone of you wanna drop me a short line telling me whatever successes you have recently had, and whatever it may be,  I can assure you it will bring me great joy and likely be the highlight of my day.   

Though I can't directly connect each individual I had on my team with what they did or didn't do in the classroom per grades, I suspect many of you were winning there too. I know many of our seniors went onto college and they're continuing to win big, and just by having the courage to take that next step.  Morgan Kelly and Terry Long are continuing to play tennis at the college level, at Rutgers University-Camden.  I hope that this is the first example of many a moment which I will have the privilege of hearing about for years into the future.  In the end this is what I'll take the most pride in, that maybe I helped guide and fostered this belief of mine, in whatever small way, in each one of you and it'll continue to grow forever.

'Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time - It's easy.' 

 Myself, the team-members we're all on journeys, and we're all on the right tracks, our own tracks of time, and each and everyday, we will become better individuals and not better than anyone else.  That is what my teaching of this sport stressed time and time again.  Thanks again for allowing me the opportunity and space to grow as a coach and person.  This has been a priceless experience, which I'll be forever grateful for having, and really one that you individually allowed me to have.  I hope, in any small way, that you might feel the same as I do.   

'Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be. It's easy.'  

'Things happen for a reason,' it really isn't a stupid cliche.  I didn't understand it at first, as it pertains to this situation, but I now understand a little bit more, and whether I like the reasons or not I am certain that overtime, the good reasons will come to me fully.  You will all experience that very same phrase, in your lives, sometime in the future, surely it has happened already.  I'd remind you to be patient, more patient than you could ever imagine, and not get that upset in, and shortly after something you don't like happens to you, where you had no control over any of the outcome.  I assure you again, that those good and bad reasons, and then how the result of such impacted and shaped the direction of your life, they'll come to you too, and maybe when you least expect it. ... 'Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time - It's easy.' 

All You Need Is Love
Lennon/McCartney

Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you
in time - It's easy.

All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.

Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle

 The song is told in first-person by a father who is too busy to spend time with his son. Though the son asks him to join in childhood activities, the father always responds with little more than vague promises of spending time together in the future. While wishing to spend time with his father, the son starts to model himself on his father's behavior, hence the verse wishing to be "just like him." The final two verses are a reverse of the roles, where the father asks his grown-up son to visit, but the son responds that he is now too busy to find the time for his father. - quote from wiki entry for Cats In The Cradle

I know all who I taught today can feel very secure and grateful, that the father-son/daughter relationship, described in this song, is the exact opposite of their's.... Happy Belated Father's Day!

This is a very special pro tennis player who's one of a kind signature moves, added a necessary flavor, which undoubtedly made the sport better.

Mansour Bahrami, seen in the videos here, performing his hilarious tennis tricks/act, has an amazing story of perseverance, which is one of my favorite stories in any sport.   You'll love how much fun he is seen having, in the both videos below.  What he has added to the play of any professional tennis match had never been done before, and really hard to fathom considering the nature of tennis as a very structured, some may say stiff, sport.  

 You'll see the videos and understand why I like him.  I also feel he should be honored by the International Tennis Hall of Fame, for his overall contribution to the sport, and how he persevered even when his country's government said tennis was outlawed.  Tennis needed someone like him, but imagining how it could work was a whole different story, which only he had the answer too, wherein he had to live his life first.  

The first time I saw his act it enthralled me, but really had me laughing hysterically.   
This one of a kind showmanship, which he currently brings to the Champions/Senior Tennis Tour, is much like what the Harlem Globetrotters bring to the basketball court. They both constantly travel around the world to promote their sport, and use tricks and humor to entertain. Mansour, a native of Iran, is one of the most unique professional tennis players of all time. He has carved out a much needed niche in tennis that is invaluable to promoting the sport and the Champions/Senior Tour.

The story of his journey to professional tennis is even more amazing. Mansour grew up very poor and was unable to afford a racket of his own. He had to fabricate tennis racquets with frying pans, dust pans and broom handles, while playing on make shift courts in the streets.  With these crazy racquets he invented, he discovered many tricks, that he'd then practice and perfect, along with his tennis game. He also noticed his fellow tennis playing friends would be highly entertained by his tennis tricks. Mastering these tricks certainly improved his hand-eye coordination. You'll see one where he serves with six balls in his hand.  

Mansour wanted to play tennis, with real racquets and on a real court, but there were few tennis courts in Iran.  It seemed a helpless battle, moreover young Mansour didn't give up and kept his dream alive by any means possible. The truth was he wasn't rich enough to play the sport at the tennis country clubs, inhabited by French expats and rich Iranians. After years hanging around a local tennis club, the members relented and allowed him to play. It was there and then, and finally with a real tennis racquet in his hand, where he showed his high level of tennis skill.  It was from this moment that his tennis career began.

For a short time Mansour became a solid player on the men's tour and represented Iran in the Davis Cup (an all nations team tennis competition) Sadly this was the early 1980's in Iran, so after overcoming all those obstacles his progress was brought to an abrupt halt when the Islamic Revolution led to the banning of professional sport in Iran by their backwards thinking religious and political leaders. His dream of a professional tennis career seemed all but over. He still kept his dream alive, even being trapped with his family in Iran.

In 1988, things had settled down in Iran and many were seeking to leave, if they hadn't already. Mansour took his family and left for France. Working first as a tennis instructor in Paris. He tried to return to professional tennis, but it was at the ripe age of 33, a time when many pro tennis players are retiring. It didn't quite work out, he did play some doubles. But the direction of his life was about to change. At age 35 he was eligible for the Senior Tour/Outback Champions Tour. A new venue to play and promote the sport he loves, to a new audience.

Now in his 50's, still active on the Senior Tour, he battles against McEnroe, Sampras and Agassi. At each tour spot he performs his tricks and showmanship in separate exhibitions which pack the house. Usually with a top junior from the surrounding area, with the help of one of his fellow Senior Tour pros. What a story arc Mansour's life has. His story is proof that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. If your willing to give something up of yourself in the process. He gave an insane amount up.

The first video is a collection of some of his best tricks. The 2nd is more of his tricks and act with an interview where you'll hear Mansour tell you part of his story about his life and journey in professional tennis.  ENJOY!!!

I Highly Recommend Attending A Philadelphia Freedoms Match This Summer.

See the link below with more information on the dates of  Freedoms home matches and ticket information.  World Team Tennis is a coed professional tennis league played with a unique team format. Each match consists of five sets. Each set features a different configuration (men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles). Coaches, before the match, decide the order in which the sets will be played. Each player on a team usually plays in at least one of the five sets.

The league's season normally takes place in the summer months. Players from the ATP (Men) and WTA (Women) pro tours, take a break from their tour schedules to partake in World TeamTennis.  The environment and structure of World Team Tennis matches is the most fan friendly experience you can have watching professional tennis. You'll see stars you know and also see the stars of the past, like McEnroe and Agassi..  Please check it out and I am sure you will agree.

http://freedomstix.ticketfly.com/


                                                       

                                                       
                                                        World Team Tennis Match Highlights From The Tennis Channel

                                                       Angry Birds have joined with the Philadelphia Eagles, and an Eagles themed game is coming soon.
                                                       Here I thought the true 'Angry Birds,' were we Philadelphia fans. 

Stuffed animals on your head!! You love to do this exercise!!

This is something we work on, in different ways, all the time in our group lessons or individual instruction.  We may put the stuffed animals on our heads, that you guys loved walking around the courts with. This is one of those, "little things make the big things happen," point.  Remember the ball I attached to the Tree that you were instructed to look at after you hit the one ball, that you'd watch it and count to 10.

That is all about a simple muscle memory exercise to keeping your head still at contact. Nick Saviano, the USTA national team coach, is the instructor seen in it. I love this clip, he uses a baseball analogy that I frequently make note of to all my students. I want you to watch it and take specific note of his description of the front shoulder when he uses that analogy. Hear him state the need to be and stay with the ball at contact, and not focused at all over to the other side of the net. Hear what he says about power and keeping your HEAD STILL

Hold Eyes At Contact Point After Ball Leaves The Racquet

We recently talked about signature moves, coach Bo has one specific signature move where he is trying to pump up the energy and get the group or individual up for tennis, i.e. the clap while going into a genuflection.  Does tennis have any signature moves you could describe. 



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signature_move - defined and quoted below.

 
 A signature move is a move or ability that is almost analogous to the person or character that uses it. This may infer that the move is usually a staple of the user's repertoire, and on most occasions was invented by the performer.

 The term "signature move" applies to a range of physical activities like dancing, gymnastics, boxing and professional wrestling. A prominent example of the phenomenon of signature moves is Michael Jackson and moonwalk; The two topics have become inextricably linked with each other. 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signature_move

Here's Ben Stein's signature move, but really line and presentation of it, as seen in Ferris Bueller's Day off.  These lines he repeats over and over again, and in that monotone voice are as identifiable with him and the movie, as any I can ever remember.   What is your favorite line from this John Hughes classic.  Hughes wrote and directed many a movie which were shot in Chicago suburbs like Northbrook, Wilmette and Highland Park, which to me all looks a lot like locations in Haddonfield, Haddon Heights and Medford. 

                                                        "Bueller ... Bueller ... Bueller"

                                                         Coach Bo, first worked on his signature moves as Pipsqueak in the Nutcracker, back in 1929.
                                                         This is the same middle school stage I recently saw some perform on in a spring music recital.