How to and Where to Find a Tennis Coach Articles | Tennis

By: Guy Starbuck

Even if you do not wish to pursue a career in tennis, the game is a wonderful way to remain fit and physically active. People with very little sporting attitude can enjoy the game. Learning tennis from early on in life shows you the wonder that is outdoors and the pleasures and benefits of regular physical exercise. The best part about this game is that it can be watched, played and enjoyed by anyone from 7 to 70 years and everyone in between.   

Tennis slightly different from other sports, in the sense that:

• You could learn something that is of particular interest to you. 
• You could spend some quality time with your friends and family while indulging in some form of good physical activity. 
• This sport involves everyone and everyone gets a chance to play. 
• You can belong to a group of like-minded people and get recognized immediately for your efforts and achievement. 
• This sport allows you to monitor your progress from the first day onwards and this can immediately boost your self-esteem. 

But who will teach you how to play? The coach of course! Finding a good coach, who understands your difficulty level and has to patience of carrying you through the learning process, is critical for you as a beginner. To love the game for life, you must be taught with care and patience. 

The United States Professional Tennis Association and the Professional Tennis Registry are the two main certifying associations for all tennis teachers. Coaches who own certificates awarded by either of these organizations would have passed and cleared a series of tests for their certification. 

It is not necessary though to spend a fortune to get a good tennis coach. There are plenty of resources to locate a professional tennis coach.  

Through their Parks and Recreation Departments, there are many local municipalities who offer tennis tuition to both children and adults. Many even offer formal and informal tennis leagues in areas under their jurisdiction. 

Another good source to locate tennis coaches are high schools and colleges. Most of these institutions have community clinics or have teaching staff on their rolls who offer private tuition on tennis. 

Then there are tennis clubs who offer learning facility to the members of the general public. They could also have tennis coach who, for earning a few hundred dollars, may offer private coaching to outside students. 

In case you still can not find a tennis coach, you could go to the community courts and ask around, or better still, stick a ‘Wanted’ flyer through out your area. You could be in for a surprise. 

The two most important things to look for in a coach is that he must be someone who you can trust and depend on. Here are a few pointers to look for in a tennis coach: 

• He or she must be thoroughly knowledgeable about teaching tennis to a beginner.
• Someone who can play himself or herself
• He or she must be patient and caring – very necessary for beginners and students.  
• He or she must be clear in communication, explaining the rules and principles clearly and accurately.   

Considering that there are thousands of qualified and certified tennis coaches all around the country, it is really not all that difficult to find someone in your locality. In fact, every community should be having a number of trained coaches living in the area. The most important issue though is to find someone who can be with you throughout the learning process and have adequate patience to do so. Even if you can not find a coach immediately, do not stop having a game at the court as you wanted it. It is quite possible that you will find a patient partner who will throw some useful hints your way, till a trainer comes along.