The Future of Australian Tennis
What on earth has happened to the depth of Australian tennis? You don't have to be a tennis expert to realise Australian singles stocks in particular seem to be dwindling.
In fact take out one or two of Australia's consistent performers like Lleyton Hewitt and Alicia Molik and there are less than a handful of both male and female Australian singles players inside the world top-100.
Enter Craig Tiley who joined Tennis Australia as the Director of Player Development in mid-2005 and immediately set about implementing changes and putting in place structures with the primary long-term goal of delivering Australia's next generation of tennis stars.
A new crop of potential tennis singles stars will not emerge overnight and the only way to ensure Australia has future success is to ensure coaches are providing young players with a platform for success. The most important stage in the life of a tennis player is their years of initial development. These are the years coaches should be instilling the technical and tactical fundamentals of tennis.
The most widespread changes to Australian tennis have come at the development coaching level with over 80 aspiring coaches across the country participating in the revamped Tennis Australia coaching course. The development level coaching course aimed primarily at coaching four to 12-year-old tennis players is just one of the structural changes initiated by Tiley.
Tiley has overseen a national overhaul of tennis coaching, with an increased focus on ensuring coaches have a grasp of both the technical and tactical fundamentals of tennis. The development level course was competency-based, replacing the pass or fail method of past coaching courses. Under the competency format there is opportunity for coaches progressing more slowly to gain additional guidance and assistance in a friendly learning environment.
Tennis Australia coaching instructors Travis Atkinson and Geoff Quinlin, along with a number of other experienced coaches have been racking up the frequent-flyer kilometres flying to cites around Australia to present the coaching course to the prospective coaches.
After completing six units, comprising six theoretical assessments, three practical on-court assessments, a written test, 40 hours of on-court coaching and attaining first aid competency, the coaches are just a certificate away from becoming Tennis Australia coaches and the first step in Tiley's plan towards Australian tennis success.
In fact take out one or two of Australia's consistent performers like Lleyton Hewitt and Alicia Molik and there are less than a handful of both male and female Australian singles players inside the world top-100.
Enter Craig Tiley who joined Tennis Australia as the Director of Player Development in mid-2005 and immediately set about implementing changes and putting in place structures with the primary long-term goal of delivering Australia's next generation of tennis stars.
A new crop of potential tennis singles stars will not emerge overnight and the only way to ensure Australia has future success is to ensure coaches are providing young players with a platform for success. The most important stage in the life of a tennis player is their years of initial development. These are the years coaches should be instilling the technical and tactical fundamentals of tennis.
The most widespread changes to Australian tennis have come at the development coaching level with over 80 aspiring coaches across the country participating in the revamped Tennis Australia coaching course. The development level coaching course aimed primarily at coaching four to 12-year-old tennis players is just one of the structural changes initiated by Tiley.
Tiley has overseen a national overhaul of tennis coaching, with an increased focus on ensuring coaches have a grasp of both the technical and tactical fundamentals of tennis. The development level course was competency-based, replacing the pass or fail method of past coaching courses. Under the competency format there is opportunity for coaches progressing more slowly to gain additional guidance and assistance in a friendly learning environment.
Tennis Australia coaching instructors Travis Atkinson and Geoff Quinlin, along with a number of other experienced coaches have been racking up the frequent-flyer kilometres flying to cites around Australia to present the coaching course to the prospective coaches.
After completing six units, comprising six theoretical assessments, three practical on-court assessments, a written test, 40 hours of on-court coaching and attaining first aid competency, the coaches are just a certificate away from becoming Tennis Australia coaches and the first step in Tiley's plan towards Australian tennis success.
posted by Chris Walker at 11:51 AM
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