The first lesson is all about building confidence and getting you comfortable on the court. We start with a brief evaluation of your goals, followed by a 'Hand-Eye Coordination' warm-up. My primary focus is teaching the fundamentals of the ready position and the 'Unit Turn' for the forehand. By the end of the hour, you’ll be consistently rallying over the net using my 'Drop-and-Hit' drill, ensuring you leave with a solid foundation and a passion for the game.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, Maverick Tennis focuses on strategy and 'Point Play.' We refine your secondary serve and introduce spin (topspin and slice) to give you more variety. Lessons become more dynamic, involving 'Live Point Simulations' where we practice match-play scenarios. My goal for you at this stage is to feel completely confident walking onto any court for a social match or local league play, equipped with the technique and tactical knowledge to compete.
During this phase, we transition from basic mechanics to movement and consistency. We’ll work on 'Footwork Patterns' and the 'Split Step' to help you reach the ball more efficiently. You’ll learn the art of the volley at the net and how to keep score for a standard match. A favorite drill here is 'King of the Court,' which introduces a fun, lighthearted competitive element while helping you handle different types of incoming shots.
In lessons 2 and 3, we expand your toolkit. We introduce the backhand and the basics of the overhead serve. I utilize the 'Shadow Swinging' technique to build muscle memory before moving into live-ball drills. For junior players, this is where we utilize USTA-standard low-compression balls to ensure proper strike-zone development. We’ll also practice 'Target Hitting,' where we aim for specific zones on the court to improve your depth and control.
• Assessment: Conduct a "Deep Dive" audit of current stats, video analysis, and biomechanics to identify "1% gains."
• Goal Alignment: Move beyond "getting better" to specific KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) like increasing velocity by 5%, reducing unforced errors by 10%, or mastering a niche technique.
• Baseline Testing: Establish high-intensity benchmarks to measure future progress.
• Mental Toughness: Incorporating sports psychology, visualization, and "flow state" triggers.
• Autonomous Learning: Shifting the coach's role to a consultant; the player learns to self-correct in real-time.
• Periodization: Structuring training cycles to peak exactly for competitions or major milestones.
• Scenario Training: Recreating high-pressure game situations (e.g., "Down 0-40," "Final 2 minutes," or "Overtime").
• Opponent Analysis: Learning how to read cues, exploit weaknesses in others, and vary their own "tells" to remain unpredictable.
• Pattern Recognition: Developing the mental speed to recognize play patterns before they fully unfold.
• Assessment: Conduct a "Deep Dive" audit of current stats, video analysis, and biomechanics to identify "1% gains."
• Goal Alignment: Move beyond "getting better" to specific KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) like increasing velocity by 5%, reducing unforced errors by 10%, or mastering a niche technique.
• Baseline Testing: Establish high-intensity benchmarks to measure future progress.