Week 9 - ITF ($15K) - Macon, France Hard

Oakland2002 · All-time great

RE: Week 9 - ITF ($15K) - Macon, France Hard

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes, but again, not to labour a point, she has had coaching ! Extensive coaching over four years. (and before obviously). Like all college players. And for the mental issues too. But, as the article says, it's her big issue. So I'm not sure we can say that coaching is exactly what she needs.

Mind you, I do agree in general.

My opinion is that the LTA should offer plenty of one-week residential workshops (free, or with an absolute nominal contribution for food). These could be targetted at specific issues - service return workshops, mental issue workshops, whatever. Players who want to participate would get to be in a group of players and get several coaches so you'd get group benefits. Far cheaper than providing individual coaches. Gives perfect coach training opportunities too to those coaches who need to see the qualified good coaches in action and work with them, and top players, as part of their training. Spreads the LTA help wide. Gives a team building time to GB players. Allows players to see which coaches they get on with for the future. Follow-up work/helpline whatever could even be done remotely. I think it would be easy to implement quite effective. What's not to like?

Michael D · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
Yes, but again, not to labour a point, she has had coaching ! Extensive coaching over four years. (and before obviously). Like all college players. And for the mental issues too. But, as the article says, it's her big issue. So I'm not sure we can say that coaching is exactly what she needs.

Mind you, I do agree in general.

My opinion is that the LTA should offer plenty of one-week residential workshops (free, or with an absolute nominal contribution for food). These could be targetted at specific issues - service return workshops, mental issue workshops, whatever. Players who want to participate would get to be in a group of players and get several coaches so you'd get group benefits. Far cheaper than providing individual coaches. Gives perfect coach training opportunities too to those coaches who need to see the qualified good coaches in action and work with them, and top players, as part of their training. Spreads the LTA help wide. Gives a team building time to GB players. Allows players to see which coaches they get on with for the future. Follow-up work/helpline whatever could even be done remotely. I think it would be easy to implement quite effective. What's not to like?

Yes I agree, an approach like that could work extremely well, and is in line with most kinds of training/ skills building work undertaken in other spheres of professional work these days. The LTA should undoubtedly be looking for opportunities to maximise the coverage of players they can provide with specific types of training/ workshops, given that betting on just a few horses is inevitably an inefficient approach - it is never exactly clear who is going to prosper and who is not, and to keep with the same metaphor, there are always the dark horses.

Personally, I think Alicia could be an easy win. She just needs someone she clicks with to reshape her mental attitude. It is one thing being at college with the luxury of all the coaching she's had; you can get away with being a bit of a moaner in that environment. But if she is to succeed in the more solitary endeavour of becoming a professional, she is more likely to realise herself she needs to overcome that, and therefore be more open to the type of support she needs. All this is supposition of course, but with the right support Alicia does sound like she could easily go 2-300 places higher.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
Yes, but again, not to labour a point, she has had coaching ! Extensive coaching over four years. (and before obviously). Like all college players. And for the mental issues too. But, as the article says, it's her big issue. So I'm not sure we can say that coaching is exactly what she needs.

Mind you, I do agree in general.

My opinion is that the LTA should offer plenty of one-week residential workshops (free, or with an absolute nominal contribution for food). These could be targetted at specific issues - service return workshops, mental issue workshops, whatever. Players who want to participate would get to be in a group of players and get several coaches so you'd get group benefits. Far cheaper than providing individual coaches. Gives perfect coach training opportunities too to those coaches who need to see the qualified good coaches in action and work with them, and top players, as part of their training. Spreads the LTA help wide. Gives a team building time to GB players. Allows players to see which coaches they get on with for the future. Follow-up work/helpline whatever could even be done remotely. I think it would be easy to implement quite effective. What's not to like?

It would be an improvement but perhaps s bit basic given the level of players and their extensive previous coaching. My use of the term coaching was probably a bit too specific my view is they should be offered mentoring and performance analysis in the first instance to identify their specific needs. Workshops at this level I dont think give enough value as nobody has any particular responsibility for anything. For example Alicia from the information posted probably needs something bespoke for her and her circumstances rather than a general psychological workshop.