I probably get a call or email about once a week asking if I know of a qualified tennis instructor in a person’s area. Since quality tennis coaches who can make a significant impact on someone’s game are hard to come by I thought I’d write something up as a guide to help you find those successful outliers who are too busy in the trenches developing players to market for themselves.

So how important is a good coach? Well the better question is…How dangerous is a bad coach? Our profession has a tendency to attract a lot of slick talkers who, even if have a decent playing level themselves, are unable to spot primary flaws that a true tradesman can. In my opinion even the certifications from our governing bodies don’t come close to delivering the knowledge base necessary to make significant progress with a player’s game. I think back to my initial certification where I was taught to teach the one handed backhand as “unsheathing the sword”. The real danger is someone convincing you of something that simply is ineffective. Yes, no coaching is better than bad coaching. However given the counter intuitive nature of our sport a good coach is like gold.

The most qualified tennis professionals usually were lucky enough to be mentored by a coach with a proven track record of helping players accomplish their goals. Regardless of talent, a good coach should be able to help a dedicated junior to achieve collegiate level tennis should they start early enough regardless of talent. Maybe not UCLA but certainly a collegiate level. I’ve seen it! I’m reminded of something the tennis legend Vic Braden said. “Whenever I go to programs coaches want to show me their best players. I want to see your worst players! That’s how good your program is.”

So my first tip would be to look for a coach with consistent results. Simply ask him..how many players have you taken from the age of 8 to college tennis and have been the primary instructor? That being said, this usually takes the form of a program not a specific coach. Go and observe the program. See what kids at different stages of development are working on.

You might even notice a particular program that is consistently producing kids in the semis or finals playing each other in local tournaments. This program has a chance to be what you’re looking for. Be careful though. If the program doesn’t have a feeder system where younger kids are being nurtured into athletes then you might have just come across an academy who recruits well. If you’re happy with where the core of your player’s game is and you are just looking for match play then maybe this is what you’re looking for.

A good coach or program has a pathway with a plan. The great programs I have been apart of have an assessment period with a new player. They have all their strokes filmed, a goal sheet is filled out and a meeting with the guardians is scheduled. Here’s the plan! As opposed to mindless drills and ball hitting each player can be asked, and would know, what it is they are working on.

Red flags appear in the form of someone not being able to explain to you so you understand what the intention behind a practice is. Even worse they say “You’re not a tennis coach. You wouldn’t understand.”

If you are an adult looking for private lessons TO IMPROVE, watch out for the coach who mistakes perspiration for progress. Sure someone yelling at you to move your feet while rallying from the other side of the net is great if you like your game, can afford it and are simply looking to fine tune. But if your backhand simply sucks the only way to make a significant impact is to film it, slow down and reprogram the fundamental flaw holding you back. Not to take anything away from effective foot work but yes, you can still pull out a good strike from a bad position. But if you have a fundamental flaw in a stroke no amount of footwork is going to save you.

A good pro doesn’t mind making you uncomfortable. When you nastily inform them that “Your making me think too much!”  You merely get a smirk in return. Yes you have re-ntered that stage of development you skipped. The “Conscious Incompetence” stage. Soon to enter the “Conscious Competence” stage and finally “Unconscious Competence”.

In the end don’t be afraid to shop around. Too often a player feels loyal to a coach who’s light at the end of a tunnel is a train coming straight for them. Coaching is a human relationship but it’s also a service. As I have told multiple people before they started working with me “If we haven’t got you a serve in 6 months. You need to fire me!”.

Lastly, good coaching IS hard to find. Technology has been invaluable for a player to communicate with a qualified coach from a distance and make significant improvements. Get your strokes or tactics analyzed by a qualified instructor who is online and make a plan to begin improvement. Yes that is a shameless plug to reach out to me for analysis. But it doesn’t have to be me! Reach out and I’ll send you to someone else if you’d like. At the very least EVERYONE should go through our Teaching Kids Tennis Course to become a more educated coach or consumer.