Constraint Led Approach
Players develop best under different constraints, which test and nurture the skill to be resistant under competing conditions. It is a great way to motivate, engage and keep your players competitive. It also allows you to build your relationship with the player and the game of tennis, developing the understanding of finding solutions within the constraint/ constraints that are present.
Co-Creation
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Working together with the player to create cooperative practice design for sessions. Giving the players a voice and ultimately giving them more responsibility over their own practice and training programme. The coach uses their skills and experience to guide the design of the game and empowering the individual in their sessions. The player will then be able to work on specific areas of the game designed through information gathered in those scenarios, to ensure that the sessions and practice thrive. For future content: making sure information is driven from matches and is always evolving and adapting.
Repetition without Repetition
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Working on the areas you need to develop and helping the individual to become more efficient problem solvers at the task at hand.
There’s always variability in technique, as we never receive the same ball twice, so being able self-organise to the variables being demanded, is the key to dealing with the chaos.
Players ultimately need the volume on court to develop and grow. How I like to go about doing that, is by using games to create that look and feel of a game of tennis. Helping the individual still connect with information being given to them by the games demands and dealing with individual and external constraints, which can cause or affect the games dynamic.
For example, in tennis when trying to repeat the same motion over and over again with the same ball being received from a drill and you sending the same ball back (where information isn’t changing), gives that sensation that you’re developing or getting better technically. Without that intention on the ball and the information coming from the other side of the court, the skill doesn’t have a chance to develop.
Team work
I Believe it is important to build a great environment and culture for individual and squads I work alongside. Helping and supporting the separate teams around them (coaches in different area: ie, psychology, S&C, nutritionist, physio) and the team within (player, parent, coach) to become stronger together, connecting everything together as one.
Connecting and learning of each other to press on further with the players overall development.
Self- Development
I strongly believe in spending time on myself to further develop my education and continue to grow my knowledge. This is so I can best support my players and give back as much as I can to my fellow coaches and teams I work with.
Bringing attention to only what I can control and bringing the best attitude, work effort and everything I can give to what I am doing. It is important to not get distracted by other things, which I cannot control.
Now I am looking at research into the Constraint Led Approach and widening my understanding. I am working my way through as many books, podcasts, and papers that I can. Ensuring that I’m not only gaining and developing my understanding but also implementing it into my practice and growing my games and content that I am doing, instead of just going off theory.
