Learning to Teach Tennis
LCCTA Hosts Recreational Coaches Workshop at Pelican Preserve
Teaching and learning tennis can be lots of fun as demonstrated by USTA National Trainer Susan Allshouse at Pelican Preserve Country Club in Fort Myers, FL.
On Saturday September 15, 2007, the Lee County Community Tennis Association (LCCTA) hosted 38 tennis lovers gathered at the Pelican Preserve Country Club in Fort Myers to learn to teach tennis in fun formats, and to become certified USTA Recreational Coaches. Susan Allshouse, a National Trainer, certified to teach just about anything in tennis, was charged with imbuing the trainees with her wealth of knowledge and depth of enthusiasm in six hours of fun in the sun.
There was plenty of sun, and I must admit, plenty of fun as well. I have seldom seen a group as large as ours stay as engaged as we were for six hours…and this in 90-plus degree weather and 40% humidity! It is impossible to say whether the three teenagers in attendance or the adults had more fun.
But those well-spent six hours were more than fun. We learned how be creative ambassadors of the game on the court, while teaching and drilling tennis skills. Perhaps the key message that Susan delivered and demonstrated was that it is not enough to teach skills. We must find a way to keep our students engaged and wanting more.
Through a series of fun games, we learned how to evaluate athletic ability, how to enhance racquet control and footwork. We learned innovative ways to keep score, techniques to encourage teamwork, tricks to make warming up enjoyable. Oh yes, we also ran more than we anticipated. Education AND exercise? What a day!
When we completed our evaluations, and collected our certificates and goody bags, we all felt more prepared to help others enjoy the game we love, and definitely ready for a cool shower, a cold drink, and several hours of doing nothing.
