Download (GBA) Maria Bolster - Tennis Coach Ireland

LINKINGTECHNICALANDTACTICALSKILLSTHROUGHTHEGAME-BASEDAPPROACH(GBA)
MariaBolster
ThethinkingbehindtheGBAissimple-tennisisagame.Everygameneedstobeplayed,andplayingisa
tacticalendeavour.Successinanygamerequiresclearintentions,decisionmakingandproblemsolving.In
regardtotechnique,tennisisnotfigureskating.Nojudgesareatthesidesaying“yourfollowthroughwas
muchbetterthanyouropponents”,15-0foryou!
Techniqueissecond(behindtactics),butnotsecondary.Yes,techniqueiscriticalfortennissuccess.However,
ifyoureallywanttosetthestageformeaningfulstrokedevelopment,thekeyistactics.Ifappliedcorrectly,
theGBAisthemosteffectivewaytolearntechnique.GBAiseffectivethroughusing“SituationTraining”.The
goalofSTistoidentifythesituationsplayersencounterinmatchplayandimprovetheirperformanceinthose
situations.
THETWOBECOMEONE
Ifacoachgraspsthecriticalpointthat-thereisasmoothconnectionbetweentacticsandtechnique-their
coachingupgradesdramatically.Techniqueisonlyameanstoperformatactic.Technicalskillbyitselfis
uselessinagameifitisnotusedintherightway,attherighttimeandintherightlocation.Thefactisthat
withouttactics,goodtechnicalstrokesaresimplyanexerciseinlookingstylish.Tennisplayersexecutereally
badideaswithnicestrokesallthetime.Learningastrokewithoutatacticalintentionisdeficient.Howmany
playershavehadacoachfeedthembasketsofballsto“groove”astrokethattheywereunabletouseina
match?Ifthecoachdoesn’tspendalotoftimeintegratingtheskillintotacticalplay,thelikelihoodofthe
playerusingitinrealmatchplayislittletonone.
THETACTICDETERMINESWHATTECHNIQUEISPROPER
Theconnectionmovesfromtacticaltotechnicalorvisaversathrough3steps.
TACTICS:Firstdefinethetactictheplayerneedstoperformeg.crosscourtforehand.
BALLCONTROL:Ballcontrolisacriticalbridgebetweentacticsandtechnique.Determinethekeyballcontrol
characteristicsneededforthetactictobeeffective(5BallControls:Height,Direction,Distance,Speed,Spin).
InaCCforehandtheballwouldneedgoodheightwitharcandtopspininaCCdirection,whichwillbe
controlledbythepositionoftheracquetatimpact.
TECHNIQUE:Themechanicsneededtoperformtheshotconsistentlyathigherspeedsinaneconomicalway
withoutwastingenergyandminimizinginjury.
Thekeypointisthattechniqueisonly“proper”ifitaccomplishesthetaskforwhichitwasmeant.
CONCLUSION
YouseeyouropponentwideonhisforehandsideandhesendsamediocreballCCtoyourforehand.Which
forehandtechniquedoyouapply?ThesharpangledCCtopspin?Theloopingarcdeeptopspintothecenter?
Ordoyouhitalinedrive?Eachshotintennispresentschoicesandeachonerequiresverydifferent
technique.Yourselectioniseverybitasimportantasyourform.
Tenniswasnotcreatedsoplayerscanfollowthrough.Techniqueisonlyameanstoplay,notanendinitself.
Toreallylearntechniquethatisrelevant,practicalanduseful,rememberthekeyisTACTICS.