Standards
Find the best fit
Pathways
The Guide Map
Resources
The Helping Hand
Play your part
Roles and Responsibilities
Standards
UTR - Universal Tennis Rating. This is the best way to rate a player without it being biased. LEARN MORE
This might be the hardest aspect of being a tennis parent because unless you played tennis at a high level yourself it will seem overwhelmingly obvious that your child plays better when they are challenged by players better than them. And this will motivate you to do what you think is the best for your child to continue to advocate for them to be in the most challenging program possible. But, if you played high performance tennis yourself you have learned that there is no substitute for winning. There is no amount of self talk and inner belief that can make up for a losing record. And when you are only playing players better than you, you lose a lot. And that is a hard culture to undo. Players need to be the best player in the program sometimes too, because at the end of the day you need to win a lot to learn how to win with sub-par tennis. And, with good parent support players can learn that the challenge is often finding their best tennis against weaker players, being a leader, and learning how to motivate themselves rather than relying on outsides sources.
Since 2007 Our Motto is
Skyhawks Tennis Program Levels
D1- Division One is UTR 5-9. This player has many years experience and has played a great deal of competition already. This is our highest level program and level of team play. Ages 8-18. These players are often planning on continuing tennis after high school.
D2- Division Two is UTR 2-5. This player has experience competing and has a solid understanding of all facets of play. They show signs of wanting more. Ages 8-18. These players are playing tournaments regularly as well as getting private lessons.
D3- Division Three is UTR 0-2. This player has already done some sort of recreation program and is now ready for competitive tennis. Ages 6-12. D3 kids are playing several hours a week, often doing private lessons as well as competing regularly.
RS- Rising Stars. This is for players under 12 who have done Recreation Tennis and have shown a passion to play more than just once a week. To qualify for Rising Stars does not require any special talent, instead it is for kids who are wanting more tennis.
Rec- Recreation Tennis. This is for the beginner to tennis. At this level players choose based on the colour of the tennis ball. Yellow or Regular Ball is the highest, Green Dot, Orange and at the bottom Red Ball for kids ages 4-6.
Pathways
Regional (local) - This is where you are right now, it is your grass roots first start option. Players can start with club lessons, leagues, tournaments to find their tennis passion. This would be our Skyhawks program in Barrie, BNWT in winter, and local community clubs like MTC.
Provincial - The Ontario Tennis Association is the provincial association leagues and tournaments. The OTA offers a range of competitive options from first timers, to provincial best players. click image beside to download High Performance guidelines
National - Tennis Canada is our national association offering tournaments and team options for the best players in the nation. These include National Championships and Davis Cup and Fed Cup Championships. Click image beside to download booklet
International - ITF is International Tennis Federation and they run all international semi professional events. Beyond that PRO Tennis features both ATP (men) and WTA (women) tours for the best of the best in the world.
Competitive Options - There are Leagues at the regional and provincial level. College Tennis like NCAA at the national level and even international Pro League. There are also tournaments at all levels that are options for players to play. From Social Fun, to high stakes PRO Tennis.
Resources
There are few one stop resources available as extensive as The Tennis Parents Bible. This one book covers so many facets of the junior tennis journey that it really helps any parent avoid so many of the pitfalls that often force families to end the journey because of. It is worth the high price.
The Tennis Canada HP Handbook has a lot of useful information in it for the serious tennis player. Everything from how points work to how funding is available. Download it now from us by clicking here.
Considered the end all of sports psychology; The Inner Game of Tennis is a must read for any tennis player who wants to learn how the mind works and how best to shape it to create clutch performances when they matter most.
Youtube is now one of the best ways to learn about tennis. Instructional options are plentiful, try Essential Tennis to start, it's a good one. Learn about players, watch documentaries, view high quality videos. The options are endless. What would we do without Youtube?
Tennis Canada released this document to help players and parents understand just how much tennis the top players in the country are playing to help them reach the level they have reached. Although this is a very helpful document, remember it is only a guide.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Player - The players role is not easy but it is very simple. 100% effort. The best way a player can thank a parent is by showing 100% effort. Not some of the time, not most of the time, EVERYTIME. As a player give your best effort on the day and leave no stone un-turned and you can be sure you will reach your potential and get the most out of the tennis experience.
The Coach - The coach should either provide solutions or appoint someone capable of providing solutions in the following four categories 1. Technical 2. Tactical 3. Mental 4. Physical. A good coach will incorporate the player and the parent and act as a guide using their experience to direct and encourage. Good coaches know their limits and often expand the team to best serve the player and parent.
The Parent - The parent should focus on 2 aspects of play from the player. 1. Effort and 2. Behavior. These are controllable factors. When a parent focuses on rankings etc, they can very easily be part of the problem rather than part of the solution. A parent can help very much with good communication and specific player research. The best tennis parents are able to keep things in perspective, are educated, and patient.
Communication - The communication between parent, player and coach is one of the most essential aspects of how well the tennis journey will go. Whether it is through specific online apps, texting, chats or emails; if each person communicates often and effectively, the bond grows strong and effective.
Final Advice
A good player will be a good player despite bad coaching and parenting
A bad player will be a bad player despite good coaching and parenting
Keep this in mind anytime you start thinking you are essential to the process. The truth is you can't do much to make it happen despite what you may think from sensationalized examples from famous players, but you can do great damage when you think you are more important than you are. There is no tournament that decides if a player makes it or not, no team tryout, no group selection. When we realize this, stress falls away and in its place we find excitement and peace.
Enjoyment breeds incredible tennis. The best thing a coach or parent can do is truly enjoy the experience. When the player sees how much fun coaches and parents are having on this incredible adventure, it becomes contagious and they too become much more aware of the moment, and full of gratitude, which translates into sublime play.
The advice to tell the player to Have Fun applies to coaches and parents too; because we are all so very connected. There is nothing quite like this journey, and with the right attitude it can be one of the most rewarding adventures life has to offer.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact - Johnny Glanville (705) 716-3198|simcoetennis@gmail.com