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Welcome to Season 13 Episode 42 of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Lisa talks with former touring pro and current coach, Thomas Drouet.
Thomas started playing tennis at a young age when his grandfather introduced him to the sport at age 3. He was naturally drawn to the game and would spend hours hitting against a wall. At age 12, he entered the National Sports Center in France, where the top junior players trained together. At 18, Thomas transitioned from junior to professional tennis, playing for Monaco and later becoming a coach. His coaching philosophy developed as he worked with young players in Monaco, focusing on technique and tactics. He aimed to push the kids beyond their limits, despite their comfortable lifestyle.
Lisa and Thomas discussed the recent announcement by the ITF allowing coaching for junior events and the potential impact on the sport. Thomas expressed his support for the decision, highlighting the importance of coaching in tennis and the need for players to have access to it. He also addressed the issue of unequal access to coaching for players who can afford it and those who cannot. Lisa raised the concern about the financial commitment required for junior coaches to attend tournaments, which Thomas acknowledged as a challenge.
Thomas emphasized the importance of parents being involved from the beginning and understanding that tennis is a job for the coach, not the player. He shared his experience with his son, who expressed a desire for a better relationship with his father on the court, leading to them seeking the help of a psychologist. The psychologist recommended incorporating games and fun into their training sessions to balance the coaching and fatherly roles. Lisa agreed, highlighting the importance of communication and maintaining a healthy relationship between parents and their children, regardless of their tennis achievements.
Thomas recently developed a card game for tennis players, particularly for coaches and young players. The game is designed to improve technique, fitness, mental, and tactical aspects of the sport. It allows players to practice and strategize, providing insights into their decision-making and personality traits.
Thomas explained the effectiveness of his card game in engaging young kids and keeping them focused on specific tasks. He highlighted the game's ability to help kids develop mental skills, such as controlling their temper and dealing with stress during matches. The game can be purchased on Thomas's website at https://www.thecardschallenge.com/.
To reach out to Thomas for video conferencing or other information, email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/coachdrouet/.
And don’t forget to register for our upcoming trip to Spain! More info at https://parentingaces.com/articles/join-us-for-10-days-in-spain/. The deadline is coming up at the end of November, so don't miss out!
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
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Welcome to Season 13 Episode 41 of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Colette Lewis of ZooTennis joins me to discuss upcoming changes to junior tennis at both the ITF and USTA levels.
This episode was born out of an email I received from a member of the ParentingAces community asking about the potential trickle-down effect of a recent ITF announcement that coaching will be allowed at ITF Junior tournaments beginning in 2025. Who better to discuss this topic than Colette who attends several ITF Junior events throughout the year in addition to the Junior Grand Slams. She spends a good amount of her time at those events talking with coaches, federation insiders, and others about the state of junior tennis and what may be coming down the pike.
Colette and I discuss the potential impact of allowing coaching at junior tournaments as well as today's announcement from the USTA that it will be using electronic line calling (ELC) at the upcoming National Indoor tournament. There are still many, many unanswered questions, but I hope this conversation will lead to clarification from our governing bodies and better education for all involved.
If you aren't already, be sure to subscribe to Colette's daily e-newsletter at https://tenniskalamazoo.blogspot.com/. You can also follow her on X at https://x.com/zootennis.
For the article explaining the ITF policy, go to https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/explained-off-court-coaching-to-be-allowed-from-2025/. For Colette's 2023 article on coaching at junior tournaments, go to https://tennisrecruiting.net/article.asp?id=11269 (subscription required).
And don’t forget to register for our upcoming trip to Spain! More info at https://parentingaces.com/articles/join-us-for-10-days-in-spain/. The deadline is coming up at the end of November, so don't miss out!
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
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Welcome to Season 13 Episode 40 of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, two guests join Lisa to discuss the value and importance of journaling matches.Those of you who have been following the pod for a while are familiar with coach JY Aubone. As he mentioned in our last episode together, he has created a hard-copy journal for junior players that incorporates a range of questions, tips, and suggestions to help players reflect on and record thoughts about their matches.Mike Rogers is a life-long tennis player who has recently decided to train for and play Senior Tournaments. As part of his preparation, he realized the value of keeping notes on each match and each opponent which he was doing via an Excel spreadsheet. It occurred to Mike, though, that it would be much easier to have an app on his phone where he could record his thoughts immediately following a match, so he brought in developers to create Match Recall.The Match Recall app will launch November 1, 2024, but our audience can take advantage of a 50% discount with a 30-day free trial by visiting the Match Recall website and clicking the button on the top right for the pre-launch offer any time prior to November 1st.For more information on JY, visit his website at https://www.aubonetennis.com/. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. He’s also very active on Instagram at https://instagram.com/aubonetennis.From JY about the journal:Since 2018, my sole focus has been on guiding competitive tennis players to greater success in tournaments. I’ve seen firsthand that having the right strategy is essential, but without a coach by your side, it’s easy to lose focus during high-pressure moments. That’s where this journal comes in—it gives you the tools to stay calm, confident, and fully prepared when you step on the court.Here’s What This Game-Changing Journal Offers:Stay Focused Under Pressure: In the heat of competition, the journal helps you regroup, reset, and keep your mental edge when it counts. You can't talk to a coach in the middle of a match, but you can read your journal!Handwriting Magic: Writing by hand is proven to sharpen a person's focus and memory. The simple act of putting pen to paper will help players retain their strategies and prepare mentally, creating a deep connection with their game plan.Mindfulness & Calm: This journal isn’t just for match analysis; it’s a space for a player to clear their mind, reduce pre-match nerves, and boost their confidence.ParentingAces members will receive a 30% discount on any purchases. Simply contact me at [email protected] to access your offer! In the meantime, check out these links!For more information on Mike and Match Recall, visit his website at https://matchrecall.com. You can also follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557152754456 and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/matchrecall. Mike is available via email at [email protected] don’t forget to register for our upcoming trip to Spain! More info at https://parentingaces.com/articles/join-us-for-10-days-in-spain/.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa StoneLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Welcome to Season 13 Episode 39 of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Lisa chats with John O'Sullivan and Jerry Lynch, authors of the newly-released book, THE CHAMPION SPORTS PARENT.
Jerry Lynch and John O’Sullivan are leadership, performance, and team culture specialists. Their work has received global acclaim in youth, high school, collegiate, and professional athletics. They are highly sought after by teams, schools, and sport governing bodies around the world for their work in athletic performance, coach education, and parent engagement. Jerry and John cohost the Way of Champions Podcast, as well as the Way of Champions Transformational Leadership Events, and both are national advisory board members of the Positive Coaching Alliance. Their first book together, The Champion Teammate: Timeless Lessons to Connect, Compete and Lead in Sports and Life received international acclaim and is used by high-performing teams and athletes on the youth, high school, college and professional levels.
In this episode, you'll hear John and Jerry discuss the importance of sports parent education and support. Their latest book not only imparts great wisdom but also gives parents the opportunity to go through some simple exercises to put the lessons into practice. If you've been a listener of our podcast for any length of time, you'll recognize most of the concepts but will also learn alongside Lisa some new and innovative ways to implement them.
In fact, if you are interested in reading the book then joining Lisa online to discuss it, send her an email to [email protected]. Jerry has offered to join the online discussion as well. This is a great opportunity to convert knowledge into practice!
To purchase the book, visit https://amzn.to/4eDFy1y (NOTE: ParentingAces may receive a small commission from the sale).
For more information on John's and Jerry's great work in the youth sports arena, visit their respective websites: www.changingthegameproject.com and www.wayofchampions.com.
To follow on social media:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/CTGProjecthq
X: https://x.com/CTGProjectHQ
And don’t forget to register for our upcoming trip to Spain! More info at https://parentingaces.com/articles/join-us-for-10-days-in-spain/.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13 Episode 38 of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, we take an inside look at Intennse, a new team format that was recently showcased as a junior event in the Atlanta area. Lisa chats with two of the players, Sadira Ouyang and Connor Mowrey, as well as their parents about their experience.NOTE: To watch/listen to our earlier podcast with Intennse founders, go to https://parentingaces.com/podcasts/its-time-for-time-tennis-ft-charles-allen-yannick-yoshizawa/Intennse is a new way to compete in our sport. Per the Atlanta event website, 18 participants (9 boys and 9 girls) were selected by WTN to compete in this event. Participants were divided into 3 teams of 3 boys and 3 girls; each team had a professional coach who was present on court during play. There were round robins in the categories of Boys' singles, Girls' singles and Mixed Doubles. Each team played each other once in each category and accumulated points. The winning team received medals and a trophy. Players from all teams will be invited to attend or participate in the Intennse college level rivalry event to be held October 26th.Matches consisted of two 15 minute halves; there was no second serve and the server continued serving as long as they held serve. Like college matches, lets were played; clean winners count two points, and teams can take one time out and make one substitution per half. Live coaching was allowed.Here is what the one-day event looked like, schedule-wise:09:00 - 10:00. Arrival10:00 - 10:30. Presentation / Rules and Schedule overview10:30 - 10:45 Coaches introduction and Announcement of Teams10:45 - 11:30 Teams warm up / practice and discuss strategy11:30 - 12:00. Break 12:00. A Boys v. B Boys12:30. B Girls v C Girls01:00. C Mixed v A Mixed01:30. B Boys v C Boys02:00. A Girls v B Girls02:30. C Mixed v B Mixed03:00. A Boys v C Boy03:30. C Girls v A Girls04:00. A Mixed v B Mixed 04:30 Winner Presentations & Prizes05:00 After PartyAs you'll hear from both families, this is a format they'd like to see included as a regular option on the junior competition calendar. If you'd like more information on Intennse and how to bring an event to your community, visit their website at https://news.intennse.com/ or reach out to Charles Allen at [email protected]. Their social media channels will be live very soon.And don’t forget to register for our upcoming trip to Spain! More info at https://parentingaces.com/articles/join-us-for-10-days-in-spain/.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa StoneLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Welcome to Season 13 of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, we address the topic that seems to be discussed over and over among junior tennis parents and coaches: CHEATING.
What if we shifted our mindset around what is commonly called Cheating? What if we recognized it for what it is in the majority of cases: a mistake? That's the crux of this week's episode.
As a top junior and professional coach, JY recognizes that bad line calls are part and parcel of the game, at all levels of the game from juniors to college to pro. As he took a deeper look into it, he came to realize that it's not the bad line call itself that is the problem but rather the player's response to it that can change the outcome of a match.
In this episode, and in a new blog post on his website, JY outlines specific tools junior players can use to keep their focus even when they think a line call error has been made. He and I also discuss how parents can do a better job of choosing language when talking with their player(s) after a match where questionable line calling may have been a factor.
For more information on JY, visit his website at https://www.aubonetennis.com/. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. He's also very active on Instagram at https://instagram.com/aubonetennis.
Toward the end of the episode, you will also hear about the new player journal JY has created. For more information and to order a copy, go to https://www.aubonetennis.com/matchjournal. A discount for ParentingAces followers is forthcoming so please check the Community Discount page on our website for the code.
And don't forget to register for our upcoming trip to Spain! More info at https://parentingaces.com/articles/join-us-for-10-days-in-spain/.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13, Episode 36, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Lisa chats with the mom behind Raising Happy Champs, a UK-based enterprise to help parents in all youth sports as they navigate through the obstacles of their children's chosen passion.
Jen Harris was sitting at her daughter's gymnastics meet when another parent asked her for advice with her own child. After chatting with the parent, Jen realized that with her psychology training and degree, she might be able to offer something to other sports parents that wasn't available in the UK. She decided to go back to school to pursue a Master's degree in sport and exercise psychology. For her final dissertation she developed and tested an approach to sports parenting she calls the Super-P approach. Jen is now pursuing a PhD so she can further refine and test Super-P. Says Jen, "It is very important to me that my support program was designed using sport psychology research."
What will you gain from the Super-P program?
You’ll gain valuable insights and tools to improve communication with your child athlete. Effective communication is key to building a strong relationship with your child athlete. In this workshop, you'll learn proven strategies to improve communication and strengthen your bond with your child.
You’ll get science and psychology backed approaches to parenting child athletes. Super-P is based on the latest research in science and psychology, ensuring that you have access to the most effective and up-to-date strategies for supporting your child athlete.
The Super-P Approach will improve your child's performance through practical strategies to keep your child calm. This will help your child athlete perform better in competitions and events.
Jen is close to finishing her PhD program and continues to work with parents across a range of youth sports. If you're interested in learning more about her Super-P program, you can check out her website at www.raisinghappychamps.com. To reach out to Jen directly, email her at [email protected].
You can also follow Jen on either Facebook or Instagram:
Facebook: Raisinghappychamps
Instagram: Raisinghappychamps
Jen has graciously offered exclusive discounts for the ParentingAces community.
SUPER-P 25% DISCOUNT: 25% off the SPEEDY SUPER-P Course - Jen's research-based education program designed for sport parents. CODE: ACES25. LINK to BOOK: https://www.raisinghappychamps.co.uk/challenge-page/speedy
PREMIUM PARENTING PLAN: 50% DISCOUNT!!! For those of you looking for the full parenting support package - check out Jen's PREMIUM PARENTING PLAN for both parent and child support. 3 courses for one incredible price - SUPER-P, Anxiety Busting, and Learning How to Have the Best Competition Experience with her NINJA-P course. Already 35% off and all listeners can get a further 15% discount with this exclusive code. CODE: ACES15. LINK to BOOK: https://www.raisinghappychamps.co.uk/plans-pricing
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13, Episode 34, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Ben Shapiro of Atlas Tennis shares their inaugural European tennis trip and plans for the 2024-25 school year.
Atlas Tennis creates youth tennis camp experiences for teenagers to travel, compete, and grow both on and off the court. Its trips are designed to maximize player and personal development through travel and different tennis environments.
The team behind Atlas Tennis includes not only Ben as the Director, but also former top ATP pro Eric Butorac, president of TopNotch Management Sam Duvall, former WTA pro Megan Moulton-Levy, and Andrew Chmura of Grand Slam Tennis Tours. Among them, they have decades of experience developing young tennis players, managing player travel and other needs, and competing themselves on the world stage.
We have published a first-hand account of one junior player's experience on our website at https://parentingaces.com/articles/my-experience-with-atlas-tennis.
For more information:
Website: https://atlas.tennis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atlastennis/
Newsletter: https://eepurl.com/iGsOF6
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13, Episode 33, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, we dive into a new way to play our sport that is time-limited, team-based, and provides a guaranteed income with benefits for players at the pro level.Time Tennis seeks to rethink the game to make it more fan-friendly, more player-friendly, and more tv-friendly. This is how it works . . .Players are drafted onto co-ed teams where they can compete in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Each match is 30 minutes of play, with a two-minute half-time show for entertainment and fan engagement. Coaches are allowed on court and may make one player substitution per half. The scoring is simple point accumulation: 1, 2, 3, 4, ... making it easier for casual fans to understand; clean winners are worth 2 points. At the end of 30 minutes, whoever leads is the winner, with a sudden death point played in the case of a tie.At the professional level, players are paid an annual salary with full benefits. The league season is 6 months with players expected to help run events and engage in their local communities during the off-season. Why? Because the way tennis is currently structured eats into players' mental health, financial stability, and family life. Time Tennis seeks to provide a way for professional players to build a quality life in the community they represent while giving fans that feeling of cheering for the home team.At the junior level, Time Tennis provides a structure for more team events in a time-limited setting, making it more attractive for tennis facilities to host competitions while preserving the physical and mental health of our young athletes. Juniors would compete as part of a co-ed team in all formats (singles, doubles, mixed doubles) and, hopefully, attract local fans to come out and cheer them on.For more information on Time Tennis, visit their website at https://www.timetennis.com/ and follow them on Instagram at https://instagram.com/timetennisintl, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/timetennisintl, X at https://x.com/TimeTennisIntl, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/timetennisintl/. If you are interested in bringing a Time Tennis event to your area, email [email protected] you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone, August AllenLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Welcome to Season 13, Episode 32, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, tennis parent and entrepreneur, Anirban Dutta, shares his journey through junior tennis with his twins, Maya and Jai, and the creation of Tennis Wizard.
This episode all started with a Facebook post (see below) Anirban made in one of our groups about his recent experience at Junior Wimbledon as Maya competed there. As he and Lisa spoke, he was able to share details about the differences in his two kids' pathways, which are both leading them successfully to play college tennis.
Anirban Dutta has been a tennis player, coach, administrator, and entrepreneur. As a player, he played DI and DII college tennis and represented India in Junior Team events.
As a coach, he was a junior development coach at Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago, Canyon Creek Country Club in Dallas and The Sports Club at Four Seasons, Irving. He was also DI men’s assistant tennis coach at Chicago State University. Recently, he helped coach his daughter Maya Dutta to 94 ITF and son Jai Dutta to DI tennis at Indiana University, Indianapolis.
Anirban is also a founding investor at a Birch Racquet & Lawn Club owned by the Taylor Dent family. He was a board member and committee chair at USTA TX and is a Co-founder of an Inc 5000 award-winning software company called CompuMatrice.
Currently he is focused on growing Tennis Wizard, a tennis journey acceleration platform for junior tennis players. Tennis Wizard provides junior tennis players with 1-on-1 accountability partnership, tennis journey guidance, college tennis guidance, and a wellness management program. They are offering a 30-day free trial at https://tenniswizard.com.
We hope you find it helpful to get an inside look at this family's approach to junior tennis, how they budgeted and allocated that budget for each child, and the challenges of maintaining healthy parent-child relationships along the way.
Anirban has set up a discount for our community to purchase Tennis Wizard.
If you'd like to chat with Anirban further, he has generously offered to share his contact info: [email protected] (email), 817-403-5214 (cell).
Anirban's Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/450459995340631/posts/2128048374248443
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13, Episode 31, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, we are joined by coach Marcelo Ferreira, former Men's Tennis Coach at Texas Tech and Pepperdine and High Performance Manager at the Windy Hill Athletic Club in Atlanta, GA.
Marcelo recently returned from a European Adventure with several of his players and their families where the kids trained, watched some incredible professional tennis, and had the opportunity to interact with some of the pros. As you will hear, Marcelo had several goals for this trip, not the least of which was to show his players how their peers are training and competing in other countries and to appreciate the setting in which they are privileged to train.
Growing up in Brazil, Marcelo was brought up with a lot of discipline when it came to his own tennis training and development. His hope is to instill that same work ethic in the juniors he works with at Windy Hill.
If you are a junior coach interested in taking a similar trip with your players, Marcelo is happy to speak with you about what's involved. For those families in or around Atlanta, you can reach out to Marcelo about future travel and training opportunities. His email is [email protected]. You can also follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/coachferreiratennis/ - be sure to check out all his posts about this summer's trip!
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13, Episode 30, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. In this Bonus Episode, incoming ITA CEO, Dave Mullins, walks us through last week's House Settlement regarding NCAA Division I Tennis and how it could impact recruiting across all divisions of college tennis.
Dave will be stepping in as the ITA CEO on January 1, 2025, but he has been involved in college tennis as a player, coach, and on the governance side for decades now. He has appeared on this podcast numerous times over the years and has always been forthcoming with us about what's happening in the college tennis landscape.
Please watch/listen to this episode if you have a child entering their recruiting years or already in the midst of it all. As Dave notes, these changes won't go into effect until the 2025-26 academic year, and we could see many tweaks between now and then. He has promised to come back on the pod as this storyline progresses.
If you have further questions, you can reach Dave via email at [email protected]. Or you can tweet at him at https://twitter.com/DaveMullins_ITA. His direct phone number is (602) 341-8517 - he is happy to hop on a call to discuss any concerns you may have.
Be sure to visit the ITA website for all things college tennis at https://wearecollegetennis.com/.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13, Episode 29, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, we dive into the high cost of junior tennis and what one Tennis Parent did to ensure her family could support their kids throughout their junior tennis journey.
As the mom of a tennis player, Erinn Murray struggled to find courts and coaching that her family could afford. In her pursuit, she discovered she wasn’t the only one and far more than just her children could benefit from her efforts to bring tennis to her Texas community.
Since 2006, she has been in the pursuit of affordable, accessible tennis for anyone who wants to play. She has learned how to speak at a council meeting, written more grants than she could have ever imagined and has created a facility in her community that will hopefully live in perpetuity. The 6-court facility is set and ready for 4 more courts and even 2 pickleball courts.
Erinn and her staff work with hundreds of kids annually. From the littles who are just trying something new to those varsity players who are striving to play at the collegiate level. The kids' goals are their goals, plain and simple.
The path has been rewarding but also difficult. Erinn shares her story with all who ask to minimize their struggle. She has a thousand stories about ways that didn’t work, and she can also tell you what did work.
To reach Erinn, email her at [email protected]. Visit the Spring Branch Tennis Association website at springbranchtennis.com. You can also reach Erinn by phone at 830-205-1150.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13, Episode 28, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Coach Joey Blake shares how parents and junior coaches can best use match charting throughout the junior development journey.
Joey Blake is a former world-ranked professional tennis player and was one of the best junior tennis players in the 1980’s. Blake was raised in Las Vegas, NV. Blake was a U.S. Open Junior Doubles Champion as well as a finalist in singles. He attended the University of Arkansas on a full tennis scholarship, where he became the first freshmen since John McEnroe to win the prestigious NCAA National Indoor singles title and went on to be ranked as high as #1 in the United States in the NCAA Division 1 national rankings in 1986. Blake was an NCAA All-American. Blake turned professional after one of the greatest seasons of any freshman in NCAA tennis history Blake went on to play the professional men’s tennis tour. Life changing tennis related injuries saw the talented Blake retire at the young age of 21.
At the age of 22, Mr. Blake began his coaching career. He is regarded as one of the most esteemed and respected high performance junior coaches in the world. He has mentored and coached eight #1 U.S Juniors. Grand Slam and NCAA Champions as well as Olympians. Mr. Blake’s students have gone on to earn more than $5 million dollars in collegiate scholarships attending some of the most prestigious universities in the country. Blake has owned and operated some of the most successful tennis player development programs throughout the world. A reputation that puts students life development first along with a personalized tennis development program for each of his students. Blake consults, mentors and instructs his proven tennis philosophy around the world as as a guest speaker and clinician regularly to avid supporters and tennis fans seeking his vast knowledge of tennis.
Early in his coaching career, Joey learned and understood the value of charting matches for his players. He has worked with some of the best coaching mentors out there and developed what he feels are best practices for evaluating matches and using the data when creating or editing developmental plans for his players.
Joey has worked closely with Andy Durham, the creator of RacketStats, as well as other tennis statisticians and understands the nuances of match data. In this episode, he shares with us how to better use that data with our own junior players.
You can follow Joey on social media at https://www.facebook.com/pro10s and https://x.com/joeyblaketennis. You can also reach him via email at [email protected]. Find him online at Joeyblaketennis.com and Spinmastersportfoundation.com.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
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Welcome to Season 13, Episode 27, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, we learn about a new product to enhance on- and off-court training with a portable and wearable apparatus.
WearBands is an innovative tool to make your workouts more effective while avoiding over-stressing growing bones and connective tissue. The WearBands system is designed to increase the results of any workout or activity via the proven training benefits of time under tension and neuromuscular stimulation. WearBands come in four sock sizes, three lower-body band sizes, and 3 upper-body band sizes, which together accommodate almost anyone of any shoe size, height, and fitness level. The website has a sizing tool that will help you figure out what is correct for your player or yourself.
Unlike all other resistance bands, WearBands allows unrestricted movement under variable resistance. Typical resistance bands are either tied to a stationary object, held by another person, or held in your hands. These systems often do not allow the body to move in a natural way with proper posture, and do not leave your hands free. WearBands allows true functional movement under resistance, the way body naturally moves.
With your hands free and your body untethered, you are free to add upper-body resistance, if you wish, and you are free to move anywhere and everywhere. This allows for a more complete workout. Upper- and lower-body muscle groups can receive a resistance workout simultaneously, and you can also add fully functional resistance to any cardio workout. You will receive more results in the same time, or the same results in less time, because you are burning more calories (up to 20 percent), getting more cardio, and getting more toning from the same workout.
The muscles therefore receive a much more concentrated resistance workout, and for the first time ever, your muscles are trained under resistance to work in a coordinated fashion, as they do when you naturally move.
Dan has generously offered our community a 20% discount on WearBands. To purchase, visit https://wearbands.com/pages/product-page and choose your preferred item(s). Use code ACES at checkout to receive your discount.
For some ideas of how to workout using WearBands, check out these links:
https://share.mindstamp.com/w/HziDHVtZgvFK
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWfUB7olqETFdjtTa17GBl1gLmUEPOD5t&si=R8yidYFTk6joueNx
https://wearbands.com/pages/wearbands-interactive-sports-videos
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
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Welcome to Season 13, Episode 26, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Lisa chats with former top junior player and collegiate All-American and current tennis-specific nutritionist, Erika Villalobos.
Erika Villalobos has transitioned from the courts to become a board-certified nutritionist with a master's in nutrition, specializing in the dietary needs of tennis players. Currently, she collaborates with elite junior and professional players, leveraging her comprehensive understanding of sports nutrition to enhance their performance.
In this episode, Erika shares specific tips and guidelines for growing junior tennis players to maximize their performance through better food and hydration choices. She discusses how and what to eat on training days as well as at the various points throughout a tournament week or weekend.
Her invaluable contributions on CoachLife cover essential topics like optimal pre-training and tournament nutrition, strategies for hydration and preventing cramps, exploring the significant advantages of caffeine and creatine, and guiding athletes on the effective use of supplements. Erika’s expertise offers players a foundation for not just improving their game, but elevating their overall wellbeing through tailored nutritional strategies.
Explore over 330 videos tailored for parents, coaches, and players on CoachLife.com—the premier online resource for tennis coaching knowledge. Our extensive library covers tennis-specific sports psychology, nutrition, footwork, coaching and parenting advice, detailed shot progressions, and insights into the training regimens of top players during their junior years. Learn from coaches who have shaped the careers of tennis legends such as Swiatek, Gauff, Tiafoe, Kyrgios, Fritz, Sampras, Jack Draper, Sharapova, Pegula, Tommy Paul, Roddick, Davenport, Rafter, Nishikori, Kevin Anderson, Mardy Fish, Guillermo Coria, Fernando Gonzalez, and Reilly Opelka at various stages of their development. Additionally, benefit from a comprehensive strength and conditioning program designed to improve various performance areas.
Listeners can now take advantage of a 7-day free trial by visiting CoachLife.com. Plus, get an exclusive discount when you click the link in our show notes. Learn directly from the legendary junior coaches behind the world's top pros and elevate your game with CoachLife. Start your journey to tennis excellence today!
Affiliate link: https://coachlife.com/?ref=EVPA
Discount code: EVPA
The discount code gives 5% off the 1st year's subscription - click on the affiliate link and enter the code during checkout.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
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Welcome to Season 13, Episode 25, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, coach Todd Widom is back to help all of us better understand what is meant by the term "High Performance" when it comes to junior tennis.
"High Performance" is something that gets thrown around much too casually in the junior tennis world. Coaches of varying degrees of experience and expertise will call their training environment "high performance" when, in reality, they are showing no signs of understanding or implementing "high performance" methods. Similarly, junior players and their parents will claim to be "high performance" when, in reality, their day-to-day commitment to tennis lacks the focus and intensity to deserve that moniker.
So, what is "high performance" when it comes to junior tennis development? Give this week's podcast a watch/listen and find out!
To contact Todd or to get information on his training, you can reach him at [email protected]. If you aren’t already, be sure to follow him on Facebook and Instagram as well. And check out his newly-redesigned website at https://twtennis.com/.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. If you haven’t already, be sure to become a Member of ParentingAces by visiting https://parentingaces.com/membership-join. And check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop (Premium Members received FREE SHIPPING every day!). To support ParentingAces' work with a financial donation of any size via PayPal, click here.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
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Welcome to Season 13, Episode 24, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week, Lisa is joined by developmental coach Marcy Hendricks.
*Disclaimer: ParentingAces is providing this podcast as a public service. Reference to any specific product, service, or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by ParentingAces, Lisa Stone, or Fit For 2, Inc. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program is not and does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Always do your own due diligence before purchasing, hiring, or using any product, service, or provider.
Marcy has been teaching High Performance Tennis in the Chicagoland area for 30 years. She has sent over 200 kids to prestigious colleges with full ride tennis scholarships ( Duke, Princeton, Notre Dame, Stanford, North Carolina, Georgia to name just a few). She has worked and run over 25 USTA sectional and regional camps and was the Girls 18's Fed Cup Coach for the Midwest section for 7 years and the Battle of the Sections Coach in 2023. Marcy currently serves on the USTA Coaches Commission board while continuing to work with juniors of all ages and levels.
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Recently, Marcy has noticed a disturbing trend in developmental coaching and how junior players and parents respond to it. Coaches are no longer receiving the type of education and support from our governing body necessary to helping them do their jobs most effectively. Only those coaches who are intrinsically motivated to learn and improve on their own time are getting better at developing players using the most current body of knowledge and techniques employed in other parts of the world.
Parents are - dare I say it? - almost too involved in their children's tennis journey while lacking the education and support necessary to ensure all parties involved have the most positive experience possible. Lucky you to have ParentingAces here to help! 😉
And the junior players are paying the price, wasting precious time with coaches who don't have the knowledge or desire to help them reach their potential.
In this episode, Marcy and I talk about these issues - and more! - in hopes of effecting change in the way junior coaches are educated and supported. We would love to hear your thoughts via the Comments!
To reach March directly, you can email her at [email protected]. You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram and message her on either platform.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. If you haven’t already, be sure to become a Member of ParentingAces by visiting https://parentingaces.com/membership-join. And check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop (Premium Members received FREE SHIPPING every day!). To support ParentingAces' work with a financial donation of any size via PayPal, click here.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
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Welcome to Season 13, Episode 23, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week brings our next episode with coaches who are part of CoachLife, a new platform for tennis coaching knowledge.
Guy Fritz's legacy in tennis coaching is solidified by his unparalleled achievement of developing two top-ten players from the ground up, including his son, Taylor Fritz, from age 2 to 18. Under his guidance, Taylor developed one of the cleanest techniques in the sport's history. Additionally, Guy coached Coco Vandeweghe from ages 8 to 16, further showcasing his expertise in nurturing young talent.
*Disclaimer: ParentingAces is providing this podcast as a public service. Reference to any specific product, service, or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by ParentingAces, Lisa Stone, or Fit For 2, Inc. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program is not and does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Always do your own due diligence before purchasing, hiring, or using any product, service, or provider.
Become a Premium Member - click here to join
A former professional player with over six decades of experience and thousands of players coached, Guy is celebrated for his mastery in technical shot shaping. His series on CoachLife stands out for offering in-depth technical breakdowns of all shots, accompanied by game-changing tips. Guy's philosophy emphasizes creating the optimal environment for development, focusing on the long-term growth of the game rather than the immediate outcomes of winning or losing.
In this episode, Guy talks about his own tennis journey as well as the challenges of being both parent and coach to a developing young player. His candid answers to Lisa's questions will give listeners a lot to ponder as they go through this journey with their own child(ren).
Explore over 330 videos tailored for parents, coaches, and players on CoachLife.com—the premier online resource for tennis coaching knowledge. Our extensive library covers tennis-specific sports psychology, nutrition, footwork, coaching and parenting advice, detailed shot progressions, and insights into the training regimens of top players during their junior years. Learn from coaches who have shaped the careers of tennis legends such as Swiatek, Gauff, Tiafoe, Kyrgios, Fritz, Sampras, Jack Draper, Sharapova, Pegula, Tommy Paul, Roddick, Davenport, Rafter, Nishikori, Kevin Anderson, Mardy Fish, Guillermo Coria, Fernando Gonzalez, and Reilly Opelka at various stages of their development. Additionally, benefit from a comprehensive strength and conditioning program designed to improve various performance areas.
Listeners can now take advantage of a 7-day free trial by visiting CoachLife.com. Plus, get an exclusive discount when you click the link in our show notes. Learn directly from the legendary junior coaches behind the world's top pros and elevate your game with CoachLife. Start your journey to tennis excellence today!
Affiliate link: https://coachlife.com/?ref=GUYPA
Discount code: GuyPA
The discount code gives 5% off the 1st year's subscription - click on the affiliate link and enter the code during checkout.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. If you haven’t already, be sure to become a Member of ParentingAces by visiting https://parentingaces.com/membership-join. And check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop (Premium Members received FREE SHIPPING every day!). To support ParentingAces' work with a financial donation of any size via PayPal, click here.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Welcome to Season 13, Episode 22, of the ParentingAces Podcast, a proud member of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network. This week Lisa chats again with high-performance junior and WTA coach, Tom Downs (click here for our Season 10 podcast with Tom).
Tom is currently working as a private coach based in Dallas, Texas, and is working with former ITF Junior #3 and current WTA player Liv Hovde.
Prior to coaching tour players, however, Tom was a high-level junior himself in his home country of Australia. He came to the US to play college tennis and soon realized he had a gift and a passion for coaching.
As you'll hear in our interview, Tom was fortunate to come into the orbit of well-known coach, Harold Solomon, early in his career, and considers Harold a mentor to this day. Tom became the Director of Coaching at the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in 2008 where he spent the next 8 years building up his coaching muscle. He was the hitting partner/coach for several top female players including Sam Stosur, Renae Stubbs, and Elena Dementieva.
From 2016 until the start of the Pandemic in 2020, Tom worked with juniors, college players, and pros in South Florida. During that time, he had the good fortune to work with then-junior Peyton Stearns, helping her develop into a top collegiate player at the University of Texas where she became the NCAA DI Singles Champion in 2022. Tom worked with Peyton again as she transitioned onto the pro tour, sitting courtside as she won over 20 matches including two 25k ITF tournaments.
To contact Coach Tom Downs, you can email him at [email protected] or text him at 813-382-2241.
If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our online shop at https://parentingaces.com/shop. To support ParentingAces' work with a financial donation of any size via PayPal, click here.
CREDITS
Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE
Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone
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