Sometimes tennis players allow the availability of organized drills and clinics in their local area to constrain their practice focus and schedule. Private lessons are one option for well-resourced players to proactively work on their own developmental needs. In fact, players at all levels can benefit from working one on one with a coach. However, there is another terrific option that should be considered. You can organize your own Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Drill or Clinic.
My friend Scott organized a drill group that plays every Wednesday night. It is an instructor-fed drill for precisely six people. He arranged a standing indoor court reservation and we pay the going rate for 90 minutes of the instructor’s time. Split six ways, the cost is very reasonable. When you add in the fact that we play practice games designed to develop aggressive play at a high cardio upbeat tempo, it is extremely valuable to me.
Creating a drill group that meets on a weekly basis can take a lot of effort and time to get started. First, you have to find enough interested players and potential subs to fill out the target number every week. Additionally, those people must have a common window of availability that overlaps with a time when a court and instructor are available.
A close cousin of the “DIY” drill is a “team” practice with a paid coach. In fact, some tennis clubs require that as a part of fielding a team out of their facility. In either case, the captain or a delegate should work closely with the teaching pro to ensure that the drills and skills that are performed align with the broad developmental needs of the team.
The glorious part of the DIY drill is that it gives the players a great deal of autonomy over their own development. While observations, suggestions, and feedback from a coach are vital, those things shouldn’t be the only part of the experience. Many coaches default to a “standard” lesson flow that isn’t tailored to the development needs of specific players. There is a tremendous benefit of proactive player input into the process.
If you are treating December and January as an off-season training block, you might consider setting up a drill group as a single session or short series. That is a good way to dip your toe in the waters of organizing one of these without a long-term commitment.
If you have been frustrated that the drills and clinics in your local area don’t meet your developmental needs, it might be high time to invest in the DIY option. This may be the perfect thing to layer into your off-season training block.
Great idea of creating a DIY drill clinic group!