BTCA British Tennis Message Board

STRINGING

liamnolan — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:16:34 GMT

Hi all, What a great Forum! Just registered and saying hello.
In 2002 I resigned as head stringer at Wimbledon, set up the UK Racket Stringers Association www.ukrsa.com - and we have got nearly 1000 coaches/players through our Club Stringer course. Although we look very carefully at what we provide for the hardworking coach, if anyone out there has some new ideas, then let me know here or direct to liam@ukrsa.com.
Feel free to post any questions on any aspect of racket servicing/strings/tensions/tennis elbow and I will try to give the right answer or find someone intelligent who can help!
With most UK tennis clubs using outdoor courts, there are inevitably rainy days when the coach will not be able to get out there and earn a living, so having the stringing work to drop back on has been a real saver for many coaches.
All the best,
Liam Nolan - Technical Director - UKRSA
Master Racket Technician - USRSA
07861 380981

Forum: Training

new training courses

crusher — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:35:06 GMT

I would just like to say it is great that the BTCA - or Tenniscoach UK should i say - has managed to get some great leaders in their field to come and lecture. i attended the John Yandell course, and the David Bailey course, and they have bothed affected the way i coach. Well done TennisCoach UK team

Forum: Training

USE OF THIS FORUM

JimmyTennis — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:09:26 GMT

Hello Everyone,

I've just joined on here and suprised at how few people seem to use this message board!?!

For some time I've been thinking it would be great to have a place where coaches at all levels (particularly club level) can get together and bounce ideas off each other- everything from sharing coaching ideas and drills to discussing which balls people prefer to use!!

Are there any regular users out there??

Forum: Anything and Everything

we want to play tennis

kids — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:07:49 GMT

Hello, everyone. I'd like to ask if there is any tennis school in britain for international children? I'm 12 y.o., tennis is my dream. i'm saving money for tennis school. If you have any information abt it, pls share with us. Thanks a lot.

http://letmeplaytennis.co.uk/default.aspx

Forum: Training

Notts Open

class_act39 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 08:50:45 GMT

i'm really frustrated that the notts open will be pulled next year as its an event that i often see packed with school kids. no offence to eastbourne who is apparently trying to attract a 'younger crowd' (maybe because it's a retiement town!) but nottingham already had that young crowd and has one of the best HPCs in the country as well...

surely this is a backward step and once again an event north of watford gap doesn't seem viable...what happened to spreading tennis around the country? it's difficult to convince a local school to take a trip during school time to see a satellite or challenger event but the notts open seemed easy enough to get them through the door...

maybe just my opinion but i think it's a really poor call

Forum: Anything and Everything

living in Barcelona

barcelona — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:04:35 GMT

Hi. I am an ex LTA coach who is now living just outside of Barcelona. I like to keep my knowledge updated with what is happpening with British tennis and am willing to share views on tennis coaching over here.
Many thanks
Barcelona

Forum: Anything and Everything

Coach Education Rip-Offs

MisterCommonSense — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:05:30 GMT

It is a shame that coaches are forced to take courses to aquire LTA Licence Points. Coaches should be looking to aquire greater knowledge of the ever changing and evolving game of tennis and should be motivated to do so through the commitments they have to the students they train.

There are external coach education providers that produce quality courses that do not always generate licence points and I tend to trust the quality of these course more, simply because of the fact that they must be judged on that quality alone.

But one of the greatest areas for concern are those organisations that are selling courses, or in some cases even giving them away, based on the fact that they aquire NVQ type funding from government sources to deliver additional components to the courses they are delivering. These organisations create courses and impose what they call a "workbook" upon the students that apply. This "workbook" is usually one that many of the students have done several times before but they then repeat the excersise in order for the organisation to extrude the government funds. I don't disagree with a workbook but if it is simply designed to aquire funds for the course deliverer then it is not designed to teach me anything I need learn.

This situation is not only creating low quality repetetive courses but also creating low quality coaches who on many occasions obtain qualifications that not only keep them in the organisations money loop, but also sends them out into the coaching market and destroys the reputation of the sport as a whole.

These organisations are playing the numbers game and it is not in keeping with the ethics of the sport we all love. What;s more in most cases they are not even delivering the products they promise to the students they recruit.

The coach education industry needs a new directive and I will stick with the new fresh coach education providers that are doing it because they care. I advise you all to do the same, it will make us better coaches.

Tell me what you think

Forum: Anything and Everything

Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One... Hello?

cartertenniscoach — Thur, 29 Nov 2007 20:03:32 GMT

F**k me British Tennis is in a really sh*t state!

Or maybe there's no-one there?

Ps. Does anyone know how they answer when you ring the F**K Tennis Academy?

Forum: Anything and Everything

Team Tennis

class_act39 — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 10:14:53 GMT

we seem to have a real problem getting kids excited about team tennis at the moment!

obviously it is a good reflection on the club if we perform well in the summer and winter leagues and we have the players to do so, but our top performance players are either playing for HPCs or committing to matches weeks in advance and then letting us down at the last minute when tournament opportunities come up!

does anyone have any suggestions as to:

1) how we can make team tennis more appealing to our players, particularly our top performance players?

2) how can team tennis in general be made more appealing in general to players who may have busy tournament schedules?
e.g. should ranking as well as rating points be awarded for winning team rubbers, obviously dependant on who shows for other team, as rating points don't appeal enough to high performance players compared to potential ranking points won at tournaments...

thanks for any advice!

Forum: Anything and Everything

Old Brooms?

cartertenniscoach — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:36:04 GMT

From Coachline Extra: "A new broom sweeps clean, but an old one knows all the corners." Meaning that it knows where all the hidden dirt is?

Forum: Anything and Everything

ball machines - quiet/loud?

tamtennis — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:23:06 GMT

My club is surrounded by housing. Am thinking of investing in a ball machine to service my futures/performance programme. Can anyone recommend a really quiet ball machine? tam

Forum: Anything and Everything

Non Licensed Coaches

bazrams — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:31:28 GMT

I have been coaching for about 10 years, I passed the TA 7-8 years ago and the UKCC1 7 months ago,I have attended many roadshows, courses and workshops, have worked with many coaches have learned a lot and still learning. Yet I failed the DCA twice, I just could not get it together when it mattered, I am really concerned that the lta have stated that only clubs with licensed coaches will be eligable to apply for "club mark" accredation and the funding that is available with it. I am horrified that the lta will be able to apply pressure on any club for any reason. I have been told that I am agood coach (I'm chuffed to hear) and that the club do not want to lose me, but could do with the accreditation. Come on lta be fair. I have been a member of BTCA for as long as coaching, great mag, for onfo, coaching and news. Thanks to all.......Power to non licensed coaches......Hi to all who know me.

Forum: Anything and Everything

LTA funding for ranked players

cartertenniscoach — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:17:09 GMT

Anyone know anything about this from the LTA website?

"Player Funding

If you notice any discrepancy which may affect a players potential funding in the current rankings list, please email CompetitionServices@LTA.org.uk as this is the only way in which your query can be dealt with. Queries must be received by midnight on Wednesday 3rd October.

NB. The current rankings list may not be the final standings from which funding will be allocated.

Date: 28 September 2007"

Thanks.

Forum: Anything and Everything

Where is my license

connorsboy — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 21:07:22 GMT

My license expired at end May. Having only recently been told it is finally being processed, after much aggravation, I am still waiting for it.
This is an absolute disgrace...does anyone agree with me before I personally visit the LTA to demand they hand it over.

Forum: Anything and Everything

Drills good to see.

dwardle — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 16:28:17 GMT

Good to see the drills and the new format gives lots of info

Forum: Benefits and Services