We at MyTennisLessons are excited to announce Tamara S. as our instructor of the month for March. She is doing a fantastic job teaching her students. We were able to find some time between lessons to ask Tamara a few questions.
At a young age you already have a lot amount of experience as a USPTA certified tennis instructor. What do you believe is the ideal age for a child to start taking tennis lessons?
I think the ideal age for a child to start taking tennis lessons is around 5 years old. Although a meaningful tennis lesson can only start around the ages of 8-9, starting at 5 years old it is important that children train their agility, balance and coordination as soon as possible. When a child is able to understand instructions, I would introduce them to tennis. I started playing tennis when I was 8 and sometimes wish I could have started even earlier than that!
You played #1 and were undefeated over your four years competing in high school. What were the keys to your consistent excellence?
High school tennis was a really fun time for me and I am still proud of my results today. I think some of keys that led to the consistent excellence was I pursued what I love, I practiced intensely, seeked expert feedback, and I ritualized practice. It was very important to be passionate about tennis itself, not just winning. Passion is an incredible motivator and it fuels focus and perseverance. After high school tennis practice, I would drive over to my academy and practice for another few hours.
Your career was cut short due to injury. Is there any advice you would give developing players dealing with injury?
Being injured at a young age with my shoulder was very emotional in its’ early stages. I was sad, in denial and sometimes very angry when I couldn’t finish a match or practice as hard as I wanted to. Some advice I would give to developing players that have to deal with an injury is to be committed to the healing process with a positive attitude. It is important to show up for rehab, and listen to your doctor/athletic trainer. Self-talk is also very important because your thoughts should never be self-defeating and negative. To get the most out of rehab, you need to work hard and remain focused on what you need to do to heal.
What is your favorite student success story?
One of my many favorite student success stories has to do with my 8 year old student Kashawna. Kashawna started playing tennis with me in August 2013. In the group lessons, she was struggling at first with hand-eye coordination and hitting the ball with the correct timing. This didn’t bother Kashwana one bit, instead she worked harder to become better. She showed up early to every practice and asked me for help and kept getting better and better. After winter break, I wasn’t sure if she was going to come back and play more tennis, but she showed up ready to work hard again for the next session and today Kashawna is already one of the best players in the group. I am so proud of her hard work and confidence and love to watch her strive to become better each day.
What do you primary focus on when teaching children and teens who are just beginning tennis lessons?
I like to know what my students main goals are and the first thing I focus on with my students is that their initial experiences with tennis is ALWAYS fun. If they enjoy what they are doing and develop a passion for it, then they will succeed with any goal they have with tennis.
