08/24/2025
I have played, watched, and coached a lot of tennis over the last 3 decades plus. One thing I have come to realize over the last month of working with the Women’s Tennis Team at Felton Grove is the sport of tennis is often way over complicated! Yes technique, footwork, anticipation, and learning how to win is very important. But let’s be real, if I could teach every player to mimic Carlos Alcarez in every way I would never produce another Carlos. When you realize that 90% (Slight Exaggeration) of tennis players in the world are NTRP 4.0 or below it is mind boggling! Not everyone will become a regional champion, state champion, national champion, or win a major.
With that said, I went over this morning to The Club At Sunset to watch 2 of my girls from Felton Grove, one of my boys from Felton Grove, and one of my academy players who plays at West Johnston. They made me so proud, not because they won, not because they went down fighting, but because they choose to play in the first place. I have already said that players that excel attend private lessons, clinics, and tournaments! Doing just one does not give you the tools needed to succeed at a sport as difficult to be elite as tennis. So congrats to Isla, Liana, Thomas, and Jack for playing when they really did not have to!
Coach Jay James
