How do you keep your skills up to date

• April 29th, 2006 – Attended and completed, Cardio Tennis Level II Workshop, Circle C Club, Austin, TX
• April 3-5, 2006 – Van der Meer Tennis Academy – learned new and improved methodologies in techniques and drills for World Class Juniors and Adults teaching skills, Hilton Head Is., SC
• August 6th, 2005 – Attended and completed, Cardio Tennis Workshop, Houston, TX
• September 25th, 26th 2004. – Attended and completed, Professional Tennis Registry, Teaching Essentials Certification Workshop
• Played competitive tennis every Wed night on the men’s 4.0 & 4.5 at Westover Hills tennis club since 1997 to October 2004
• I do brisk walking 3 miles about 2/3 times a week which really enhances my mental and physical well being and also gives me time to myself.
• I love gardening, and it gives me a good workout but also is very relaxing, so I do a lot of it.
• Using light weights, I do a lot of upper and lower body workout at home
• PTR Instructional video tapes
• PTR Instructional manuals
• Ran a “Scoop it up” tennis clinics through the USTA
• Participation in Tennis tournaments, singles and doubles in Austin, TX
• My 4 1/2 year old son teaches me what kids his age prefer and don’t prefer, what they have fun with and what frustrates them. He teaches me patience and much more, and how to gear lessons to young peewee’s his age that have varied rate of attention spans. This is also is key to my teaching young children.
• Lesson plans for the young kids is the most challenging but rewarding. I am constantly experimenting with creative and varied games and fun ways to introduce tennis to them. Simple hand eye coordination and footwork as well as focus based games that I play at home with my three year old become part of a very successful lesson plan that I take to the court
• When you love teaching tennis as much as I do, ways to enhance any age lesson plan becomes an integral part of being an Instructor. I still read up on tips and techniques from my guru Dennis Van der Meer and others like him. I read up on tennis magazines and tips that various world renowned coaches give as well.