KONINKLIJKE NEDERLANDSE LAWN TENNIS BOND

TRAINING FOR C-LEVEL TENNIS COACH (third/highest level)

Goal of the training for C-level tennis coach can be described as follows:

The goal is to train tennis-pro's to C-level who then are capable to coach (top) tennis players,
to influence their tennis ability, with the objective to improve performance by:
1. To recognise talent that can be developed by the coach (scout).
2. To arrange training.
3. To influence player(s) before, during and after the match.
4. To support the framework of the KNLTB, the districts, and the clubs to guide
players, or to accompany them in any way.
5. To support the administration and implementation of tennis directives.

The need of a coach-education has grown in the past few years to a number of reasons. In the first
place, the tennis-world asks for new top-players, which can be part of the international field and can
represent Holland at big events. Second: there is a need among trainers to learn further in order to
function as good as possible in practice. Third: there must be an education philosophy over the
different courses in order to run these as good as possible. A trainer at C-level can be able to provide
such an overall philosophy.

All these reasons contribute to better performance and experience from tennis players.

A (top) tennis player plays tennis in training and in matches. He constant tries to better his
achievement goals.
To do this the participant has to go through a learning process. Three aspects of this process are
being described in the introduction of the subject matter:
1. Techno-motorical aspect. For example: teaching the pupil a topspin-backhand.
2. Social aspect. For example: learning to adjust to the weak points of the opponent.
3. Reflexive aspect. Learning to consider your own acting and about the acting of your opponent.
The coach is the person who tries to direct this process of learning. With that, he contributes to the
bettering of player’s tennis performances.

The acting of a coach is a form of systematic and effective influence. To do this the coach undertakes
several activities:

* He instructs.
For example by analysing he comes to certain contain of the training. Within this training, he
gives effective corrections and indications

* He organises.
He takes care of a logical connection between goals and means in matches and training.

* He accompanies.
He knows his sportsmen; makes it possible to talk about problems and helps to find solutions.

* He develops.
When he instructs and organises he is working on the inner side, when he accompanies, he is
working on the social side. When he develops, he takes care of both the inner and the social
side and tries to find new ways. For example, he develops new ways of training which are
especially successful with the learning-problem of this player.

Next, there is given a profile of the trainer, his skills and the education to reach these skills. This all
ends in a description of lot of goals of the C-course. These goals are divided in the following groups:
A. With relation to sport-educational skills:
1. concerning the content
 2. methodical/didactical
3. communicative
B. With relation to skills of sport-practice, sport-theory and sport-policy:
1. concerning tennis
2. concerning playing tennis yourself
3. information from different disciplines with regard to playing tennis and
tennis players:
-> anatomic, physiologic, bio mechanic, psychological and sociological information
4. concerning learning to play tennis
5. concerning coaching tennis:
-> concerning the content
-> methodical/didactical
-> communicative

To reach these goals, there is chosen for a design of blocks and theme's. The distribution in blocks
and theme's is composed as follows:

Block 1: De design of the course.

theme: Getting to know one another and noting the design of the course.

Block 2: Acting-orientations for the coach

theme 1: The different acting-orientations.
theme 2: The acting-theoretical approach.

Block 3: Analysis of tennis (acting)

theme: Analysing tennis with the help of the acting-theoretical approach (tactical aspect).

Block 4: Analysis of tennis from different points of view (different disciplines).

theme 1: Tennis and biomechanics (technical aspect).
theme 2: Tennis and work-physiology (conditional aspect).
theme 3: Tennis and psychology (mental aspect)

Block 5 The practical acting of a coach (didactical practical work)

theme 1: To scout
theme 2: To train
theme 3: To coach
theme 4: To manage

Block 6 The coaching prior to, during and after the match.

From all the blocks, there are many things written on paper. There is real subject matter especially
written for the C-course but there are also many articles concerning a certain subject. Besides that, it
is advised to read supplementary literature when possible.

The blocks will be dealt with in 24 meetings. A number of blocks are explained by the teacher, and for
a number of blocks there will be a guest invited to explain some things of the concerned subject.

The subjects in block 5 are dealt with in practice. These themes are divided over 8 meetings.

At the end of the course, the candidates have to pass a theory-exam and they must show their skills in
practice.
The candidates must also make a report on coaching teams during the competition and must turn in a
logbook of the course.