How To Keep Score In Tennis

For new tennis players, to go from learning and practicing their strokes to putting them to use in a tennis match requires one more thing..... How To Keep Score.  So if you click on the included link it will take you to an easy to understand internet lesson on.... Tennis Keeping Score. < Click there.  

New classes are still forming for adults and juniors.  Help us get the word out to Pineville, Tioga and Ball residents about the "Ward 10 Tennis Academy" with certified tennis instructors Gary Childress, USPTA Cell 318-787-4993 and Talton Trickey, PTR Cell 318-541-6653.

The courts at Ward 10 Tennis Center are free to use when we do not have lessons booked.  Please join us and learn more about our lessons, leagues and tournaments.

Make Your Practice More Meaningful

If you’re like most players, your idea of practice is getting in a few sets. While there’s lots to be said for that, the problem is that we tend to play to win these practice sets and therefore don’t make an effort to do the very thing that practice is supposed to be about: working on the weaker parts of our game.

But there’s an easy way around this dilemma, one that simulates the situations you might face in a match while de-emphasizing the pressure to win. Play points instead of sets.

Try this: The server must win three points in a row to win a game; if you lose any of the points before reaching three, your opponent gets a chance to serve and win three consecutive points. This forces both of you to concentrate and become dominant. You’ll find that there are times when players compete for long periods and never win a game.

Tennis = Fun + Exercise = A Healthy Life

At last year's meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) exercise physiologists, sports medicine doctors, and sports nutritionists all reconfirmed their commitment to the power of exercise to change lives for the better.

Their Slogan for 2012 is "Exercise Is Medicine" or better yet "Exercise Is Better Than Medicine" as they continue to battle the biggest public health problem in the 21st century... lack of physical activity.

Exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, dementia, and other diseases of aging. What most people don't know is 16% of Americans will die from low fitness/sedentary lifestyle. That's higher than the 14% that will die from smoking, diabetes, and obesity combined.

Bottom line... find a sport or two sports that you can stick to for life. Obviously we suggest tennis for your sedentary friends. Entry into the sport is reasonably priced and the time requirements are reasonably. Tennis is a lifestyle and way of life for both exercise and friendships for life.

Tennis Practice "Hitters" for Rent

Now you can hire a "Hitter" to help improve your game by playing against someone who is guaranteed to be a higher rated player.

Here is how it works: you would tell us when you want to play and we will make the arrangements and provide you a more than competitive match. These "Hitters" will help you practice your game and groove your new tennis strokes.

If you would like to try out this new concept, you may call USPTA Tennis Instructor Gary Childress at 318-787-4993 and ask him to arrange a match for you. He then selects and instructs the "Hitter" on how to design the workout session to best develop your ground strokes or volleys or movement around the court. The "Hitter" then provides a written report back to Gary describing how you played and how well you incorporated any new techniques you wanted to work on.

The cost to hire a "Hitter" for One (1) Hour is $25.00 and (1.5) Hours for $35.00.

This is a new concept in tennis instruction that is designed to bring a developing tennis player along faster in their game improvement. Every good Tennis Instructor recommends that their students practice what they have learned in an official lesson at least 3-5 times before taking another lesson.

Eat Like The Best Players Gluten Free

Most tennis fans are aware of Novak Djokovic and his current winning streak as he moved through the French Open.  Some credit his performance to a change of diet.  He is now the poster child for the benefits of a Gluten Free Diet.
 
Following is an article that talks about some of the negatives of eating wheat, the symptoms and which foods are best to pick for a healthier experience.  Click on the following link to read more... The-Gluten-Free-Athlete

Tennis Players And Their Food Choices

Are you one of the fortunate few who learned early on in life the right kinds of foods you should eat to be and stay healthy?

Unfortunately there are still many of us who grew up on low cost carbohydrates and fats and who-knows-what-else that did nothing for our health and finally nothing for our looks as we moved from hour glass to apple or pear shaped tennis players.

Here is a link to twenty four foods that may not make you physically handsome again but they can at least get you headed in the right direction and give you a few more good years on the tennis courts.  Just Click: 24 Healthy Foods For Men

8 Superfoods to Add to Your Diet

Remember in your twenties how you could eat anything and still look good and play tennis from dawn to dust without a problem? Many of us do and we are here to tell you that after 50 it is entirely different, maybe earlier.

We would like to add a regular report from a local dietitian about how to be fit for life. If you know of someone who might be interested in submitting monthly articles then here is their chance to be "slightly famous".

Have them contact us at CenlaTennisPartners@gmail.com.

In the mean time here is an article about substituting different but similar foods so you do not become totally board with counting how many kinds of lettuce there are.

Just click on the link and enjoy: 8 Ultimate Superfoods to Add to Your Diet | Active.com

Build A Tennis Player, Whose Strokes Would You Use?

If you were going to build a local tennis player, whose strokes would you use to build a man and/or a woman tennis player?  David Walker topspin forehand... Joe Rankin drop shot... Christine Dodge cross court forehand topspin!


Get the tennis ball rolling by sharing with others...  just "click on comments" below and remember under profiles to add your name.

CenLA Tennis Growing In 2011-12

"2011 will mark the beginning of an expansion in tennis facilities and the number of tennis players in Central Louisiana."  


If my prediction is correct we could see: 

• Public hard courts built in Pineville
• An agreement with Louisiana College for access to their courts
• More courts built as a private or public facility on the west side of Alexandria

Tennis as a sport and lifestyle has been an under developed resource in CenLA.  There are over 14,780 USTA card carrying tennis players in Louisiana and less than 400 live in Rapides Parish.  Annually tennis players pass through our area headed north to play tournaments from Shreveport to Monroe.  At other times northern players pass through headed south to play in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Lake Charles.


Question: "Why do we not hold more tennis tournaments here in the central part of the state?"  Although not complicated the answer is not simple either.  Certainly the baseball and soccer supporters are better organized and maybe it is easier for city officials to complete those needs.  Unlike the others sports which are seasonal, tennis is a year round sport but like the others tennis would bring players to CinLA to stay and play and compete in tournaments.  You could fit all the courts we need on two baseball diamonds.  


Other cities have adopted a more pro-tennis  approach and they have built and manned their facilities by charging a small court fee.  If this community wants to be more than a thoroughfare for tennis players headed north and south to have fun and spend money then it needs to commit to a progressive approach.


Would you be interested in being part of the solution by committing some of your time to support the organized growth of tennis here in Central Louisiana?  If the answer is yes then send an email to RapidesTennisPartners@mail.com.  Also consider leaving a post here to encourage others to make a difference, those who know you are willing to be involved may commit as well.


Gary Childress, a former club tennis professional, is the Editor of this Blog..  As a USPTA Teaching Professional he ran numerous tennis facilities earlier in his professional career including (3) clubs in Dallas, TX and (3) clubs in San Antonio, TX before changing careers.  Gary grew up in Shreveport and met his wife Sandy from Alexandria at the tennis courts while they were both at Northwestern University in Natchitoches.