About Me

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Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
I have played for 25 years and coached for the last 17 years--certified United States Professional Tennis Association Professional One--worked for Punahou Schools-voted the #1 Sports School in the United States, as a Program Supervisor, in charge of coaching the High Performance Players as well as coordinating programs for K-12 and Tennis Pro Education.

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Friday, March 28, 2008

Living the dream

The website is slowing doing what it does. I'm about to create a dvd series. After months of developing the storylines, scripts, and ideas. Based on our studies, it appears there is a sharp interest in a dvd for serving and groundstrokes. Thanks to all of your comments and support.

New developments:

1) Our tournament coverage is going to begin as the Hi10spro ventures into more tournaments. The Pattaya Open was a good start to things as it was interesting to catch the zone when playing.

2) It was also evident that we're going to have to upgrade our conditioning program extensively if we're going to compete in higher temperatures and Open level tournaments.

3) Finally, there appears to be a clinic opportunity coming up so it looks like we'll be delving into coaching again. It's been awhile.

Changes to our coaching strategy. I still believe the game revolves around a weapon, but I don't think the Michigan forehand is a good way to do it. That forehand works well on fast courts, but the problems it causes for your body are not worth it. As my friend, the ipodtennis, has shown me--it's a pull forehand and creates alot of torque and strain on the elbow while a push forehand doesn't create that problem.

the interesting thing is trying to change back to my old forehand is extremely hard. We'll continue to look at the developments in the ITF and study that style for a contrast with the USA style that we've acquired.

overall, things are going okay.

Tennis Lesson: Jump Serve Explained

the various steps to the serve

The Jump Serve: By a girl.

great form

The Backhand Return: Open Stance Style

Simple, but difficult. turn the shoulders

Tennis Demonstration: Topspin Forehand with A High Set-up

The way to add topspin to your forehand

Tennis Demonstration: Topspin Forehand

The proper way to hit a forehand

Tennis Warm-ups using the Wall Part 2 of 2

The wall is a good warm up

Tennis Demonstration: Two-Handed Backhand Simplicity

I like this backhand, it's simple and easily repeatable.

Tennis Analysis: Two-handed Backhand Explained

The two-handed backhand looked at.

The Backhand: Step One of Three

It's all about the grip

Tennis Warm-ups using the Wall part 1 of 2

using the wall to warm up sometimes can be a first option

Tennis Warm-ups: The Essential Mini-Tennis

gotta mini tennis

The Half Volley in Serving and Volleying step 3

Step 3 in half-volleying

Doubles: Poaching off the Return

How to poach off the return

Attacking Returns in Doubles: Catch the return EarLY

Hitting earlier is easier than harder

Doubles: Serving and Volleying

How to serve and volley

Tennis Analysis: Singles Game Video

The singles video play

Doubles: The Fake Poach or is it Real?

This video is a reminder to make a move regardless

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Results of Pattaya Tournament March 15th

The one good thing about playing with good people. You get good seedings. Being the 3 seed made my life very reasonable. I got in on Saturday at about 1--went to the courts and played someone who shouldn't be playing an open. Checked into a rather good hotel on Walking Street for $18 a day--the clerk did warn me about the noise, but ...

The next round was at 5, and it was easier than the first in some ways. Lionel, who owns a dot com bar somewhere in Pattaya, gave it his best shot, but I came to net on everything. My conditioning is simply not good enough to rally from the baseline. I have to get to net, or I'm going to die so being who I am--I did what I like to do--hit the ball and come to net. Once at net, life is good.

There are several reasons why you should be a serve and volleyer. First, to me, it's a lot easier to come forward and volley, than to dance back and forth across the baseline generating shots from the ground. Even if they lob, it's either going over my head, or I'm hitting a winner. The question is: Can you pass me 24 times in a set? And realize, I can volley at the net. I can. I spent a lifetime--well, four years or so hitting volleys against the wall at my grandma's house in the garage, then a good 15 years thereafter being a doubles specialist. Second, no one knows how to pass one.

Saturday came and went--no doubles, but I made it to the quarters. Sunday: I would face the 6 seed in singles. that's about as far ahead as I look. ever.

Sunday--i have to admit--i had an irish coffee and a beer last night... Anyways, Sunday at 9:00--it's the doubles--and we win by default--our opponents basically got scared by our #2 seed and didn't show up--why do I say that? because they played a match on Saturday at 6 to advance to Sunday against us. So that was fine, I hit against the wall to cool down, and was about to head back to the room.

Change of plans, we were playing now. Nattawhee is your typical groundstroker--two hands on the backhand--rather flat, okay serve, and a flat/topspin forehand. He could play--and for some reason, my arm was achy--we start rallying, and I'm fighting a case of the nerves and my forehand starts to fly out. We play the first game and he breaks me. the next game he holds. It's the third game, and I'm serving at 15-40--what the hell is going on? I managed to squeak out this game somehow--don't ask me what happened, I think my first serves went in--plus I told myself--coming in on both first and second serves.

My forehand stinks big time now. i don't know why? but it happens sometimes--it's a combo thing--i lose faith in it and my elbow hurts when I hit it and at this point, i really don't have the conditioning to rally so I throw everything out the door--I'm going to come to net regardless. I'm chipping and charging from the get go so as the first set pans out--it's 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, and i'm serving at 5-6 to get to the tiebreaker--and it's deuce. winner take all. I come in, he hits the pass crosscourt, and I let it go. it's out by a millimeter. BUT wait, the chair umpire rules it in--I just lost the first set. Dammit. what the hell?

Screw it. The second set, we go through the whole song and dance again. 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, and finally, it's 6-5 again. But now Natthawee is trying to stay in the set--and he's starting to feel it--i'm not missing volleys, my overheads are crisp, and i'm coming in all the time.

It's a really funny thing--people like to watch it--they don't see much chip and chargers, nor do they see much serve and volleyers. And even I know, when my serve and volley game is on, it's a beautiful thing to behold. and it's on. I'm in the zone.

I break him easily to take the second set. Now it's a third set tiebreaker, first to 10 points. winner takes all. And I'm tired so i down the second half of my second red bull and we get into it. at 3-5, he hits this beautiful pass down the line on my backhand side--it hits the back end of the line. damn. BUT the umpire calls it out, and now i'm up 3-6. I don't need much. I'm actually starting to play pretty good now. I win the tiebreaker easily.

Now I've advanced to play the 1 seed. I go back to the room, shower, lie in bed and doze. The one seed is good. he is everything Nattawhee is and isn't. Nattawhee didn't have a serve and his groundstrokes were okay--plus he couldn't really volley. Amnart, the 1 seed, can do everything. He has a hell of a serve, unbelievable groundstrokes, and a pretty good volley--he's about 6 feet tall too.

But now, I'm in the zone. I don't realize it, but i'm so tired that I just don't care, and I'm in the zone--i'm not missing volleys. groundstrokes still stink, but it's okay, they're going where I want them to. We battle in the first set, and it's just like before--but I'm getting break points. Amnart isn't used to someone coming in so much. I take the first set 7-5. Amnart passes crosscourt on his forehand and down the line on his backhand--and that's huge to know that plus the umpire doesn't like him too much, I think, as three calls go my way.

In the second, it's another crazy battle, but I catch the break and serve at 4-3 to pretty much solidify this set. Amnart decides he isn't going to miss anymore on the deuce side and starts to pound winners off my first serve. 5 in a row. So at 6-5, as I'm serving to get to 6-6--Amnart decides he isn't going to miss anymore on either side. He breaks me easily.

We head into the third set super tiebreaker. We're the only match on. Everyone is here watching this. Nattawhee knows Amnart so he's cheering against me. There's about 50 people watching. Half Thai and half farangs. It's a great feeling. The tiebreaker is beautiful with clean points and rallies--course rallies are bad for me. I go up 5-3 on a sweet forehand drop shot on a return, but on my next drop shot, Amnart annihilate it. It's 6-6. I go up 7-6, and my hand is cramping, my calf is cramping, my hammy is cramping, and my back is just aching. I got icy hot on everything. I drink my last redbull--there were three in all. I really hate doing that, but it's 6-6 in the third set. WE've been playing for two and half hours now. My feet hurt.

now it's 7-7, and the points are a blur. We're just two guys dancing the same dance. I'm coming in, and Amnart is trying to pass. there are no more lobs, it's mano mano. He wants the pass, not the lob. At 7-8. Amnart is serving. the world knows I'm coming in. He knows it. I know it. I look at him and smile. I'm trying every trick in my book. I hit a short chip cross court from the ad side. Amnart is running up--he hits a low chip--i cut it off with a cross return volley. he's on it--straight ahead backhand volley. I go for a crosscourt shot--but i pop it up. We're about 5 feet away from each other across the net. There's a slight cry from the crowd as they know Amnart is going to slam it for a winner--I try to shift to draw his attention. He nails it as hard as he can off his backhand volley. I'm done for. IT drills me right into the body. I jump slightly as my racquet tries to deflect it. It hits perfect center on my frame--crosscourt winner. The crowd starts screaming and clapping. it's 9-7. I got matchpoint--and I'll be serving at 9-8.

9-7. Same drill. Everyone knows I'm coming in. he hits a first serve and i chip. But he's serving and volleying so he's in also. My chip is decent down the line and low. He volleys it cross, I nail it line. He digs it on a stretch forehand volley, and I lunge. Two hours and a half. Every bone in my body dying. Feet hurting. Legs cramping. and my hand aching. there's no thought. I'm magic in this match. I nail a forehand volley down the line as he stretches for it. It's a winner as it leaves my frame. My arms go up in the air. I yell "YES!" and then, regain my composure. shake his hand and walk to the chair. exhausted. I sit there and as amnart leaves the crowd starts clapping. I'm like wow. that's cool.

and as I leave, they clap for me too and come over to congratulate me. Ironically, I don't know any of them, but what a feeling.

that was the match of my life.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Pattaya Tournament March 15th

Houston. We have a problem.

So I've been playing and training for this tournament. The weight room and the court were going pretty well. haven't been able to get myself to jog, but my conditioning has been holding up.

Last week, my uncle came from Hong Kong, and we had a great seafood dinner.

I got food poisoned.

It happened on Saturday. By Tuesday, it was really bad. I couldn't stay awake and keep anything down. screwed... I'm so screwed.

so today, I went to play. OMIGOD. One set of singles... at 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and I was dying. DYING. no conditioning. from decent singles play for two hours, to not able to play one set and 15 minutes.

played some doubles--i'm striking the ball okay, but my conditioning is very poor.

Played another singles... and my legs. I just can't keep my legs going.

Played another singles. and ironically, it was better.

Now i'm on antibiotics because i might have what is called traveller's D... which requires a three day cycle. damn.

so we'll see what happens this weekend.

why am I not just pulling out? I'm the #3 seed in singles. and #1 seed in doubles. and if I recover enough, by sunday. it might be a decent effort.

yeah. it's stupid. but men are like that...

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Tennis Strategy: Offense or defense



What separates good from great? The ability to always do something with the ball regardless of your position, that means when you're in trouble, you chose a shot that will keep you in the point. In this video, I'm hitting a second serve and because of the type of serve I hit. I end up in the court--WHY? because I need to jump or my second serve has no pace, no depth, and no spin thus I accept that I will end up in the court and thus, have to recover faster to get ready for the next shot. Now as the point unfolds, I am in trouble as my opponent has hit a shot into the deep forehand corner. IF YOU TAKE THREE STEPS, you're in trouble. I hit the high roller as a reply. The correct response from my opponent is to take this ball out of the air and stay on offense, instead he allows me to recover and then, hits a shot right to me. This allows me to take the offense.

What do the people want?

I've made videos about a million things already. What is there left to make? I just don't know. so if there are any suggestions.

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