Coaching

We all know that tennis is a game that requires an incredible amount of mental toughness, a test of wills and intelligence. Before continuing on with this article, I am going to make some very general assumptions and I realize that making these generalities opens up some opportunities for debate. I...Read more

Nowadays tennis has evolved into a more powerful game than it used to be years ago. Lighter materials and more aerodynamic equipment allow players to hit the ball faster and with greater force. This results in a higher dependence on the players’ fitness level, thus, increasing the risk of injuries...Read more

The ineffable state known as “The Zone” is the Holy Grail of sports. Every athlete seeks it. Any athlete who has played in the zone remembers the ease, joy and satisfaction of finding this special place. The dictionary defines “The Zone” as “An area or stretch of land having a particular...Read more

Every athlete wants to achieve good results, but we have to be aware that good results don’t automatically happen because we spend hours and hours training on the court, in weight rooms or sharpening our mental training. The hours you spend have to be productive. In order to be productive, it’s...Read more

As a tennis coach, I've seen my fair share of "Helicopter Parents," who nurture relentlessly and hover over their child's every move. They carefully watch each lesson, practice and match. Some are reinforcing messages, adding their own opinions and even contradicting the coaches’ information. While...Read more

For the last few years, I have had the pleasure of working as the injury prevention coach of professional Spanish tennis player Lara Arruabarrena, currently ranked No. 64 on the WTA circuit. In a sport like tennis, being a talented player is not enough to make it to the top. Dedication,...Read more

We all walk onto the court wanting to win. The reality is, tennis involves winning and losing. It’s no secret that unless you are in the top five in the world, you will probably lose as much as you win. Even if you are in the top three, you will probably lose 20 percent of the time. The only way...Read more

It has been an incredible year so far on the ATP Tour. There are many great up and coming players and a lot to look forward to the rest of the year. Obviously, the biggest story thus far is that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are once again near the top of the rankings and have split the first two...Read more

As we roll into the heat of the summer of 2017, I thought I would address what separates all of us on the court: How we deal with the heat of pressure. From the first time we compete in any way, shape or form, even as children, it's the first time we realize we could "LOSE.” It is that starting...Read more

At this year’s annual USTA Long Island Region Awards Dinner, Sportime’s Jared El Gayeh was presented with the 10-and-Under Tennis Award which is given to the region’s top coach for U10 programming. “That was a really amazing award to receive,” said El Gayeh. “But it doesn’t just go to me, it goes...Read more