While Peter Polansky was winding down a successful junior career in December 2006 at the Under 18 Junior Orange Bowl, a parent of a younger player asked me what do you think my son needs to do in order to play the same level tournaments as Pete in a few years?

This a great question with no clear cut answer. I remember Brad Gilbert (former coach of Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick) saying a couple years back at a conference here in Toronto there is no magic pill that will create a top player. I believe parents of young players need to understand this first and foremost.

However, based on my experiences with Pete on the I.T.F. (International Tennis Federation) junior circuit last year, I will provide you with some of the characteristics both Pete and other top juniors demonstrate in my opinion.

Also, in closing I will provide you some of my overall thoughts (personal beliefs) i.e. the way I see things regarding junior tennis here at home.

(A). SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BEST JUNIORS IN THE WORLD

1. COMMITMENT: before last years Orange bowl, Peter trained in Florida at the IMG Bollettieri Academy for eight days in a group setting with many top juniors. They would train in the morning for two hours and in the afternoon for two hours. The daily sessions were high quality practices with great intensity demonstrated from all players. Three players in my opinion stood outside of the pack as far as commitment was concerned. Pavel Chechov from Russia, Peter Polansky from Canada, and Petru Luncaneau from Romania. These three players did more outside of what was expected on a daily basis. In the early evening sunset Pete and Pavel played more, usually a set and a half more until it got too dark! One day late in the week, Pete and I wanted to work a little more on his return of serve. Luncaneau was the 1st to jump at the opportunity so he could hit more serves. I respected these guys mostly because this wasn�t a sacrifice for any of them. These guys truly loved the game and constantly wanted to improve, they all wanted to become the best they can be and enjoyed putting the time in. For the record; Luncaneau won the Orange Bowl, Pete made it to the semi-finals beating Chechov in a tight 6-4 in the third set quarter final.

2. COMPETITIVE SPIRIT: using the same three as an example. These guys (whether in practice or in a tournament) would do all they could to beat one another (without cheating). They all enjoyed the battle and hated to lose. They rarely demonstrated negative behavior and gave their best efforts every point.

3. RESPECT: during tournament matches and practices, these players understood that they were all in the same boat and respected each other. There were never any line call issues within this group. All these players were humble after a win or loss.

4. TALENT: top junior players bring something that is special or different then the rest of the pack (i.e. juniors outside of the top 30 in the world). Specifically technically, tactically, physically and /or mentally. Staying with the same three players; Luncaneau is a good athlete all around, great competitor, dangerous backhand. Chechov is 6′ 5 inches tall, with a huge serve and powerful forehand. Pete has a big forehand, is a fast mover and a great competitor etc

(B). MY CLOSING THOUGHTS

Looking back at my early years with Pete, I firstly realize that time goes fast! Also, and more important to note, many things can go right for a tennis player between 9-18 yrs. and many things can go wrong.

I believe for a young player to achieve international success, every daily decision has to be based around his/her tennis. Adding up the good versus poor daily decisions makes a big difference in the end. A player with great desire will usually make better decisions because (as mentioned earlier) it is not a sacrifice for them.

I also believe an outside driving force is important whether it be a parent or coach. Someone who really cares about their tennis. This helps motivate the player. I have also learned from experience that positive reinforcement goes a long way. It is very easy to criticize a young player, but I think it is better to tell players what they should do rather then what they should not do. Young players also get motivated by sincere compliments.

I also think that parents (and coaches) need to understand that high level tennis is not just about forehands and backhands. As mentioned earlier, players need to score high in four areas:

1) Athletic ability: quick, strong, coordinated, for example
2) Strokes (mechanics): form, smooth, for example
3) Tactics: consistent when rallying, for example
4) Psychological: tough, resilient, for example

Limiting factors

Following are a few things which might hinder a junior player’s chance of international success in my opinion.

1) Financial issues are a big factor. Sacrifice sometimes needs to be paid by parents and coaches if they believe in a true talent.
2) Excuses: young players with too many excuses give themselves little chance of becoming great. �Too hot, too cold, bad calls, bad ref etc. Andre Agassi once stated after a loss. Tennis is sometimes a cruel sport, you have to deal with what’s thrown at you.
3) We need to stop protecting our junior players. It is a jungle out there, therefore we should create situations which are not comfortable for our players i.e. put them in tournaments where they are expected to win, discourage excuses, encourage them to play many tournaments, wishing your child’s training environment is comfortable at all times etc.

We also need to put things in perspective at times (coaches and parents). If our sport was so easy we would have millions of champions. The reality is that there are only a limited few who become top players. Coach Vic Braden once said if you are not in the top 2-3 in your nation, chances are against you in becoming top internationally. I have seen many juniors over the years try the international circuit without first proving themselves at home, and it almost always leads to disappointment. I feel it is common sense for players to first prove themselves at home and then give it a shot internationally. I still take great pride in Pete winning our U14/U16/U18 national titles. I think most of our competitive players should first strive for a national title or provincial title for that matter, and then progress to the bigger events. Trying to skip ahead is a bad move in my opinion.

For most young juniors, I believe a good general recipe for development is group training with similar levels to ensure a high volume of hitting, private lessons to work on individual needs, and matches, matches, matches. The best young players internationally play tons of matches.

In Closing,

During Peters last junior tournament, last years junior Orange Bowl, an experienced coach approached me and said,

Peter demonstrates 3 qualities; WORK, AMBITION, and HUMILITY.

I believe if every young player strives for these 3 things alone, they can become the best they can be, on and off the court.

Dean.

..Now that we are winding down 2007, I would like to share with you what it was like for Peter and myself on the road, as his first year as a professional, in my next article. I hope the readers might find it interesting, thanks again, Dean.

Dean Coburn

ATP coach of Peter Polansky, currently ranked 337 in the ATP rankings.

 

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