Written By

Bob Anderman

RSPA Master Tennis Professional, Glenelg High School Tennis Coach

High school tennis coaching is the hidden gem of a tennis professional’s career—an experience unlike any other I have had in my many years on the court. To every tennis professional reading this: You owe it to yourself to experience the profound, messy joy of high school coaching.

Yes, the pay is low—often a flat seasonal fee that barely translates to minimum wage by the time the season ends, even with a successful summer camp on the side. And do not expect much appreciation from a busy school administration; administrators are dealing with daily crises. The working conditions can be challenging, especially in Maryland, where the season starts in late February and cold, wet March weather means practices are often a miss.

The skill level varies wildly. You’ll have a few dedicated players who are ready for college tennis, the product of years of winter training. The rest of the team often consists of students simply looking for a line item on their college application.

I once coached a young woman who went four years only losing one third-doubles match. She had only two strokes: an overhead and a volley. Her partner was a retriever who lobbed everything. Together, they frustrated every opponent and caught the attention of a coach from an Ivy League school. She didn’t make that college team, but having her on my high school team is why I love coaching. She wanted the résumé entry, yes, but more importantly, she found her own unique way to have fun and enjoy the game, entirely stress-free.

High school coaching is about the players and the relationships you build with them.

If you go into this expecting to change their strokes, you will be disappointed. You have maybe a few days with them before the competition starts. Most of your time will be spent on rules, etiquette and basic strategy. Forty players on five courts for two hours does not allow for technical specialization. The best you can hope for is to offer a few suggestions on a stroke during a spare moment. Your real job is management: building a relationship, making sure they learn to love tennis and ensuring they continue to play after high school.

Forget about having a real influence on winning or losing matches. You win when a genuinely developed player walks onto your court.

The true challenge isn’t technique; it keeps both the players and you motivated through the chaos. Most players have never experienced the pressure of a real match in front of parents and peers. Now they face that challenge, especially when their match determines the team’s outcome. As the coach, essentially a volunteer in many respects, you also deal with the ebb and flow of availability as players leave for band competitions, school plays, or other functions. I’ve had to put team managers who barely played tennis onto the court for matches because I didn’t have enough players. It’s hard to face the cold, wet weather and then not have a full roster.

I write all this to give you the reality of high school coaching, and at the same time, to urge you to do it.

If you have ever taught a class, you know that “aha” moment when a student finally gets what you are communicating. High school coaching offers that same magic moment: when a player comes off the court with a smile, regardless of whether they won or lost. It’s that moment when your hard work communicating that tennis is about effort, appreciating the opponent and appreciating the sport itself, clicks.

It makes the entire season.

That moment when a parent thanks you for your caring and hard work. These are the “coaching moments” you will remember forever. They are a unique kind of joy that you won’t find anywhere else in the professional tennis world, and they are worth every low-paid, cold, wet minute. Go coach high school tennis.

 

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