I’ve had pretty good success coaching juniors over the years because I have worked with great kids and parents. Here are a few things I try to impart on my kids.
Ten tips for preteens and teens!
1. . Adults can be clever, temperamental or fiery. Kids will always be called brats! Unfair, but that is the way it is.
2. Everybody is an expert about how to raise other people’s children.
3. You need over 9 hours of sleep per night. I have seen many kids lose national tournaments due to lack of sleep.
4. If you really do not like playing racquetball and you are because someone else wants you to, please quit. You will eventually anyway.
5. If, after quitting you want to come back and play-congratulations. You are a racquetball player. If not, good bye and good luck with pickleball!
6. When your pediatrician gives you the green light, go weight train and not until then.
7. If you have an injured elbow, shoulder or back you are probably being taught by someone who says it does not matter how you hit the ball. They are wrong.
8. If you are sacrificing another individual or team sport in school for racquetball please rethink that! Racquetball is a lifetime sport and playing other sports is a great experience!
9. Make sure you leave some time to have fun.
10. Make sure homework comes first. Also make sure your room is clean and take care of spiritual development.
Go get’em junior!!!