Paths to Follow

This page is dedicated to helping parents and players figure out what path would be best for the athlete to follow

***Before reading the paths below...please let the path you choose below be 100% your child's decision. Although all parents have wishes for their children, the best path to follow is the one for which your child has a passion***

Path #1: State and beyond

Description: this type of player wants to make the varsity team at Brookfield Central, but also make the state tournament and go on to play tennis in college when they graduate.

USTA tournaments: very important. The benefits of playing these tournaments is to teach the athlete to utilize what they have learned in a competitive setting, to allow them to learn on their own (there is no coaching during these tournaments), and to allow the athlete to get noticed by college recruiters

USTA rookie tournaments: if you are on the right track, you won't be allowed to play in these tournaments due to your ranking (no top 20 players may do so). If you are just getting started in tennis, rookie tournaments are a great place to begin.

Private lessons: very important in order to refine skills and make improvements for competition

Match play: playing matches against high level competition is essential to this type of player. The gains they can make out of such matches will be invaluable to development of their game and performance in high pressure situations such as a state tournament match.

Group lessons: important, but only if the group is comprised of those who have the same goal

Hitting with a ball machine: very important to practice skills learned in lessons, to create muscle memory by establishing many repetitions of the same shot

Hitting with friends: not a major focus unless they are friends with the same goal

Path #2: State

Description: this type of player wants to make the state tournament for Brookfield Central and be competitive by winning as many rounds as possible

USTA tournaments: very important. The benefits of playing these tournaments is to teach the athlete to utilize what they have learned in a competitive setting, to allow them to learn on their own (there is no coaching during these tournaments). Very rarely do players perform well at the state tournament without having done so in USTA tournaments.

USTA rookie tournaments: if you are on the right track, you won't be allowed to play in these tournaments due to your ranking (no top 20 players may do so)

Private lessons: important in order to refine skills and make improvements for competition. Remember that for every private lesson you take, you should be playing a tournament, hitting with a ball machine or hitting against a player of a similar ability (ex: you'll get the best value out of your private lesson if you spend a few weeks using the knowledge you obtained from the pro)

Match play: extremely important. Playing in an competitive environment on a regular basis is very important to success long term at state. The more competition a player engages in the better prepared they'll be for the pressures of a state tournament environment.

Group lessons: important because you'll be able to practice your skills against players with different styles in a competitive and supportive environment

Hitting with a ball machine: important to practice skills learned in lessons, to create muscle memory by establishing many repetitions of the same shot

Hitting with friends: never a bad idea...just make sure to keep your focus. Playing deep into the state bracket is not easy, and although you should never deviate from having fun (that's why you play in the first place), remember your goal...what do you think your future opponents at state are doing right now?

Path #3: Make varsity

Description: this type of player specifically wants to make the Brookfield Central varsity team, no small feat considering only 14 of potentially 80-90 will do so. They don't have their eye on #1 singles, but they definitely want to compete to be on the top team.

USTA tournaments: can be important, but more than likely play the rookie tournaments and see how they go. A tennis team needs 10 solid players, and if you are #10, your point counts exactly as much as the #1 player, so if you only play rookie tournaments, that is completely fine.

USTA rookie tournaments: important...you will get to practice your skills against those who are competing for varsity spots at their own school. Any situation that allows an athlete to think for themselves and practice what they have learned in lessons is invaluable.

Private lessons: can be very helpful, but certainly not essential.

Match play: very important. Focus on rookie tournaments first, but take advantage of opportunities if clubs offer even an informal tournament.

Group lessons: very important. A large amount of players fall into this category because group lessons provide a less expensive alternative to private lessons while allowing athletes to receive solid instruction from club pros.

Hitting with a ball machine: important to practice skills learned in lessons, to create muscle memory by establishing many repetitions of the same shot

Hitting with friends: always a solid idea in order to practice your skills against someone who might have a different playing style than you do

Path #4: Be competitive, but no real goal of varsity

Description: this type of player wants to improve and get better, but doesn't really have any goals of making varsity.

USTA tournaments: not important

USTA rookie tournaments: not important

Private lessons: not important

Match play: can be important to help development of skills.

Group lessons: will be helpful...the more you practice, the better you'll get, but only if you are practicing the right way. Having some instruction in a group will allow you to practice your skills and learn about how to become better so that when you hit on your own you are practicing the right way.

Hitting with a ball machine: can be very helpful, just make sure it is after receiving instruction so that you are getting better and not just practicing the wrong way over and over

Hitting with friends: always a solid idea in order to practice your skills against someone who might have a different playing style than you do

Path #5: Just in it for fun

Description: this type of player is exactly what the name implies. Their goal is simply to have fun, and that's what you should do. Pick up the racquet in the spring, play and have fun. Learn as much as you can at practices, then close up shop in the winter until it gets warm out again.

USTA tournaments: not important

USTA rookie tournaments: not important

Private lessons: not important

Match play: not important

Group lessons: not important

Hitting with a ball machine: not important

Hitting with friends: always a solid idea in order to practice your skills against someone who might have a different playing style than you do