Some feeling about watching the tournament

Boys had the Lion Club tournament today.

After our Thursday training, I went to the Victoria Park with the boys.

It is a sad fact that Long Long lost his single.
Long Long and Oscar beated their opponent without losing any games.

Nicholas and Calvin lost to the DBS pairs.
They were great, they lost only 1:8.
I'm so pleased that they can have one game playing against these two good players.
Nicholas enjoyed the match.
The DBS players were HKTA's NTS player. ( NTS is the best training group of HKTA)

When I was watching their match, I chated with the HKTA national coach Christiaan (who is my friend, and I helped him last year in the gap). The HKTA national coaches are visiting everywhere to see their players' tournament, which is what Ernest and I doing!
We chated and he asked one question," Why are they on the baseline?"

Nic and Calvin were at the baseline all the time.
I knew Nicholas tried some volleys and gained some points.
What I was upset is that, we had work on their volleys today's and in previous many lesson. But they never volley at the real match. Maybe, Calvin was a bit nervous and afraid. Nic did his best, I bet.

Waitng till nearly 8pm, our doubles played.
Louvre and Brian played against Tommy and Jordan.

I watched...
Another HKTA national coach Nathan came, we chated.
He asked the same question again, " why are they on the baseline! Edmond, did you coach them?"
I just replied I had told them many many time to come to the net.
He replied, " you should train harder next lesson!"

Four of them were right standing at the baseline.
No net game.
No intercept.
I just saw Brian came to the net and approached, winning some points.
Others were just standing at the baseline and waiting for the ball.
Unforced errors...

I knew Jordan blamed Tommy when Tommy made mistakes. ( Actually, Tommy was still a bit sick in the court)
On the other side of court, I saw Brian giving some tips to his partner in a very good manner. Even Louvre made a mistake, Brian was still smile and cared him. I appreciated Brian's good job.

I was so upset and a bit angry...
Ernest and I coached them the volleys many many times, from last summer to now at least.
But, they are still standing at the baseline..
Maybe, some of them are a bit nervous as this is a very formal tournament outside wahyan.

We had practiced volley today, especially the interception.
There is no excuse that you don't know how to volley.
Some just making excuse that playing in the net may lead to a lost of the match becasue his net game is not that consistent.

We taught, we practiced, practiced and practiced.
However, in the real match, they never use what they learnt.
It is funny that our players are good in our court or the training.
They did learnt a lot in the training and improved a lot.

At the end in the tournament, some of them just still playing in their own style's tennis, not what they had learnt and practice in wahyan.
Why?
Because our kids are mentally sick when playing tournament? If so, experience is a must to improve.

I'm sorry I can't really express all my feeling in English here.
I'm sorry I may be a bit angry today.
I'm sorry I may be a bit impatient today.

But, I just hope to see the boys: use what you have learnt in wahyan!
Use all you learnt in the match.
It is absolutely a sad fact if you cannot use what you've learnt in Ernest and my class.
Why do we have trainig three times a week?
It is because, we want all of you to join and we want you to practice and practice many times.
Practice makes almost perfect. Then, at the end, you can use what you practiced and learnt in the inter school: showing off what you have learnt in the lesson.

Maybe, let's think for the solution to help the boys in order to remember everything they learn in Ernest and my class.
We had practice so many times. If you still playing your own style in the match, then you are just back to your starting point, which is the place where you have not yet join our training.

Ernest and all the old boys,
Next time, once you see both the doubles players are at the baseline together, no matter they are serving or returning, just stop them.
AND tell them to run around four courts for ten laps!
I don't want to see the so called "2-baseline" tactic again! I'm sick of this! This is not double!

Thursday report (21-Feb-2008)

Sorry for canceling the lesson of last week, as I got sick.
I got the fever for nearly a whole week.

Today, we had too many kids, because many of the kids have matches today.
Oscar, Brian, Louvre, Jordan, Tommy, Nicholas, Calvin, Ivan and one new blood Bryan (Actually, I don't know he is Brian or Bryan, just named him Bryan to distinguish the two Brian).

I had an idea to give them some individual training.
I gave them everyone a whole basket to train.

I asked what they want to improve, they had one basket time to work with me.

First, we had Oscar.
I worked on his backhand, he complained that his backhand is weak.
I found that his slice backhand is awful, but the two hands backhand is much better.
I gave him many balls, he tried to add some spins in order to be consistent.

Then, he practiced the overhead.
I feel proud of his net games.

Next, Nicholas and Calvin.
Calvin worked on his forehand, while Nic focused on his backhand.
Both of them made a mistake is they "jumped"when they hit the ball.
I told them to hit "still", just stand still and hit the ball.
Good job, boys.

Next, Jordan and Tommy.
Tommy was a bit sick, telling us that he got a fever last night.
Simple forehand and backhand.

Then, we had the intercept session.
Nicholas and Calvin played against Jordan and Tommy.
I fed the ball, the two net players have to intercept the ball, while the baseliner have to hit a wide angle shot in order to prevent opponent 's interception.
Jordan was active, Nicholas tried his best.
All of them had a good net game. They tried their best.
I'm so surprised they tried hard to intercept.

Brian and Louvre.
We had the same training like the previous.
I told them to hit the ball wide in order to prevent the interception.
Brian did a good job.
Ivan came to the court and acted as the net player of my side.
They tried to come to the net together.
I was so happy that Brian wanted to improve his approach and net game.
Louvre and Brian did very good at the net.

Volleys for all the boys.
All of them played so good.
They are braved to face my powerful forehand killer shots.

Last but not the least, the two young kids: Ivan and Bryan.
I'm sorry as times is running out, I just fed them a forehand shots.
Ivan played as usual, but if he can "stand still", he could have better performance on his forehand and backhand.
Bryan was the first time to come, he is good and he learnt tennis only half year.
Bryan had a good form, but no backhand at all.
In long run, he could be a good player if he practices more.

I'm pleased to see the attandance today.
Many boys, they are trying their best to improve themselves.