My Tennis Project: My First Lesson

My tennis challenge is off to a great start!  (Click here to read about what I'm doing.)

At the recommendation of my wife, I contacted coach Doug Bowie to arrange for my first lesson.  On an absolutely gorgeous morning I drove over to the Doug Bowie Tennis Shop excited to have my first ever tennis lesson.  Upon my arrival, Doug rolled out approximately 658,000 tennis balls in a buggy which I'm pretty sure used to belong to Wal Mart or Kroger.  He hit a few to me to see how my strokes were, and somehow he was able to contain his laughter and offer a few words of encouragement.  

Doug was immediately able to evaluate my game and he began to teach me the correct forehand and backhand strokes.  Starting with my grip, moving through proper stance, and showing me the correct path of my arm, Doug taught me the basic foundations for becoming a good player. I was a quick study and could tell an immediate difference.  I hit some shots that made me feel like I might actually be able to do this.  

Doug is an excellent coach.  He was encouraging but also pointed out what needed to be fixed.  Along with teaching me the correct way to approach and hit the ball, he also gave insight into the game that I needed.  If you're looking for a good coach, Doug seems to be a good one.  (I'll withhold my complete evaluation until the end of the summer.)  Give him a call at 770-717-9755.

Take Aways:

1. If you want to begin playing, the FIRST thing you need to do is get lessons so you can learn the correct way to hit the ball.  Bad habits are hard to break, so its best to never develop them.

2. Repetition is the key to confidence with your stroke.  I'm going out to hit everyday until my stroke is perfected.