This way, that way, my way?

There has been some fascinating debate (lots of it constructive, some of it nasty, sadly) on tennis forums (or a certain forum specifically) recently around the validity of certain teaching systems or methods and I feel compelled to make a post around my opinions on this matter.

Firstly, let me nail my colours to the mast - I work for RPT Europe ( Registro Professional de Tenis) as a coach tutor, training coaches to teach tennis using a system developed in Spain and widely credited by coaches and players world wide, including Toni Nadal (Rafa Nadal), Antonio Martinez Cascales (JC Ferrero) and Emilio Sanchez/Sergio Casal (Sanchez-Casal Academy). I am a huge advocate of this method of teaching and if I were going to recommend a coach looking to do just one course of training, I would recommend an RPT course without hesitiation as I feel it gives the best overall training for coaches.

However, I would never recommend doing just one training course. Speaking personally I have certifications from the LTA (Level 3), RPT (Level 5), MTI (Level 4) and USPTA (Pro 1) and whilst I still believe my RPT qualifications were the best all around training, there are plenty of elements from each of the other courses that I have taken away and use on a daily basis.

To put it into context, 4 years ago, I thought I knew everything about teaching tennis, I had been coaching for about 12 years and had 'my system' down and I had a piece of paper to say I knew what I was doing. Then, whilst in Barcelona and working with a group of coaches from Spain and Argentina I realised I actually knew nothing, I had a closed mind to new ideas and ways of working! Over that week I gradually managed to open my eyes and realise there was so much more to learn. So, since then that is what I have done, absorb information from any source I can and even if I can only take one thing away from a training course, that's one thing that makes me a better coach than yesterday and hopefully helps my players one stage closer to their goals.

Now, whilst the RPT still provides the majority of my teaching method/teaching style, my point in all of this is that great coaches never stop learning, never stop looking for a better way, so instead of closing your mind to a 'new system' try it, there might be something in it you can use!

Cheers