Field notes
Tennis Coaching Journal.
Notes from teaching kids and adults across Northern Virginia. Biomechanics, the mental game, and what actually moves the needle on court.
Practice
How to Practice Tennis Alone: A NoVA Coach's Guide
A Northern Virginia coach on how to practice tennis alone: serve baskets, wall drills, footwork, shadow swings, a weekly plan, and what a partner cannot fix.
Technique
Tennis Footwork: The Split Step and Court Movement
A NoVA coach on tennis footwork: the split step, the ready position, the first step, recovery, and the movement drills that get you to the ball on time.
Technique
Tennis Backhand: One-Handed vs Two-Handed Technique
A NoVA coach on the tennis backhand: one-handed vs two-handed, the grips, the unit turn, slice vs topspin, and why the backhand is the shot adults dread.
Competitive Play
USTA League Match Prep: A NoVA Coach's Playbook
A Northern Virginia coach on preparing for your first USTA 3.0 or 3.5 league match: what to drill, how to warm up, the nerves to expect, and doubles patterns.
Technique
Tennis Serve Technique: Grip, Toss, and Pronation
A NoVA coach breaks down the tennis serve: the continental grip, a repeatable toss, the trophy position, and the pronation that turns a push into power.
Technique
Tennis Forehand Technique: Grip, Topspin, and Timing
A NoVA coach breaks down forehand technique: how the Eastern, Semi-Western, and Western grips change your spin, and the four phases where players lose power.
Playing in NoVA
How to Find a Tennis Partner in Northern Virginia
How to find a tennis partner in Northern Virginia: USTA leagues, the TennisDC community, public court drop-ins, and the etiquette that gets you invited back.
Cost and planning
What Tennis Lessons Cost in Northern Virginia
Tennis lesson prices in Northern Virginia run from $40 group clinics to $200 club privates. The four tiers, and which is cheapest per hour of real instruction.
Season planning
The Northern Virginia Tennis Season, Month by Month
How the Northern Virginia tennis season breaks into four phases: outdoor peak, shoulder, indoor-only, and parallel USTA leagues. Where to play by month.
Junior tennis
Junior Tennis Pathway in Northern Virginia
The NoVA junior tennis pathway: age milestones, USTA Jr Team Tennis, the tournaments worth entering, and how to prep for high school varsity.
Adult tennis
How to Start Tennis as an Adult in Northern Virginia
How to start tennis as an adult in Northern Virginia. Gear, courts, finding partners, USTA leagues, and when private lessons are worth the money.