Does the Use of Video Help Tennis Performance at the College Level?

Just because a college or university makes videos of their matches, doesn't mean that the video is causing the success.  It's very possible that the colleges that go to the trouble of recording their matches are also the colleges that recruit harder for the top players.  Video may have nothing to do with it.

So why are all the top colleges using video analysis?   [Note:  As the seller of the QM-1 Camera Mount, I know that as of March 17, 2015, seven of the country's top ten Women's tennis teams are using the QM-1, and eight of the top ten Men's tennis teams use the QM-1.]   I heard from one coach not long ago that the players actually demanded it.  They expect that whatever team they play for will use video.   Maybe high school coaches can't afford it, or they just don't have the time (most likely!), but at the college level, it is becoming a necessity in order to keep up with the Jones's.

Here's a sample of a match we recorded the other day.   Denver Univ vs Marquette  Think it would help to look at this match video and see what really happened?   Could you coach either player from this?   I would like to think so!

Tennis Drills for Coaches and Instructors

Looking for new drills?  Here's some video shot from a recent USPTA sponsored  tennis coaches convention.  Contact Mike through  http://www.MyTennisTools.com for written drill instructions.

Tennis Improvement - How to Be a Better Tennis Player

As tennis players, it’s easy to become stuck where we are with our level of play. And there is nothing wrong with that. After all, we probably all started playing tennis just for the pure joy of movement, of the physical exertion and the good feeling it gave us. Nothing wrong with that.

But some of us soon discovered that it was even more fun and satisfying if we could just play a little better, maybe make that shot that we saw someone else hit, or maybe we just want to play as well as someone else we saw. It was a challenge. Or our competitive natures wanted to win. If you have reached that point, where you seriously want to improve then read on. You’ve made a vital and crucial step!

Here is my personal take on how to proceed. Having made this decision, we start upon a “tennis” inventory. We have to know what we have that is good, and what must be thrown out or re-vamped. We take an inventory of our assets and liabilities as objectively as we can. It is a fact-finding and fact-facing process, a finding out of the truth about out games. If something is “damaged”, we must get rid of it without regret. If you can take an honest look at your game, then your chances of improving go up dramatically.

There are a couple of ways to take this look. One of them is to simply hire a teaching pro and tell him what you are trying to accomplish. If he has any experience at all, he’ll know what you are talking about and give you some pointers. He may even write up a game plan, but most won’t go that far.

Or you might try video – taking a close and objective look at yourself under match conditions. You could use a camera mounted in the corner on an old tripod,  or Gorilla Pod or on a QM-1 Camera Mount. Of course, I’m biased towards the QM-1, but any way you do it it’s going to help. If nothing else have a friend  video through the fence.

The first few times I watched myself play, I have to admit it was quite ego-deflating. There was a huge disconnect between what my mind thought was happening and what was really going on. I didn’t look like Roger Federer!! What the heck? And I was playing way too defensively!    Wasn’t going to get anywhere without changing something!

Okay, this is a blog not a book. Step 2 will come soon – putting together a program for change!

 

Introducing the ProView Extender for Filming Tennis

Over at MyTennisTools.com we're very excited about our first addition to the QM-1 Portable Camera Mount.   Called the ProView Extender, our new product allows you to finally place your camcorder a full 2' above the fence, for that "television-like" view.   The first shot below is taken on a court with an 18' setback (baseline to fence). The second  is on a court with a 21' setback.  Both give more of an angle into the court instead of an angle across the court.  

Hi, this is an introduction to MyTennisTools.com,  where you can purchase the QM-1 Portable Camera Mount.   My name is Mike Lammens and I developed and patented the QM-1 after being disappointed by the limitations of what was already available.  I designed the QM-1 to be  made lightweight, unobtrusive, simple and user-friendly.   I believe I accomplished these goals, and from the feedback I've received from more than a thousand tennis players, coaches and parents, I've achieved these goals.

  To go to MyTennisTool.com Click Here

The purpose of this blog is to inform you and keep you up-to-date with developments in this niche market related to filming or recording (dare I call it "videotaping") of tennis matches.   I will be detailing in a future blog a new development which allows you to easily add another 2' to the top of the fence view, which is really great for courts with a 21' or greater setback.