Coaching-Integrity-Tennis

Posted on 04/03/2016 by wdkealy

Coaching-Integrity-Tennis

Whether you are a professional, high school or college coach/player, integrity should be at the top of a coaches/players credentials.

Tennis ball close to the line on a tennis court.

In or Out?

Reasons why integrity should  be first:

  1. Integrity means calling a ball in when it touches any part of the line on a tennis court.
  2. Integrity means calling the correct score when your opponent asks you, because they have gotten mixed up.
  3. Integrity means NOT calling a let on a serve that is an ace.
  4. Integrity means not blaming the chair official for overruling your out call with a: “Correction, the ball was good.” There is honest human error at least 2 or 3 times a match.
  5. Integrity means NOT blaming your coach when you lose.

Players are afraid of losing their scholarship at a collegiate level, their ranking in the junior standings, or the way their peers see them on their high school team. Coaches are afraid of losing their jobs if the team they are coaching doesn’t do well. These are a few of the reasons why integrity isn’t high on a players or coaches list these days. Players find it easy to call a ball out on a key point rather than believe in their ability to win by the rules. Coaches find it easier to support their players bad sportsmanship, or calls, rather than teach integrity and belief in the players ability to overcome adversity.

The bottom line is winning is only winning when it follows a set of rules that are fairly set down in a sport for both players to abide by. Then it comes down to the integrity of the players/coaches work ethic to see which one wins-by the rules, using their work ethic and talent. Winning isn’t really winning when it is done ‘outside’ the rules: i.e. players calling a ball out on game/set point, when it is in, or a coach teaching his players the chair umpire can’t really tell if a ball is on the back/side of the line, because of their position on the court, so call it out.

How do you play the game of integrity? We all have the choice. How does integrity play into your choice of friends and work partners and tennis?

About wdkealy

I retired from a career as a tennis professional to move to Portland with my wife to care for my in-laws and my mother in Abbotsford, BC. Not wanting to retire I took a vocational test and at the top was 'writer'. I have been researching and writing for about five years now and am looking to take more steps forward in pursuing this as a career. Time will tell whether I have the 'passion' to stay the course. My wife and I have three grown children with whom we are close. I had the privilege of coaching a high school team to a state championship in 2010. The team won by 1/2 point which was a credit to all team players. Looking to attend another writer's conference this year and grow. In the meantime I look forward to improving my social networking skills in order to have more meaningful contact with others who share a passion for life.
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