League Director Tip of the Week
March 10, 2009

LEAGUE DIRECTOR TIP OF THE WEEK

By Mitchell Seidenfeld

Tip #5: Coaching Tips Add Value to Community Leagues

Ten minutes of instruction at the beginning of a league night adds tremendous value for participants of your community league. Consider presenting information on these topics: grip, ready position, adjusting racket angles to return spin, FH Drive, BH Drive, FH Push, BH Push, Shuffle-Step Footwork, how to identify strengths and weaknesses in your opponent’s game, and basic rules like how to serve legally. You can ensure the success of your league by helping league participants be more successful.

Mitch Seidenfeld explains spin and how to return it to new players
in the Plymouth Community League.

Of course, a good league director must also understand that many of the new, recreational players who register for a community league do not think they need coaching and might not be interested in making changes to their game. Rather than attempt to force the coaching on a new player or try to show them up out on the table, give them time to discover the benefits of better technique and equipment on their own and let them know that if they have questions, you are available to help.

Helpful Resources
Table Tennis: Steps to Success (by Larry Hodges; 151 pages;)
Winning Table Tennis: Skills, Drills, and Strategies (by Dan Seemiller and Mark Holowchak; 177 pages;)
Modern Table Tennis 101 DVD (by Wei Wang and Sean O’Neill)
USATT