"The more I'm involved in tennis the more I realise the importance of parents and their role in a players development. Not only do they have to provide the cash and the taxi service, they usually have to organise the schedule too."
"That's why its so important that the LTA and coaches work with parents as much as possible to understand the demands of the game and how best to help their kids, especially in the early years (8-12) where the emphasis should be on learning sound FUNdamentals. And I do mean FUN. Good basics in a stimulating club environment with lots of coordination training through a variety of sports. Not just tennis, tennis and more tennis. There's plenty of time for that later. Kids must learn to love the game. That way they will stay in it!"