Question on Andre Agassi serve...

[gzhpcu]

I am pretty sure you will never have a "head still, forearm rotation, external shoulder rotation, etc.still, forearm rotation, external shoulder rotation, etc," if you do not have certain genetic qualities to begin with in the first place. If you tried to teach Sampras' or Ruddick's core fundamentals you'd likely ruin a good young arm. It's all about molding clay, and not trying to build a rock. Every player is different, however, I am sure we can all agree you need to be born with some tools.

That is still not what I mean hockeyscout, but never mind...

[hockeyscout]

Hello, I enjoy you as well don_budge, especially you're manifesto's on serve and volley.

You need a team to win, and guys like Geoff.

I find Geoff to be very credible, and I have made such a consensious effort to better understand where he is coming from when he discusses his area of expertise. He's a person worth investing in for me, and I know moving forward how important having a good string - racket man in your corner is if you expect to get any athlete to reach their full potential.

Every great player has a bucket full of great coaches, advisers, guys like Geoff (stringers), doctors, supporters, sparring partners, judo, boxing, fitness and nutrition experts in their corner. However, some players and associations and federations have a bucketful of people around them who behave like crabs, who instead of helping one another just pull everyone back into the bucket. I would never have a CRAB as a member of my support team, and generally these people are usually never given a chance to work with a world class athlete because of their inability to work in a professional environment.

I have got to hand it to a guy like Nick Bolletierri (and Landsdorf, Macci and others) who checked his ego's at the door and allowed his player (Maria Sharapova) to train with Landsdorf (and other coaches, and other experts).

He also surrounded his athletes with the best psychologists, fitness trainers, nutritionists, NFL training experts and listened to people (good or bad respectfully).

That was Nick's talent. That made him a great coach, no matter what don_budge says. His players won, and he knew how to use assets. A great coach does this 24-7! Robert, Rick, Richard and Mike had other talents, and Bolletierri to his credit realized it.

As I have said many times before, many parents fail to coach their daughter to be the next Serena Williams (like Richard Williams), many coaches fail to help develop number ones like Robert Lansdorf, many associations fail to develop top 10 players every year and many players fail to fulfill their goals of winning a Wimbeldon Championship like Maria Sharapova.

And, yes, it will take years. You're right. It took Ms. Bartolli 25 years of playing tennis to get it right. A few years of trial and error only makes an athlete stronger and better over the long haul.

[hockeyscout]

That is still not what I mean hockeyscout, but never mind...

I understand, I understand.

To answer your question. The ball toss!!!!!!!!!!

I have been really working hard on this one aspect of the serve. I think it may be very undervalued. I am trying to figure out right now, how much should we play with it each day?

I am spending a lot of hours working it out, and I am experimenting with the 19 year kid a lot on it although I think his genetic alligator arm which isn't double jointed like I want isn't suited to it at all. I will let you all tear apart what I think, and post next week.

When I have it sorted out I will post my technical thoughts in a week or so.

[gzhpcu]

Let's just leave it at that...

(Actually it is more of a question directed to John...)

[GeoffWilliams]

Did R.L. ever win a pro tournament? Or any money at any level at all? Not someone who is afraid of antagonizing people either. So how much money did he win playing if any? Anyone know? All I've ever seen him do is harangue juniors and feed balls.

[John Yandell]

Don't know about Robert's pro experience if any.