This is not always easy and you most likely will not have just one coach over your athletic career.

When you are just starting out it is important to find a coach that is knowledgeable about your sport and one who is very nurturing. I am talking for ages 4-9. You want to establish a strong foundation with the basics of the sport, get the strokes and form down, and make sure your child is in a fun environment.

If they feel pressure to perform at this age, look for another coach. You can start taking more serious steps with their instruction once they have shown a greater interest and are a bit older.

I went to Nick Bollettieri’s tennis academy and lived there with the other kids when I was 11 years old. I think that was too young. I was already unhappy, feeling a lot of pressure that I didn’t know how to express. Your coach has to fit with your child’s personality and their interest level.

If you are keeping the communication open and really listening to your child through their words and actions, they will let you know how hard to push them and what coach is right for them. Like I have said before, there will be tons of sacrifices and hard work in becoming an elite athlete, but at the core, it has to be fun and something they want to do on their own.

If the coach you are working with does not have those fundamental values then search elsewhere.

I will be compiling a list of coaches I think would be worth checking out for all levels of athletes. Stay tuned.