Below is something I found in the South Dakota State University newspaper that I think is pretty great and something I think should be part of the fundamentals taught to all young athletes. Ways to Show Respect for Opponents And finally a quote from Jesse Owens: 1936 Gold Medalist for the Long Jump “In the […]

I am sure that you have heard a pro or two make an annoying grunt during every shot they hit. After a while, it makes you think that they might be game-playing, trying to distract their opponent. If I were playing them, it would certainly distract me! But, in actuality, there is a lot to […]

In the realm of coaching youth athletes, it’s crucial to recognize and respect certain boundaries. When parents step into the role of coach, they inadvertently sow seeds of distrust between their child and the designated coach. This interference not only undermines the coach’s authority but also hampers the child’s receptiveness to instructions. Picture this: a […]

I remember my first tennis tournament vividly. As a little girl of 8 or 9 years old, making it to the semi-finals felt surreal. I had never expected to get past the first round, let alone reach the semis. My next opponent was the number one seed, a 12-year-old girl who seemed like a giant […]

When I was competing as a little girl, I remember my dad on the sidelines. My dad would do three things when my head was spinning off my shoulders and things were looking really bad. The first was to remind me to “keep your eye on the ball!” I would look over and see my […]

Have you ever heard of the “Pea Patch”?? Me either!!! But apparently my Dad has been there and it is not a place people want to go. My mission was to take my opponents to the Pea Patch. They were going to fight and kick and not want to go but that didn’t matter, that […]

I was 8 years old, pigtails flying, and could barely see over the net but balls were coming at my head at warp speed. A voice on the other side of the court was screaming “eye of the tiger, eye of the tiger”, “don’t take your eye off of the ball!” My Dad would be […]

Desire, Discipline, and Determination and of course a fourth D…for Detwiler! This was just one of my father’s mantra’s! He was right. You must have a desire for whatever you want to do in your life and if you want to be part of the elite you have to have a strong desire. There takes […]

What do you do when you want your child to be this great athlete and keep them on the right path towards success? I was that child that wanted to go to the movies and walk to the pizza hut ogling the older boy I had a massive crush on but I had to get […]

I have to put out some disclaimers here. First of all I am not claiming to be an expert at anything. I just have a vast experience as a child tennis prodigy, spending a solid 35 years being coached and coaching others. I come from parents who were very supportive of my tennis. I will […]