Dissecting High Performance In Tennis

Episode 3 of Winning Words – The Audiobook Series is now live!

As I’m releasing this episode, I just hit 99 reviews on Goodreads and Amazon combined—and I can’t tell you how proud I am of that. Even more surreal: we just crossed 1,000 copies sold.

When I first published Winning Words, my goal was to maybe reach 500 readers in the first year. Hitting that number in just 2.5 months has been overwhelming in the best way possible. If you’ve read the book and found it valuable – thank you. And if you haven’t left a review yet, I’d be incredibly grateful if you took a moment to do so. Honest reviews help spread the word and make sure the next 1,000 coaches get access to these tools too.

Now – let’s get into Chapter 3: Building Trust and Connection.

How do you earn true buy-in from players?
Why trust isn’t something you demand – it’s something you build.
How to balance connection and professionalism without becoming “just a friend.”
A practical framework for adapting to how your players learn and communicate.

In short: Connection comes before correction. If a player doesn’t trust you, your coaching won’t stick. This chapter will help you deepen the relationship, adapt your message, and communicate in a way that opens the door – not shuts it.

Heads up: You don’t have to wait for each chapter to drop. More and more coaches are taking advantage of the full audiobook version – because, let’s be real, most coaches don’t read books anymore.

I’ve recently become a dad, and I barely have time to sit down with a paperback. If it’s not a podcast or audiobook, I probably don’t get through it. So if you’re like me – jumping between lessons, matches, and long drives – having the full audiobook in your pocket just makes sense.

Get instant access to the full audiobook for the same price as the paperback ($14.99).
Just email me at [email protected] and I’ll send it over personally.

With all the waiting time we have as coaches – between sets, on the road, during rain delays – Winning Words in audio is a smart investment. You can actually absorb it, and more importantly, apply it. Right there on the court.

Grab your copy of Winning Words here:
https://tinyurl.com/WinningWordsAB

Thanks again for your support. Let’s keep helping players grow—by becoming the most trusted coach in their corner.

Let me know what stood out to you from this chapter. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Chapter 2 of Winning Words is now live!

Want the full audiobook now? Email me at [email protected] to get access to the entire audiobook for the same price as the paperback ($14.99). Otherwise, new chapters will drop as episodes over the coming months.

In this episode, we dive into Chapter 2:

Beyond the Backhand – Why great coaching starts by understanding the person, not just the player
Personality & Communication – How different types of players tick, and how to adapt your coaching to get through to each of them
Gender, Culture, and Sensitive Topics – How to coach without falling into stereotypes or ignoring what matters most
Tools & Tips – From using personality profiles to spotting key behavioral patterns that impact performance

The truth is: you can’t coach effectively if you don’t know the person you’re coaching. This chapter helps you build deeper understanding, adapt your message, and connect in ways that build trust and boost performance.

You’ll walk away with practical strategies to uncover what drives your players—and how to use that insight to coach more consciously and effectively.

Grab your copy of Winning Words here:
https://tinyurl.com/WinningWordsAB

I’d love to hear what stands out most to you!

Many of you have been asking for an audiobook version of Winning Words—and now it’s here!

Want the full audiobook right away? You can get immediate access to the entire audiobook for the same price as the paperback ($14.99) by emailing me at [email protected]. Otherwise, the rest of the book will be released in episodes over the coming months.

The Power of Clear Roles & Expectations – Why strong coaching relationships start long before stepping on the tennis court
Avoiding Misalignment – How thorough conversations can prevent misunderstandings between coaches, players, and parents
Making the Right Coaching Decisions – Evaluating whether a player-coach relationship is the right fit

One of the most overlooked aspects of coaching success isn’t just what you teach—but how you communicate expectations and structure relationships.

This chapter breaks down how to establish clear roles, set mutual expectations, and navigate tough decisions—ensuring trust, respect, and alignment from day one.

Grab a copy of Winning Words here:
https://tinyurl.com/WinningWordsAB

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Many of you have been asking for an audiobook version of Winning Words – and now it’s here!

Want the full audiobook right away? You can get immediate access to the entire audiobook for the same price as the paperback ($14.99) by emailing me at [email protected]. Otherwise, the rest of the book will be released in episodes over the coming months.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

If you’ve been curious about the thought process behind Winning Words and how it can help you become a more impactful coach, this episode is for you!

Grab a copy of Winning Words here:

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

In this special episode, I’m diving into something truly fascinating—AI has taken on Winning Words – How to Unlock Potential Through Communication as a Tennis Coach and condensed the entire book into just 30 minutes!

Using Notebook LMN, this AI-generated episode pulls out the most essential lessons from the book’s three key sections—Off-Court, On-Court, and At Tournaments—and the accuracy is mind-blowing.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

If you’re looking for a fast-track guide to the most powerful coaching communication insights, this AI-powered recap is an episode you don’t want to miss!

Grab a copy of Winning Words here:

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

In this special episode, I’m thrilled to share some exciting news with you—I’ve written a book! Winning Words – How to Unlock Potential Through Communication as a Tennis Coach is finally here, and I couldn’t be more excited to tell you all about it.

But that’s not all…

As a special thank you to my loyal listeners and the tennis coaching community, I’m making the entire audiobook version of Winning Words available for free right here on the podcast!

In this episode, I’ll dive into:

If you’ve been following the podcast and found value in the insights shared over the years, this book is the next step in taking your coaching game to new heights.

Grab a copy of the paperback here:

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the book and how it helps you in your coaching journey. Let’s keep learning and growing together!

Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Kyle LaCroix. Kyle holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Stanford University. He is among a bunch of other certifications a USTA High Performance Coach and last year he was named USPTA Master Professional which is the highest achievable rating a tennis professional can hold. On a day-to-day basis Kyle is running Sets consulting that specializes in educational tennis solutions,

You’ll get to know:

Enjoy the show!

Timestamps

01:00 The shared denominators of great coaches
05:30 No connection, no direction
08:30 Balancing adaptability
11:15 Adaptability and standards
12:40 How to communicate standards
15:30 Work life balance as a tennis coach
21:45 Failure
26:25 The semantics around failure
31:10 The best way to fight negativity
36:30 Holding up your end of the bargain + flicking with the wrist
48:50 On court coaching – for it against it
53:45 Is serve and volley on it’s way back to tennis?
60:15 My aces my faults – owning your mistakes, gratitude and perspective

Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Emma Doyle. Emma has been coaching for the past 30 years. She is a Tennis Australia High Performance Coach, tennis touring professional and a talent developmental coach. Emma is big on what she calls the “E-factors” Energy, Empathy and enjoyment.

You’ll get to know:

Enjoy the show!

Timestamps

01:30 What makes a great tennis coach
04:00 Listen
06:30 Future based questions
12:00 Sticky language
14:45 Direct vs indirect coaching
21:20 Questioning
25:00 WTCA
26:30 Team values
30:00 Habitual words
30:45 Keep knocking on doors and don’t take it personally
31:45 The importance of cringing
32:40 It doesn’t matter if you have the prettiest technique
34:30 Tennis exposes who you are
35:00 Gamification and anchoring

36:30 Emma’s inspirations

38:00 Emma’s advice to players, parents and coaches

40:15 How to get in contact with Emma

Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Peter Lundgren. Peter might be best known for coaching 3 world number ones in Marcello Rios, Roger Federer and Marat Safin, but he was a great player himself with a ranking high of #25 ATP and 3 ATP titles to his name. Besides the previously mentioned players Peter has had coaching stints with the likes of Marcos Baghdatis, Francesca Schiavone, Grigor Dimitrov and Stanislas Wawrinka.

You’ll get to know:

Enjoy the show!

Timestamps

01:30 Dealing with different tennis players
03:00 The difference between Federer and Safin
05:30 Dealing with being a traveling tennis coach and a father
07:30 Deciding on the size of your entourage as a player
09:30 Dealing with tennis parents
11:00 Peter’s lessons from coaching in Houston for 10 years
13:30 The Francesca Schiavone story
16:40 Why you should play on clay
18:30 Why new balls are good for spectators and bad for players
19:30 The player-coach employment
21:00 The good bad and ugly part of being a traveling coach
23:00 Biggest lesson in tennis; be humble
23:15 Tribute to Bjorn Borg
24:30 Peter Lundgren’s tennis advice

Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Howard Green. Howard spent six years in the Royal Marines Commandos. Serving in Iraq and Afghanistan he has extensive experience in preparing ITF, ATP and WTA players and Currently Howard is the Head of Strength and Conditioning at USN Bolton Arena High Performance Tennis Academy which he has been for ten+ years.

You’ll get to know:

Enjoy the show!

Timestamps

01:30 Rehersal
03:40 Mnemonics
07:40 Non-ego confidence
11:10 Why the Super Movers programme
15:20 Providing tennis players with the best possible fundamentals
22:00 What the Super Movers programme is all about
28:30 The key shapes
32:00 Determining the load of tennis drills
36:00 S&C on the professional Tennis Circuit
40:00 Speed up learning by sharing on social
42:00 Don’t be afraid to copy experienced coaches
43:30 The application of bungees in tennis
46:00 Don’t take away the tennis player’s opportunity to learn
47:30 You have to do extra