The great Willie Nelson song, "On The Road Again," always comes to mind when we are in the heart of our recruiting season. We have been all over the region as of late meeting several great student-athletes and having many engaging conversations with parents and players alike. We were at the USTA College Days in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York City, the Girl's State Championships in Columbus, OH and Hershey, PA and we just recently visited some clubs in Erie, PA and the great city of Cleveland, OH (my hometown). Next week we will be spending a few days at some of the top junior programs in the Pittsburgh and Cleveland areas.
It is always fun to go watch various junior clinics around the country to see what kinds of drills coaches are doing with their students. It often sparks some new ideas for us and reinvigorates us for the spring season. Dec. 16-21 I will also be attending my sixth ITA Coaches Convention in Naples, FL where some of the best coaches in the world gather for a week of tennis education. Past presenters have included Brad Gilbert, Patrick McEnroe, Stan Smith, and Nick Bollettieri.
People often wonder what we do as coaches in between our fall and spring season and the answer is RECRUITING! We will take a couple of days off to enjoy Thanksgiving with our families, but then we will be right back "On the Road Again!"
~Coach Luteran
