Evening star., 1909-05-16
TO TEACH TENNIS
AT ARDSLEY CLUB

NEW YORK, May 15.-Opinion seems
to be general that the action of the Ards
ley Club in providing lawn tennis pro-
fessional for it's members is a step in the
right direction. which should be follow
II the teaching end neglected as it is
here. All other sports have professional
Instructors or coaches. themselves taught
by professionals, and new players are
coming up all the time. In tennis. how
except on occasions where some young
Ster shows remarkable aptitude for the
game, and then the experts unbend and
do q little coaching.
With the engagement of teachers of the
game the experts will have to look TO
their laurels, and will not have their own
way In most of the tournaments through
out the country, as they have In the past.
The complaint has been general among
clubs that there are no new players OF
those who retire, and that for many years
one set of men have been called upon to
defend the cups here from foreigners. and
go to the other side, or even to Australia.
to represent America. Nearly all of the
ranking players are in business, and cam
not always find the time to practice, as
they should, and then when their services
are necessary they have to devote more
LlIQ6 lndu Iney can spare 10 getting
condition. and then comes the cry that
no youngsters are coming up to take their
places.
If other clubs follow the example of
Ardsley there will soon be new crop of
tennis players who will give the older
men a strong argument, and 1t will be
only a question Of a year or two when
there will be dozens of promising play
ers, where there is one today.
Approval of this plan was given today
hx mada
good players out of themselves by watch
ing some of the cracks play, studying the
way the different strokes are made. and
then trying to use them, but they say
the men who have the advantage OF hav-
ing an instructor to give them few sug-
gestions. plus what they pick up from
watching the cracks. ought to make very
good players.
A champion of a number of years said:
1T would be great help to the men be-
ginning in the game, as 1t would give
them a good start, which counts great
deal. and, instead of falling all over the
court, it would give them an idea how TO
handle the racquet and move about the
court, and with this good foundation
rapid improvement would certainly fol-
low. If all the other clubs would adopt
the same plan 1t would be a great thing.
Another player of many years, who
thinks that the idea of having an instruc-
tor would be a great help. said: An in-
structor is all right, but there are num-
ber of men who would not want to give
up their strokes and start to study those
of the teacher. The instructor would help
q lot in the line of giving suggestions. but
in trying to teach his men to use his wayS
of playing would not suit number OF
men, but an instructor would help be-
ginner a great DEAL
"A man can make a good player out Of
himself, if he has an instructor to look
after him, taking his suggestions and
watching the cracks play, and, putting all
together. it would certainly be great
help. II all clubs had tennis instructors
1t would be a great aid to beginners"
said another ex-champion.