Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-17
CLUB SECURES TENNIS EXPERT
Makes an Innovation by Hiring Pro-
fessiOnaI Tennis instructor.

tesstOnnt TENNIS instructor.
NEW YORK, May 15.-opinion seems to
be general that the action OF the Ardsley
Club in providing a lawn tennis profess
sional for its members Is a step In the
right direction which should be followed
by the other clubs. In no other game is
the teaching end neglected as It is here.
All other sports have professional instruc-
tors or coaches. themselves taught by pro-
fessionals. and new players are coming up
all the time. In tennis, however, players
have to teach themselves. except on DC
casions where some youngster shows re-
markable aptitude for the game, and then
the experts unbend and do a little coach
ing.
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 throughout the
country as they have in the past. The
complaint has been general among clubs
that there are no new players of ability
coming up to take the places 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 20 to the
other side. or even to Australia. to repre-
sent America. Nearly all of the ranking
players are IN DuSlneSS, anu CdHnOt III
ways find the time to practice as they
should. and then when their services are
necessary, they have to devote more time
than they can spare to getting into con-
dition, 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 a 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 players where there
is one today.
Approval of this plan was given today
by many tennis players. who have made
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 having an
instructor to give them a few suggestions,
plus what they pick up from watching the
cracks, ought to make very good players.
A champion of a number of years said:
'It would be a great help to the men be-
ginning in the game, as it would give them
a good start, which counts a 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 a rapid move
ment would certainly follow. II all the
other clubs would adopt the same plan it
would be a great thing" h
Another player of many years, who
thinks that the idea of having an in
structor would be a great help, said: IAN
instructor is all right, but there are q
number of men who woul not want to
give up their strokes and start to study
those of the teacher. The instructor would
help a lot in the line Of giving suggestions,
but in trying to teach his men to use his
way of playing would not suit a number
of men, but an instructor would help a
beginner a great deal"
"A nan 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 a great
help. If all clubs had tennis instructors
it would be a great aid to beginners said
another ex-champion.