When I was compiling information for the latest newsletter I asked Paul Torricelli to provide a quote about the Jacobson twins. Due to space constraints I couldn't run the entire statement but I thought it was important for our academy family to see the highly complementary remarks that Torricelli offered.
"Rob and Nate are identical in more ways that just being twin brothers. They both have terrific work ethics and have improved their games the old fashioned way. It's a pleasure for me to see the way they have developed. Their attitude and approach on court is something you don't find in many junior players these days and will serve them well as they head into high school tennis. Rob and Nate also possess one thing that college coaches love....they are coachable. When you are working with them, they listen and try to adapt. The opportunity to learn is invaluable and they make the most of it."
Scheduling. Sometimes a daunting word, it can be an asset when done correctly and it can be detrimental when done incorrectly. It can effect a player’s development and, quite obviously, their rankings. Another effect is on the player’s physical and mental well being.
On development, it can influence their progression if players play too many events at the lower level of tournaments (i.e. Challenger). The level of competition is not consistently strong enough. Conversely, if a player enters too many events where there is not the chance for some amount of success, it can be difficult to develop a sense of progression.
On rankings, if done effectively, scheduling can progress the player up the rankings. Attaining certain ranking goals can help players with their developmental goals as well as attaining levels of accomplishments. This in turn can make aging up easier. Playing USTA National Championships in the player’s current age group and playing up in the Levels 2 & 3 events is the example when an age up birthday nears. This depends upon each player’s individual goals.
On physical and mental well-being, playing more than three events per month can be too much physically depending what precedes and follows those events. Also, the level of events and results need to be considered. There should be time scheduled to improve on existing parts of the player’s game and to develop new ones. In addition, scheduling physical and mental rest and recovery is essential.
15 hours of on-court training, 6 hours of physical training, 35 hours of school, endless hours of homework, and squeezing time for family and friend. Sounds exhausting just writing about it! Whether preparing for an in-club match or your first ever Super-National competition, a healthy diet and body can clearly contribute to a player’s quest to reach peak performance. But how does one go about reaching their highest potential? The answer lays in one simple word, Nutrition. A balanced diet on and off the court has the same impact as those endless hours of practice. The composition of a structured diet can not only give you lasting energy but it also assists in quick recovery after a match.
What constitutes a balanced diet?
A balanced diet is made up of 7 formal ingredients: carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals and trace elements, dietary fiber, and water. Carbohydrates are vital for muscle energy and avoidance of early fatigue. Items such as bread, cereal, potatoes, brown or wild rice and pasta should be consumed within 2 hours after exercise. However, most players get carried away when it comes to carbohydrates. We’ve all heard of Michael Phelps 12,000 calorie a day diet consisting of nothing but carbohydrates and simple sugars. The reality is a competitive tennis player should only consume 7-10 grams of carbohydrates for ever kilogram of body weight, per day. You do the math! The next portion of our diet is fat, which should only be eaten in moderation. Only one portion of fried or fast food is recommended a week. Protein is found in food such as meat, dairy, fish, and nuts. This is another item where consumption must be monitored; excess protein is broken down and converted to fat which is then stored in the body. Vitamins and minerals are crucial components of a balanced diet. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K maintain the overall performance of specific bodily functions. Minerals such as iron, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc are vital in supporting tissue, blood, hormone, and enzyme levels. The next ingredient in our diet is fiber, which helps absorb minerals and is essential for proper function of the intestinal tract. Last but not least, Water. Water is the most important component of a high performance diet, which not only regulates body temperature but also holds element which are primary components of many cells. Now that we know what to eat, lets figure out when to eat it!
Pre-match Nutrition:
Two days prior to competition, players should gradually increase their intake of carbohydrates. This will allow for glycogen levels to increase. Eating breakfast before a match is vital not only to personal health but also to get us through a grueling match at 8 a.m. If your first match is first thing in the morning, a light yet high in complex carbohydrates meal is essential. Things like cereal, toast, and fruit are great to get blood sugar levels to increase in the morning. However, not always are we blessed with an early morning match. If your match falls after breakfast but before lunch, in addition to the earlier mentioned breakfast, a mid-morning snack consisting of fresh or dried fruit, cereal or cereal bar, pancakes, or biscuits should be consumed. For an afternoon match, lunch items consisting of turkey rolls or sandwiches, pasta or rice, and yogurt are an excellent choice. Excess amounts of water are recommended a few days before, during and after competition. Your diet between matches is just as important as before and after a match. If your matches are scheduled an hour apart, it is recommended to consumer a sports drink which will not only hydrate you but also give you a quick burst of energy. Other items take too long to break down for energy. If you have one to two hours between matches, in addition to the sports drink, a light snack such as fruit, biscuit, or cereal bar are recommended. However, there will be occasions of delay which will leave you stranded at the facility for hours. If an excess of two hours is given between a match, in one single day, it is recommended to consume and energy drink and a substantial snack such as a small sandwich or a handful of nuts.
The Glenbrook Racquet Club, home of the Herrmann Tennis Academy, hosted the Fall Boy's Championships October 3-5th. The event featured boys 12's, 16's and 18's.
Winnetka's Rob Stineman won the boy's 18's beating Tim Kopinski of Palos Hills 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in the final.
In the boys' 16's third seeded Martin Redlicki topped HTA player Michael Sellitto 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3 in the last match of the tournament. Redlicki played four tiebreaks in his four matches.
Top seeded Brandon Wozniczka won all four matches in straight sets in route to taking the boys' 12 title. David Weller, playing in the 12's, won the tournament sportsmanship award.
The staff and I just finished an extremely energetic three day mini camp for some of the Midwest’s highest ranked players.Invitations were mailed out several weeks ago to the top ranked boys in the 16 and 18 divisions of the currents USTA seeding lists.
27 juniors were selected to participate and they traveled to our academy for the weekend.Our theme for the camps was to structure the workouts very similar to a daily collegiate team practice.
Co-Directing this camp with me was former Northwestern University Head Men’s Coach and HTA Special Advisor, Paul Torricelli.Assisting us were HTA Head Coaches Ben Pettinari, Jackie Jenkins, and Peter Heckler. The two special guests for the camp were University of Minnesota Men's Tennis Coach Geoff Young and Dallas based High Performance Coach and Mental Expert Craig O'Shannessy.
The Herrmann Tennis Academy has been putting all its effort toward meeting the needs of our players and is very proud to welcome its new members.
This year is going to be a great transition to us all and HTA coaches are excited to produce the results we have all been waiting for.
Last week mini-camp was a great success and we hope future college players found answers that may help them build up more confidence and more understanding on HOW to reach their goal.
Ken Herrmann, Paul Torricelli, Jackie Jenkins, Peter Heckler and myself were very pleased to somehow be able to influence your game and view of what lays ahead of you. There are great things to be accomplished in the near future and our great program, and its coaches are dedicated to serve you best and help you reach whatever individual goal you may have.
I look forward to see you all working hard and trying your best. Trust and dedication to our program is the first step to a very promising carreer and we are very excited to bring you all the tools you need.
Welcome to the BLOG! It is my goal to have this blog serve as another means of communicating thoughts and ideas from my staff to your families. All Head Coaches from the HTA staff will post information on this blog regarding weekly practice sessions, tournament travel and results, and any relevant tennis information the coaching staff feels is necessary to comment on or about.
I am excited about hosting our GRC Level 6 Boys tournament this weekend, and traveling with our players and staff to Aurora next weekend.
Please read my journal entry from the successful High Performance Mini Camp that the staff and I hosted last weekend for Midwest Boys 16 and 18's. See you on the courts... Ken
When I was compiling information for the latest newsletter I asked Paul Torricelli to provide a quote about the Jacobson twins. Due to space constraints I couldn't run the entire statement but I thought it was important for our academy family to see the highly complementary remarks that Torricelli offered.
