Dustin Taylor, former associate head coach for UVA and current head men's tennis coach at Oklahoma State University, discusses topics such as hands, eyes, and feet in tennis, ball recognition in basketball, hitting the inside vs. outside of the ball in cricket, creating space advantage in tennis, building confidence through discipline, and embracing an opportunistic mentality in tennis and life.
Discipline leads to freedom both on and off the tennis court.
Creating space on the court and in shot selection can give players an advantage over opponents.
Deep dives
The Three Categories of Tennis: Hands, Eyes, and Feet
According to the guest, Dustin Taylor, the game of tennis can be divided into three categories: hands, eyes, and feet. Teaching the game starts with developing proper hand techniques, including grips and swing paths. Next, players focus on footwork and stances, learning how to hit from various positions on the court. Finally, players work on training their eyes to recognize the ball and react accordingly. This simple progression of teaching and playing the game helps players improve their overall skills.
Discipline Leading to Freedom
Taylor emphasizes the importance of discipline in tennis, explaining that discipline leads to freedom both on and off the court. He urges players to have disciplines and stick to them consistently, as they bring peace of mind and ultimately help players achieve their goals. Taylor also highlights the need to have discipline in ball recognition, recommending specific disciplines for different ball situations, such as hitting down on dropping balls and going through the ball when it's on the rise.
Creating Space and Advantages
Taylor discusses the significance of creating space on the tennis court. He explains that players can create space both in the court and in their shot selection to gain an advantage over their opponents. By utilizing proper court positioning and hitting shots with different heights, spins, and angles, players can open up the court and dictate play. Taylor also emphasizes the importance of playing deep when pushed back and playing short when inside the court.
Trusting Your Good is Good Enough
Taylor encourages players to trust in their abilities and believe that their good is good enough. He reminds players that even at the highest level, all players are human and can be beaten. By trusting oneself and staying focused on controllable thoughts, players can perform at their best and seize opportunities. Taylor suggests viewing exposure and losses as opportunities for growth and improvement, rather than as setbacks. He urges players to embrace challenges and learn from them to become better players.
Dustin Taylor is our guest for the 50th episode of Baseline Intelligence. Dustin helped UVA win three consecutive NCAA championships as the associate head coach and is currently the head men's tennis coach at Oklahoma State University.
We talk:
1:38 Hands, eyes, and feet
4:42 Ball dropping vs. ball rising
7:20 Solving every ball
10:13 Hitting the outside of the ball
13:08 Creating space
17:58 Heavy and through
22:45 Discipline leads to freedom
25:58 Trusting your good is good enough
29:47 Best coaching advice he's received
31:15 Best advice for the 4.0 player
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