Dissecting High Performance In Tennis #82: Sven Groeneveld – Coaching Principles
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Jun 6, 2020 
Sven Groeneveld, a seasoned ATP and WTA coach, has spent 30 years mentoring stars like Monica Seles and Taro Daniel. He shares his insightful coaching principles, emphasizing that tennis is a service industry where respect and adaptability matter. Sven highlights the importance of honesty in coaching, distinguishing stubbornness from stupidity, and reveals transformative lessons learned from coaching wheelchair tennis players. His approach combines hard and soft skills to unlock athletes' potential, fostering strong relationships built on trust.
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Eight Coaching Principles
- Sven Groeneveld's eight coaching principles form an interconnected, infinite loop focusing on maximizing potential and responsibility.
- They include potential, desire to succeed, responsibility, overcoming resistance, adaptability, observation and analysis, hard and soft skills, and service.
Honesty as Core Coaching Asset
- Honesty is the biggest asset for a tennis coach, requiring truthfulness even if it risks the job.
- Coaches must balance directness with sensitivity to players' feelings and be firm about boundaries.
Managing Resistance and Stubbornness
- Coaches must respect players' resistance as an opportunity rather than a personal challenge.
- Stubbornness is vital for players, but must not cross into stupidity, a fine line coaches must manage.
