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Meridian Tennis
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Winners Tennis Club
(our home base)
550 Via de la Valle
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Hello :
The summer is fast approaching and we are getting glimpses of what it will be like with the constant grey cover over the coastal areas. Some would say this is the perfect weather for tennis; personally, I prefer the sun. Regardless, it's great to be able to get out to play tennis.
League play is back in full flow with matches 4 days a week. It is hard to keep up with who's doing what and where, but many of you are still putting in the work to improve by attending clinics and taking lessons. I've watched matches and can say that things are moving in the right direction. The boys' high school tennis teams are entering team playoffs, though it seems like the season only just started. I have seen a lot of progression in my players, which is always a good sign for the future.
As for the summer we will continue to run our weekly schedule of clinics. It is an exciting time of the year because players can spend more time working on their games and during this time can see a greater amount of improvement. If you are a tournament player this is the time to enter tournaments, and to learn from each and every performance. It is the true testing ground for the players who have worked hard throughout the year.
See you on the courts! 
 Greetings from MattNadal
Last month, I talked about the chances of Federer making it back to...(read more)
Greetings from Joel
The Split Step
Incorporating the split step into your net game will greatly improve your ability... (read more)
Greetings from Landon
Cool Quotes
Here are a few cool and interesting quotes from the world of professional tennis... (read more)
Greetings from Dean
A Good Time to Come to the Net
When is it a good time to come to the net? Going to the net to put pressure... (read more)
Special Columnist
Dr. Todd Plutchok, DC, CCWP
Swinging for the Fences
Game-changing plays in any sport and at any level are tremendously exciting... (read more)
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We look forward to seeing you on the courts!
Sincerely,
Matt . Dean . Joel . Landon . Steven
Meridian Tennis Group |
New Clinic Schedule
(as of 01/01/12)
Please call to confirm (858.754.1160)
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. Adults . | |
Mon 8:30-10:00am Adult clinic
Mon 10:00-10:30am Adult mini-clinic *
Tues 6:30-8:00pm Adult workout
Thurs 8:30-10:00am Adult clinic
Fri 8:30-10:00am Adult clinic
* mini-clinics will focus on different
strokes every week
(modified schedule due to tennis leagues)
TBD Beginners clinics
Additional clinics can be added upon request!
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Note: Adult clinics will be theme-based, rotating from week to week with topics such as doubles strategy, mixed doubles clinic,
serve & volley training, etc.)
Minis . Juniors . High School . Tournament
Mon.Wed.Fri 3:30-4:30pm Minis Mon.Wed.Fri 4:30-6:00pm Juniors Tue.Thurs 4:00-5:30pm HS.Tournament * Sat 3:00-4:30pm HS.Tournament * Sun 10:00-11:00am Minis * 30-minute conditioning following each session Additional clinics can be added upon request!
As always, we are available for individual or small group lessons. Please call us to book (858.754.1160)
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 Greetings from Matt
Nadal
Last month, I talked about the chances of Federer making it back to number one. Now, a month down the line, it is amazing to see what a difference of a few weeks can make. In the past two weeks, Nadal has managed to win back to back tournaments. Admittedly, they were the same ones he won last year so he does not make up any more ranking points on Federer or Djokovic. However, the amazing part about his last two tournament wins is that he now has won Monte Carlo for the 8th straight year and Barcelona for the 7th straight year. This was his 21st straight victory on clay and the 48th win of his career. He has already won the French Open 6 times, and is looking for his 7th in 8 years. He has so aptly been named the King of Clay and it doesn't seem wise to bet against him in Paris.
What makes Nadal so hard to beat, especially on a clay court?
° Work ethic: If you have ever had the privilege to watch him on the tennis court, whether on a practice court or a match court, you would have witnessed him always giving his absolute best, always high energy level, and always phenomenal work rate. Like no other, he brings intensity, passion, energy, and commitment in his every jump and fist pump, always.
° Spin: He is a lefthander who can generate an incredible amount of spin and speed on his forehand which helps the ball react violently on the clay court surface causing the ball to bounce high over his opponent's shoulders. This makes the game very physical and forces a lot of opponents into positions which are uncomfortable and most often negative results.
° Speed & Balance: Nadal's speed is astonishing and his movement on the dirt is exceptional. It is rare to see him out of position or off balance on a clay court. Last year, when he lost twice on clay to Novak Djokovic he looked somewhat human. His balance was tested and Djokovic prevailed by playing an aggressive style that kept Nadal out of his comfort level, an extremely difficult task indeed.
° Confidence & Belief: With Nadal's recent tournament wins and a win over Djokovic in the final at Monte Carlo, his first since the end of 2010, his confidence has been restored. The belief Nadal has in his own ability to win a match on clay has such an affect that the majority of his opponents truly don't believe they can win. Nadal has a certain invincibility and confident aura which opponents can feel on the court. It is difficult to break him down and Nadal uses his belief in himself better than anyone. The win in Monte Carlo reminded not only Djokovic, but the rest of the ATP tour how lethal he can be on clay and just how well you need to play in order to beat him.
° Pride: Lastly, his pride to perform well and his never-say-die attitude make him one of the best players to watch and to route for as a spectator. He never gets too ahead of himself and he always gives due credit to his opponents. He is a great player to emulate if you want to see the qualities and attributes you need to be successful, while staying humble.
He has been well-taught in being grounded and respectful, both on and off the court. He deserves our admiration and appreciation, and in return we have the enjoyment of watching the game we love on display at the very highest standard and sportsmanship.
Thanks again for all your continued support.
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Greetings from Joel
The Split Step
Incorporating the split step into your net game will greatly improve your ability to react and your anticipation around the net. All good volleyers step forward to meet the ball in front of them and the split step is the first footwork move you need to get your body weight balanced and moving forward.
Right before your opponent makes contact with the ball, split step and look to lunge forward on your volleys. It will greatly improve your net game.
See you soon, mates!
Joel Myers
Tennis Director
Manchester Grand Hyatt
Sheraton Harbor Island
(949) 485-8679
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Greetings from Dean
A Good Time to Come To The Net
When is it a good time to come to the net? Going to the net to put pressure on your opponent can be a great game plan. Playing the net is necessary in doubles but not so much in singles. There are many players who can win from the baseline; however, adding a net game can change the dynamics of the match. Using volleys and overheads to win points is a great tool in doubles and can also be used very well in singles.
The greatest opportunity to come into the net during a singles or doubles match is when an offensive shot has been hit from your side of the court placing your opponent in a defensive position. A ball that is slightly out of reach, high or low or deep, may be exactly what is needed for approaching the net. Once coming into the net, split step just before the opponent hits the ball so that you can react as soon as possible to cover the ball coming off of their strings.
Look forward to seeing you on the courts!
Dean Hodsman
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Greetings from Landon | |
Cool Quotes
Here are a few cool and interesting quotes from the world of professional tennis:
I always wanted to be honest with myself and to those who have had faith in me.
- Rafael Nadal
Family's first, and that's what matters most. We realize that our love goes deeper than the tennis game.
- Serena Williams
(regarding his parents) They would always ask me to ensure that I didn't waste their money when I was using practice courts or getting coaching as a kid. They always said that they didn't mind driving me around Switzerland every week to play in a tournament...were fine whether I won or lost, as long as I tried hard and didn't waste their weekends. The work ethic I have today stems from that simple thing.
-Roger Federer
Tennis has given me soul.
- Martina Navratilova
I don't want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments.
- Arthur Ashe
For years, especially the last 15 when there were wars, civil wars, people looked at us as bad guys. It was hard to raise kids to be proud Serbs. But Novak is giving the Serbian people that feeling now: to be proud.
- Vlade Divac, head of Serbia's Olympic Committee and former NBA great
Good luck!
See you on the courts! | |
Landon Hilker
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Swinging for the Fences
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Chiropractic Care and Peak Performance | |
You exercise regularly and eat a wide variety of nutritionally balanced foods. You get sufficient rest. Your work is personally meaningful. You enjoy spending time with family and friends.
This sounds like an ideal healthy life toward which many of us strive. A key action step that would help ensure overall health and wellness for this person (and us) is getting regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic care identifies and corrects spinal misalignments, restoring balance, harmony, and normal function to your body's mechanical center and core musculature.
Chiropractic care enables all the body's systems to work well together, working from the inside-out to improve a person's health and well-being. |
Game-changing plays in any sport and at any level are tremendously exciting. Whether we're watching Pop Warner football, middle school recreational soccer, high school basketball, or Major League Baseball, an extraordinary athletic play makes us stand up and cheer. If our team takes the lead as a result, so much the better.
Attempting to make a game-changing play is known as swinging for the fences. But forcing the action in this way is not always a good idea. People who want to be healthy and well can gain value from considering the contrast between swinging for the fences vs. staying within themselves.
For example, if you've played any team sport for any length of time, you know a little bit about what this feels like. Bottom of the ninth, your team is two runs down. You're at the plate with two runners on base. What's going through your mind? Hit a home run, that's what. One swing, game over. Forget situational hitting, you're swinging for the fences.
Or you're the quarterback of your football team. Your team is behind but the score is close. You know you need to make a momentum-shifting play. You've got years of mental images in your head of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady using the vertical part of the field, going downfield, way downfield. You call the play, take the snap, drop back three steps, and heave the ball toward your wide receiver racing to the corner of the end zone. The Hail Mary pass you've just thrown is the football equivalent of swinging for the fences. But your deep pass could just as easily be intercepted instead of resulting in the difference-making touchdown.
The analogy holds true in all sports. The game-winning penalty kick in soccer. The thundering, momentum-shifting slam dunk in basketball. The dominating volleyball kill shot which drains the spirit from the opposing team. Each key moment is a sport-specific swing for the fences. Again, the opposite result could just as easily occur.
We can see that striving to make a big play is often a mistake and can easily lead to a loss. Forcing the action never works. Smart athletes stay within themselves, letting the game come to them. The best athletes are able, more often than not, to rise to the occasion when an opportunity presents itself. Then, in the context of the flow of the game, you'll see the baseball flying over the fence or the beautifully arcing touchdown pass floating into the hands of the receiver.
This is especially true regarding exercise. When it comes to exercise, slow and steady wins the race.1,2,3 Trying to do too much usually results in an injury, which sets you back and wastes precious time in the recovery process. In strength-training, for example, lifting big weight is not the goal. Progressive, incremental gains are what build lifetime fitness. Aerobic exercise is similar. Going for a five-mile walk is a bad idea if you haven't walked at all in six months or more. Going for an eight-mile run when you're used to running three miles is another bad idea. Gradual increases in time and distance are what works.
Swinging for the fences is great when it happens. In exercise and fitness, achieving a personal best is cause for celebration. But in exercise and fitness, personal bests result from much effort and preparation. When you have a long-term, solid base of fitness, you can swing for the fences with confidence.
1Schellnus MP: Cause of exercise associated muscle cramps - altered neuromuscular control, dehydration or electrolyte depletion? Br J Sports Med 43(6):401-408, 2009
2Gyurcsik NC, et al: Is level of pain acceptance differentially related to social cognitions and behavior? The case of active women with arthritis. J Health Psychol 16(3):530-539, 2011
3Dumke CL, et al: Relationship between muscle strength, power and stiffness and running economy in trained male runners. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 5(2):249-261, 2010
Stay well, stay strong!
Dr. Todd Plutchok, DC, CCWP
Dr. Plutchok is one of the Sports Rehab Practitioners at The League Sports Rehab & Chiropractic Clinic, specializing in Active Release Techniques (ART) biomechanics, and full sports chiropractic treatment.
Active Release Technique Provider
www.TheSportsAndWellnessDC.com
Twitter: DoctorPlu
Office: (858) 452-3734
Fax: (858) 452-6666
The League Sports Injury Rehab
4510 Executive Dr. Plaza 5
San Diego, CA 92121
www.TheLeagueRehab.com
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