Cebu tennis lags but coaches willing to adopt changes

Sad to say that the local coaches from Cebu and other areas in the Visayas who joined the two-day tennis coaches workshop held at the Casino Español were stuck up with the traditional method of coaching.

This was what ITF Development officer Suresh Menon along with National coach and now Philippine Lawn Tennis Association (PHILTA) Administrator Chris Cuarto found out about the coaching systems that is being followed here in Cebu.

But the good thing though is that majority of them if not all are welcome to changes.

"We have talents, but what to do with them? Hirap tayo. Sayang sila because we do not have enough good coaches. Mostly nasa Manila, pano naman ang mga nasa ibang provinces, mga taga dito?" Cuarto said.

The way the two former top players look at it, the local coaches just depended on what they learned when they were still players themselves or what they see around. But they lack the initiative to "upgrade" themselves.

"The game is always evolving and developing. You should know what's the latest techniques of teaching," Menon said.

Menon pointed out four essential factors in catching up with and be at par with the rest of the World in terms of the level of tennis development be it in the grassroots, coaching, information and competition.

PHILTA, the highest ruling body for tennis in the Philippines, according to Cuarto, had long been struggling, but now, he confidently says the organization is "going back on the right track."

A former San Beda College team captain and RP no. 4, Cuarto is pushing for more coaching seminars as part of his 5-year development plan.

Menon also encourages PHILTA to make arrangements by putting up a regional training center where the less fortunate could go on training, if not, make arrangements with the different private clubs to give the youngsters access to play as well as coordinate with the different schools to include tennis in their school programs.

The bigger the pool of talents, the better choices one will have, he said.

He also encourages local talents to compete and join in club events where there are different age-groups events, and professional tours.

Menon is encouraging coaches to attend different coaching seminars as well as to visit regularly the internet to surf for new information which they can apply in their training programs.

"Everything should not be depended on the NSA. One has to "invest" their own money, afterall, the better coaches they are, the better paid and in-demand they could be, a perfect example could be," said Menon pointing out PHILTA Administrator Chris Cuarto.

"When I was starting out, I had to shell out money from my own pocket," Cuarto said.

Now, Cuarto is starting to reap the fruits of his labor, although a tough road is up for him in making some "miracles" in Philippine tennis so the country will not be relying on Fil-foreign athletes to carry the country's name in international competitions.- Caecent O. No-ot