What to Expect if You Come to a Clinic
The Approach
Maybe you heard about this cool new company called the Tennis Tactician. Perhaps you dusted off the old racquets, frowned at your waistline, and figured it couldn’t hurt to check it out.
You hop in the car and drive to beautiful Stranahan High School, the home of champions. As you pull into the parking lot, you see that the court has been transformed into something different. Banners hang from the fences and over the net, theme-specific props catch your eye, and the instructor is dressed in ridiculous clothes. Well, must be the right place.
The Arrival
Maybe you are the only player that day. Maybe the court is packed with 9 other players with family in tow and laughter in the air. Either way, a clinic awaits you. Your instructor is ready and the games and drills will roll with the punches.
The Commencement
The clinic starts right on time. The instructor brings out a colorful spinning wheel with various dynamic stretches written on it and sets the countdown clock for 5 minutes. As the clock ticks down, he or she spins the wheel and the players do what the wheel says — in silence. The literal only time this company asks for silence.
Because this is the 5 minutes your instructor has to introduce the theme, set the stage, and invite the magic in. At the start of the 5 minutes you are worried if the turkey is still sitting on the counter. At the end, you are ready to Burn, Laugh, and Learn.
The Vibe
You notice different plays. Some are at different levels. But there is no pressure to be “good.” The focus is on burning the calories, soaking in the music, and experiencing the creative universe. To add a little playful competition, players do earn points. The top 3 scorers receive medals at the end of the clinic. However points come from many sources including demonstrating hustle, going the extra mile on sideline activities, hitting great individual shots, or even telling a good joke. Trivia questions have been known to pop up on occasion.
The Structure
The structure is simple. The clinic is broken down into five drills or games. Five games or drills followed by the “magnificent” closing ceremony where the three “bravest and best” are given the undeniable honor of a Tennis Tactician medal.
The Sideline Activities
Anyone is welcome at our clinics. Depending on the number of players and the situation, there may be sideline activities. These are cardio-burn tasks for you to complete in-between your turn in a game or drill. They are a big part of making sure you get to check the daily ‘cardio box” after you attend the clinic. We absolutely promise that the more you put in, the more abs you will receive. In other words, we highly encourage sideline activities.
The Playlists
Expect the unexpected and know that when you walk into a Tennis Tactician clinic you are walking into a fortress of preparation. We mix hits with our own original tracks with standup comedy. Some of our tracks are children’s books verbatim. In short, you’ll get what you get. But we’ll be ready.
The Signups
We try to always bring good news but we want to tell you up front that tickets to a clinic aren’t refundable. We know this is inconvenient. However, in Season 1, we only have three 1-hour clinics per week. We have just 10 spots per clinic, and a purchased ticket is something we plan for and a ticket somebody else can’t purchase. And we aren’t equipped to handle a lot of transactions. We are one man, a cat, and an artificial intelligence robot. Refunds for armageddon probably and definitely for bad weather. Less than 30 minutes before rain, full refund. More than 30 minutes, no refund. Not ideal, we know, but that’s the product.
