Saddlebrook Tennis Hopman Academy day 4 pm

Well another day and its been just beautiful weather.  I spoke to some of the pros and they mentioned that this time of year, the first week in May is a great time to come down.  Usually its not too hot and its also not very crowded.  It was mentioned that during weeks when kids have off from school they run 30 courts, thats 120 campers wow…I think we have maybe 40.  33 women about 7 guys.  So here I was tis morning feeling good that I thought my forehand was coming together, that I was finally making good progress, a noticeable improvement.  The during some of the drill the camp Director, Howard Moore, came over and said “What the Hell is that”? “Huh” I replied.  He continued with “That mess you call a forehand …You are spinning yourself into the ground it needs big  work”  “How many days are you here for ?”  I replied  “6 more”. “Good” he replied “Plenty of time to straighten it out”  What a great straight forward approach and i will be so happy to get the news that it was salvageable..whew.

Alot of the campers were talking and AI can see how living in NY is such a disadvantage.  The others here play all the time year round when weather permits..In NY the courts are all private and they go for over $100 an hour so you can play alot but you may go broke doing it.  Massage night is tonight I am looking so forward to the relaxation..I will ramble more tomorrow

Saddlebrook Tennis Hopman Academy day 4 am

I had a different instructor today, Alex, and he ran us through a bunch of drills.  I can really fell things coming together, ok coming together when I am not absolutely exhausted.  I can feel, when my legs are underneath me how nice and fluid things are feeling.   I am encouraged by this.  Alex is much more about shot selection and point construction and less about the technical aspects of the shots themselves.  It is real hot here again today,90″s, so we were all just dripping by the time our morning session of three hours had completed.  I fell more fatigued but less sore than I have on days previously.  I am also finding I am getting to more and doing more with the balls once I do get there then I did in the past so I feel my fitness level is improving.  That and we were taught more economical footwork, I will take any help I can get.  This afternoon I hope to really work hard and leave wiped out as I have a 6pm massage scheduled.  This will mean I will probably be pasted out by 7:30 the hardy partier that I am.  The court next to me is where the 5.0 guys have been playing and none of those three really looked chipper by the end of their session.  It was run by Howard Moore the Director of the program and it seems he tends to be more of a task master than the others.  He fed them with such quickness, pace and direction that he pretty much brought three very good in shape guys to their knees and they were loving every minute of it.  This is a place were you can work on your game but “work” is the operative word here.  Hey its why we all come here right…anyway enough rambling off to lunch