Girls’ Training in National Centres: Programme Layout

Rowden Fullen (2005)

Examples of weekly reading matter. (One theory article each week).

  1. Just how should women play. (plus Success Triangle).
  2. European and Asian women’s game.
  3. Achieving perfection in performance.
  4. Winning.
  5. The mechanics of the long serve and why women use it more.
  6. Girls’ training needs – a method.
  7. Loop attack and the women’s game.
  8. Swedish girls and the big ball.
  9. Offensive play and spin.
  10. The first four balls.
  11. Girls’ play and National Centres.
  12. Thoughts on training.
  13. ‘Funny rubbers’.
  14. The axis.

Individual training programme. (To be handed out at the first session). Women’s development series handouts depending on whether player uses normal reverse or pimples on the B.H. wing. Other programmes in the case of unusual players or players with existing ‘specialties’.

Practical mental development, players to read and digest so that they understand and are ready to cope with mental training during sessions.

Programme development.

  1. Regular work on theory.
  2. Individual attention — direction, each girl should know how she individually will develop and how she is most effective.
  3. Each girl should know how to train and what constitutes good training.
  4. Mental training — develop and work on this every session.
  5. Materials — develop understanding of how girls should cope with differing rubbers and playing styles.
  6. Each individual player should start to take responsibility for her own devlopment, not just to rely on coaches/trainers/psychologists etc.

Areas to work in.

  1. Eliminating or minimizing existing technical and tactical problems - in basics, with technique and movement patterns, against materials and certain playing styles.
  2. Eliminating or minimizing existing mental problems — rigidity of play, rigidity of thought (prepared to consider new ideas, new methods).
  3. Understanding of the women’s game.
  4. Understanding that any development means change (if she is not prepared to change, then she cannot progress).
  5. Understanding of own personal style and how each girl is effective and wins points.
  6. Understanding of best playing distance from the table.
  7. Understanding of F.H. and B.H split.
  8. Ensuring which movement patterns are appropriate to girl’s own playing style.
  9. Understanding the right way to train for her style and how to keep progressing in the right direction.
  10. Understanding that training in mental techniques is particularly important if she is to reach the higher levels in her sport.
  11. Understanding that to reach the higher levels she must be prepared to train in the more advanced techniques used by the world’s top women.

Typical session layout.

  • Regular exercises (trying to minimize problem areas) — 15%.
  • Developing girls’ strength areas and aspects where they are already proficient — 20%.
  • Working in new areas and developing new skills — 15%.
  • Working in mental areas – 15 /20%.
  • Working on theory – 5 /10%.
  • Working on serve/receive and 2nd/3rd/4th ball and/or match play — 25%.
  • After session – evaluating and assessing performance (How she performed and how she felt during training).

Ground rules.

  1. No negative talking (or thinking) during group training — if a player is negative this has an effect on the others in the group and brings down the level of confidence in the whole group.
  2. Have your notebook with you at the table so you can take notes in the session and evaluate your performance afterwards.
  3. Be ready at start time, racket glued and water bottle with you, don’t let others in the group down.
  4. If you can’t be at training for one reason or another, ring as early as possible.
  5. Bring the ‘right’ attitude to the training hall, if you don’t want to train this affects the whole group and brings down the quality of training. It also slows down and hinders your own development.
  6. Be ready to control your own development. ‘Educate’ your coaches and trainers, think about your training, always be ready to question. If coaches can’t explain why a particular exercise is good for you and how it benefits your game, then perhaps they are not that knowledgeable and you shouldn’t listen to them. It’s your life, your development, value these — others may not.