BOOK REVIEW: 325 WAYS TO PLAY TENNIS

The Amazon page for this book states: The must have book for serious coaches, players and tennis parents. Over 325 different games that are played on the tennis court to help players practice more often and enjoy their practice while working on a specific aspect of their game. This book can keep a serious tennis player, or a coach using it, active and engaged for several years. This book is for anyone who is hoping to improve their game and find ways to enjoy that process. We all know that change comes from need and these competitive games help create that need. No more boring hitting drills that provide the same situation over and over, now you can experience a whole new way of enjoying competition and practice simultaneously.

I had the pleasure of reviewing Rod Heckelman’s book Playing Into The Sunset a short while ago. Rod is a very experienced Tennis Director and teacher, author, and a regular writer for Racket Business and its predecessor Tennis Club Business since 2015.

Rod has seen and heard it all since he started teaching tennis 48 years ago at John Gardiner's Tennis Ranch in Carmel Valley, California. His advice: If you have an addiction in your life, why not make it a sport?

“If you have an addiction in your life, why not make it a sport?”

However, Rod has identified a recurring challenge faced by most recreational tennis players: limited time availability coupled with a desire for immediate enjoyment. Players often prefer to quickly engage in a set after only a brief warm-up period, prioritizing game time over extensive preparation. Rod writes, “The book provides a simple solution to this dilemma.” This is why he titled the book “325 Ways to Play Tennis,” and not “325 Ways to Practice Tennis.” He suggests that players can now enjoy competition while practicing and working on improving their game. “It’s just a matter of knowing what you need to work on and then finding the game that will best address those issues.”

In conclusion, Rod has meticulously curated a collection of 325 games that serve a dual purpose. These games not only provide players with engaging warm-up and skill-building drills but also incorporate a competitive element. This innovative approach enhances the overall training experience, making it both productive and enjoyable for participants. He suggests, “By adding a competitive challenge, we can experience new methods of play that will open new avenues of improvement.”

The games in this book are broken up into various sections of tennis. The first chapter is about serving since serving is the first and most important stroke you use. The following is a list of chapters.

1. Games that will improve and challenge your serve

2. From the baseline, games for your ground strokes

3. Games that focus on your concentration

4. Games that will help your footwork

5. Games that will make you a better player at net

6. Games to improve your serve return

7. Games for the approach shots

8. Games to build a better overhead

9. Games that will help you become a deadly lobber

10. Games to widen your horizon

11. Games to help your singles play

12. Games that will make you a better doubles player

13. A.I. Your new best friend

14. The overall big picture game

As a senior tennis player who values efficiency in warm-up routines, I find the games presented in Rod's book to be particularly beneficial. This publication offers more than just supplementary techniques for improving one's tennis skills; it provides a comprehensive approach to enhancing warm-up sessions through the incorporation of strategic, competitive games. By implementing the numerous suggestions and modifying pre-match routines, players can transform their preparation into a highly effective learning experience.

I regard Rod’s book not just as “another arrow in your quiver” to become a better tennis player. I think that following the many suggestions and changing your warm-up routines by adding smart competitive games will turn those arrows into the Gatling Gun of tennis leaning.

On Amazon