I make my living teaching the game of tennis. It's my chosen profession. There is nothing that I like more then having a full day of lessons and having my clients leaving happy, satisfied and wanting to come back for more! I also want my students to get the most out of their lessons, and most of them do because they follow my plan for 'making those lessons pay off'. In this three part 'how to' series, based on 'Making those lessons pay off' I will give you tips that I give all of my adult students. Tips like ' how to choose a pro', 'how to take a tennis lesson from a pro', and, 'how to practice what you learn from your pro'. I hope that this series helps!

Knowing what you want to accomplish
Knowing what you want to accomplish is crucial when choosing a pro. After all, it's your game that you're looking to improve so you need to decide what it is that you are there for. You need to decide how much money you can afford to spend and for how long a commitment you want to make to improve your game. After you've carefully thought about what it is you want to accomplish, you then are ready to go searching for a pro!

Finding a Pro
Depending on where you live, most likely there are several pros to choose from. Start by calling the tennis clubs in your area or the local parks and recreation department and tell them what you're looking for. Once you've located a few pros, I recommend you do the following:

1). Go watch the pro actually teach an adult tennis lesson: if at all possible, watch the pro teach a few lessons with various adult clients. Pay close attention to how they teach an assortment of players. Watch carefully how the pro 'interacts' with his students.

• Does the pro teach each player as an individual or is the pro trying to make a clone of themselves?
• Does the pro run a fast-paced lesson or does the pro spend a lot of time 'explaining' their methods?
• Is the pro 'demanding'? Critical? Encouraging? Enthusiastic?

All of your observations are important. While you're watching, envision yourself taking the lesson with this pro. Ask yourself if you can learn from the pro you are watching, because, after all, you're hiring a pro to learn from them, right?

2). Ask the pro's adult students about the prospective pro: word of mouth is a great way of learning about a pro and what he/she has done for their students respective games.

Interviewing the Prospective Pro
Now you've narrowed down your choices as to whom you might like to hire and it's time to start asking some questions. Sounds like a lot of effort, doesn't it? Keep this in mind: The pro works for you! I recommend you discuss the following with the prospective pro.

• The amount of money and time you're willing to spend on your game.
• What you are looking to accomplish and your short and long- term goals.
• Tell the pro how you like to learn and ask him /her if he/she can teach this way.
• Ask about any certifications they currently hold. (Although not necessary, a certified professional is always your best bet).

These tips and questions I've given you are generally the same ones I ask any pro I have ever attempted to hire. If the pro appears vague, defensive or evasive about themselves, their qualifications or experience, they're probably not for you and you should leave them alone.

I hope this lesson helped you make a solid decision about hiring a pro. In part 2 of this 3 part series, we'll discuss how to properly take a lesson from the pro I helped you hire. I know you made the right decision!

Phil Naessens is the Director of Tennis/Head Professional at the Corfu Holiday Palace Hotel and Casino in Corfu, Greece. For information regarding tennis holidays, group clinics and lessons while staying in Corfu or having Phil come to your club, he can be reached at Alphitennis@hotmail.com or by calling +30 693 644 4218.