The Tennis Director
Not one of your green youngsters this one,
wet behind the ears,
oh no, not he,
the once lithe, young body of twenty or so years
marked now by middle-age spread and dubious knees.
Physically unprepossessing without a doubt,
fitness not what it was,
victim of recurrent infections
and numerous operations
on those annoyingly painful, troublesome knees,
but execution and choice of shot mesmerizing;
years of experience honing his craft
at home and abroad in countless foreign countries,
a teacher par excellence,
able to explain in few words and wise
varying techniques and match-winning strategies,
assessing the pupil with expert eyes,
for effective coaching an essential,
yet a mystery to younger colleagues
who have learnt but one way
and teach from the book
whether suited to pupil or not,
though it’s clear to all
once you know the difference
and properly look.
A tiny detail here,
one word there,
and understanding and game start to transform,
for it begins to dawn
with ever increasing light
how mental attitudes affect shot selection
and the outcome of the fight,
and finally one comes to know
what “eye on the ball” actually means,
all so totally different
to what happened before
with the other “normal” pros
who coached by rote
and made lessons a bore.
And thus it shows once more
that appearances do indeed often deceive
and one mustn’t judge books by their cover or sleeve,
for if we do we shut out all kinds of possibilities
not thought of and wonderful,
which can lead us to paths
both surprising and joyful.
Copyright © 2008 Helena Harper
(from my book "Family and More - Enemies or Friends?")
