The intensive junior tennis camp days for everyone involved at the Alexander Waske Tennis Academy are over – time to take stock. Of course, we don't want to keep that from you. Our youngest's muscle soreness has subsided, and our oldest has mostly recovered from her bad cold and is already back hitting balls diligently. So, what were the highs and lows of the four days of junior tennis camp? Let's get started!
Not only is this motto printed on the coaches' shirts and in various other places, but it's also lived out on the pitch. And that's truly fantastic! There's no idle chatter; during training sessions, it's all about one thing: full throttle. Of course, a few words here and there are bound to slip out, but the coach is almost always completely focused on the objective at hand. This makes the 1.5-hour sessions incredibly focused and intense. We haven't experienced anything like it very often!
Many exercises are designed to test endurance. Whether it's target-based hitting drills, timed drills, or various other exercises, the kids are challenged, but they really dig in when they want to. If they fail before reaching their goal, they keep playing until they achieve it. And then, exhausted but proud.
The quality of the coaches, at least the ones our kids had during those four days, is truly excellent. They're all former tour players, and it shows. There's a real sense of ambition, but it's never overly strict. Their instructions are clear and fair. And of course, they throw in a cool and funny remark every now and then.
The fitness training was varied and covered many facets. The Kempinski Hotel's gym naturally offers excellent facilities, with all kinds of equipment available.
Let's start with the location, the 5-star Kempinski Hotel. On the first day, we felt a bit out of place. Because of the waiting times between training sessions, it wasn't always clear where we could comfortably sit. A separate room where we could enjoy our own drinks and snacks would have been nice. The hotel prices for drinks and food did, however, put a bit of a strain on our budget...
The hall itself was quite cold on two days – a common issue with many inflatable halls. However, the TU team and the coaches did their best and are continuing to work hard on a good solution. And they will certainly succeed!
The training times, or rather the fitness training sessions, were very staggered, meaning the waiting times between sessions were such that it was worthwhile going back to the hotel. This wasn't a problem for us, as we lived only 10 minutes from the training location. And since the kids did the fitness training together with the TU players, it couldn't be arranged any other way – understandably.
Of course, I asked the children afterwards whether they preferred the Easter holiday camp a year and a half ago or the current junior camp. And they both immediately and unanimously said the junior tennis camp. They said everything was much calmer and more focused. While they missed out on playing with the other campers off the court, the shared meals, etc., the on-court training was simply much more concentrated. This assessment surprised me somewhat as a mother – I had expected something different.
Either way, a tennis camp at the Alexander Waske Tennis University is highly recommended. And I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the kids will become repeat offenders!
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