Not the Main Character w/ Joel Myers

Steve Smith, Dave Anderson, and Pol Otin O’Callaghan welcome Joel Myers, the Australian tennis director at Coronado Tennis Center and an Instagram coach with over 100,000 followers. Joel tells his story: growing up on welfare with a single mom, moving from Sydney to Melbourne Park, a head pro who took him under his wing, an Aussie football injury, and a move to San Diego with one suitcase. He also talks about Pat Cash, the Nakashima and Svajda families, and his meeting with Aryna Sabalenka’s coach.

The conversation then turns to coaching. Joel explains why he asks players how they played instead of what the score was, and how he gets parents and players to buy into change. He also covers the technical flaws he fights in juniors today, serve plus one, lesson plans, and the coach’s role as a supporting character. It ends with trash talk, Vic Braden, and the story of Joel dropping a backhand volley in front of Andy Fitzell.