Frequently Asked Questions
What is your experience teaching tennis?
I've served as a hitting partner and instructor for private and group lessons in the past. My earliest days of playing tennis started at a summer camp (ACAC) in the city of Charlottesville followed by a summer youth program at UVA. I then played four years of tennis for Albemarle High School. During this time I also competed in various tournaments locally in Charlottesville, and a couple within the Mid-Atlantic region. After a few years hiatus from competitive tennis, I kick-started my journey teaching tennis while living in NYC during the Summer and Fall months of 2017. While teaching independently as a private coach, I taught group lessons in addition for Bumblebee Tennis in Brooklyn and Queens, coaching both kids and adolescents.
In 2018, I began instructing in Northern Virginia which led to me being hired by an apartment complex in Alexandria where I led four group sessions each weekend over an 8-week period ranging from beginners to intermediate skill-levels. I currently teach in the DC-Metro area full-time following my having worked as an instructor for the University of Virginia's Intramural program in Charlottesville part-time during the weekdays from 2019 until 2022, where I led group sessions for UVA students and faculty. These training sessions ranged from beginner to advanced players. In summary, I've instructed consistently since Summer of 2017, starting in New York City, then growing and expanding in Charlottesville and the DC-metro area. (Details of my experience *playing* tennis).
What is your teaching philosophy?
In tennis, as with any other sport, learning comes down to two main things:
1) mastering the fundamentals, and 2) finding one's style, or "feel" for the game.
As players, each of us have different strengths and weaknesses. It is important to learn fundamentals since this is what creates the base foundation enabling the prompting of one's unique style of play, thus then granting a competitive edge once developed sufficiently enough. The more practice one gets playing against opponents of superior skill-levels, the greater the demand for one to up their level of play, leading to quickened progress and improvement.
Tennis consists of the physical fundamentals as much as it does the mental aspect.
The mental side of the sport is an important and inescapable variable that accompanies the physical aspect. The importance of focusing on this side of the equation transcends one's outlook positively beyond sports play and culminates in a mindset and character-building formulation which can last a lifetime. Mental coaching is an important piece of the puzzle that is included in the lessons I conduct and plays an essential role in the development of players of all ages and skill-levels.
What can I expect at my first lesson?
First 5 mins: To begin, I like to break the ice by getting to know you a bit more. We'll review what it is you hope to accomplish with tennis specifically, and will discuss what your own opinion is of your game including where your strengths and weaknesses are. Stretching and ancillary preparation is also suggested during this time.
Next 5 mins: We will warm up by rallying beginning at the service line. I will observe where you stand in terms of skill-level, athleticism, hand-eye coordination, and thus potential thereby setting the pace and direction for the rest of the lesson's curriculum.
Next 50 mins: We'll pick up the pace. We may do ground-stroke instruction to adjust or recalibrate your strengths, or improve upon your weaknesses as deemed fit. We will implement a drill focused toward an in-depth opportunity for instruction. I may also incorporate game-play to keep things competitive and fun. Throughout the lesson, I highly encourage any questions that come to mind to be asked. The more challenging and specific the question, the better.
At the end I will share an overall assessment with you on what further improvements can be made to advance your game technically, strategically and/or psychologically. Further review, advice and question-answering will also be available and encouraged.
Reminders for your first session: Please wear tennis shoes / sneakers, bring a tennis racket if you have one (otherwise I can provide you one just let me know in advance!). I will bring the tennis balls. Bring water as well if you'd like. And sunscreen if preferred.
Should I sign-up for a private lesson or group lessons?
1. Private Lesson – One-on-one. More expensive per player but you get all of the attention. Highly recommended if you are serious about improving your tennis game.
2. Group Lesson – Two or more students to one coach. Cheaper. Recommended if you want a more social atmosphere. Allows the instructor to analyze your play against other players.
- For two players, the rate is: $70/hour ($35 each player).
- For three players: $90/hour ($30 each player).
- For four or more players: $100+/hour ($25/each player).
How do I remit payment?
Cash is accepted.
Cash App: https://cash.app/$SuleimanAloul
PayPal: SALOUL10@gmail.com
Zelle: SALOUL10@gmail.com (my name should come up: Suleiman Aloul)
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