Secrets of a True Tennis Master: Welby Van Horn and His Tennis Teaching System, By Edward Weiss (Wilson Printing, 2007).
The Book & Author
The author Edward Weiss is a lifelong tennis player and former Captain of Swarthmore College tennis team and Division III All-American in 1978, and is now a corporate lawyer in Connecticut. In this thorough book, Weiss has done a beautiful job in explaining the Welby Van Horn Tennis Teaching System. In 13 Chapters and 296 Pages, profuse with illustrations and photographs, Weiss details Van Horn’s concept – a theory based on four (4) fundamentals of tennis instruction, and a system of checkpoints to help students master their game.
About Welby Van Horn
Welby Van Horn is the legendary tennis coach Sports Illustrated called one of the most successful coaches in all sports. (The Right Way to Begin, Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, April 28, 1969)
In tennis, Van Horn has been called “that rarest of breeds” – one of the few great tennis players who then became a great coach. He was ranked in the world’s top ten as both professional and amateur in the 1940s. He was the youngest male player at age 19 to reach the U.S. Open Finals at Forrest Hills in 1939. He played Jack Kramer, Pancho Gonzales, Don Budge and Bobby Riggs. His biggest win was over the great Bill Tilden in July 1945 (6-0, 6-2, 6-1), though Tilden was age 52 at the time and well past his prime.
In 1951, Van Horn moved the Puerto Rico to coach at the Caribe Hilton Swim & Tennis Club, teaching kids 8-10 years of age and other beginners. He slowly amassed an amazing record of teaching 100 nationally-ranked American junior players. This included Charlie Pasarell (ranked No. 1 USA player in 1967 and who many recall played Pancho Gonzales at Wimbledon in 1969 in one of the longest and greatest matches in tennis history), and Victor Amaya, No. 14 in the world and French Open Doubles Championship winner in 1980.
In his book, Off the Court, Arthur Ashe wrote: “If I had to send my kids to somebody to learn the game, I would send him or her to Welby Van Horn. He has the best track record. You don’t get that by accident…”
Later, the Welby Van Horn Tennis Academy opened in Boca Raton, FL and other locations. Van Horn was inducted into the USPTA Hall of Fame in September 2008. Van Horn is now retired in Palm Springs, CA USA, and is Tennis Pro Emeritus at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The Welby Van Horn Tennis System
The Welby Van Horn tennis system is evident in all his players – a fluid classical style and all-court game.
Van Horn believed that that there are four (4) fundamentals to the game and that they should be taught in a particular order. The four (4) elements are in order of priority: 1) balance, 2) grips, 3) strokes and 4) strategy. Let’s review these very briefly in reverse order to better understand Van Horn’s thinking.
*STRATEGY is useful only if you can control the ball. You control the ball through proper STOKES. Proper strokes are dependent upon correct GRIPS. But even with correct grips, proper strokes are predicated on good BALANCE. In other words, you can only control the ball and racket, if you control first your body and it’s balance mechanism. Thus, good balance is the first fundamental, and can be learned and practiced even without a racket.
In Welby Van Horn’s words: “Balance is the key fundamental. It is what makes the expert game look so easy. Proper balance means an economy of motion: achieving maximum results from minimum effort.” Van Horn’s system emphasizes use of checkpoints in helping players achieve their maximum balance as a platform for strokes and volleys.
The reader is invited to read much more about Van Horn’s equally compelling ideas on volleys, the serve, teaching drills and practice methods in this fascinating read.
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