Personal Essay: Ten Classical Sports, By Malcolmm Leighton
TEN THOUSAND HOURS
Malcolmb Gladwell says it takes ten thousand hours to be proficient in any worthy arena. I don’t know how many, from childhood to my coaching career, were spent ”watching the ball bounce. A Lot!! All kinds of sports. Tennis, one of the latest to find.!
And, as stated, my pivotal find was Jim Leighton. Mentor to many, myself included.
He opened my eyes and I began to really see things better. And I learned from all kinds of Sources. Tennis on television, playing tennis, reading instruction books, watching other tennis players, DVD’s, clinics (Especially at the US Open’s USTA Clinics), coaches of tennis and other sports. Most came from watching my own players. Some positive info, some negatives that needed “coaching”. …show more content…
Jay told me who he was and that he was ranked #5 in the Middle Atlantic States. That a good ranking for our level.
I introduced myself to Brian and asked if he was visiting a friend? “No Sir, he said, I’m hoping I can be on your team next year.” Brian went on to explain that he’d felt so bad about his coach; he’d begged him to return. Classmates were mad because McVittie was a great person and coach.
“If you won’t return, will you please help me with my college choice”, Brian begged. Coach McVittie advised him to “go to Atlantic Christian College, they have a coach there that can keep you straight.”
ON RECRUITING
I left after a road match at Davidson for a three-hour trek to Columbia, SC, trying to recruit Tom Morris. It was late when I arrived at the stately Bermuda Hills mansion. Father Jack Morris told me later that my willingness to ride there that night, putting me back to Davidson at 3:00 AM, convinced them I’d look after Tom. Tom Morris led us, willed us, played us to the school’s first ever-National Championship. In his four years he won the conference singles title all four years, the only person before or since to do that. And he did it his senior year with a badly damaged
Malcolmb Gladwell says it takes ten thousand hours to be proficient in any worthy arena. I don’t know how many, from childhood to my coaching career, were spent ”watching the ball bounce. A Lot!! All kinds of sports. Tennis, one of the latest to find.!
And, as stated, my pivotal find was Jim Leighton. Mentor to many, myself included.
He opened my eyes and I began to really see things better. And I learned from all kinds of Sources. Tennis on television, playing tennis, reading instruction books, watching other tennis players, DVD’s, clinics (Especially at the US Open’s USTA Clinics), coaches of tennis and other sports. Most came from watching my own players. Some positive info, some negatives that needed “coaching”. …show more content…
Jay told me who he was and that he was ranked #5 in the Middle Atlantic States. That a good ranking for our level.
I introduced myself to Brian and asked if he was visiting a friend? “No Sir, he said, I’m hoping I can be on your team next year.” Brian went on to explain that he’d felt so bad about his coach; he’d begged him to return. Classmates were mad because McVittie was a great person and coach.
“If you won’t return, will you please help me with my college choice”, Brian begged. Coach McVittie advised him to “go to Atlantic Christian College, they have a coach there that can keep you straight.”
ON RECRUITING
I left after a road match at Davidson for a three-hour trek to Columbia, SC, trying to recruit Tom Morris. It was late when I arrived at the stately Bermuda Hills mansion. Father Jack Morris told me later that my willingness to ride there that night, putting me back to Davidson at 3:00 AM, convinced them I’d look after Tom. Tom Morris led us, willed us, played us to the school’s first ever-National Championship. In his four years he won the conference singles title all four years, the only person before or since to do that. And he did it his senior year with a badly damaged