Written by: Patricia Hy-Boulais

Hello, I am Patricia Hy-Boulais. I was on the tennis pro tour for 18 years, played in 3 Olympics, was Canada’s top player, coached national champions in Canada and the US as well as tour players. And my father was my first coach. I am a proud tennis parent/coach to our two kids who are on a tennis scholarship at a top Division I school, Ohio State University.

Patricia Hy-Boulais is a Tennis Parenting Coach whose focus is on tennis education for parents, tennis development, and building an ethical and responsible tennis community. It is her mission to guide tennis parents of young, aspiring tennis players with resources and information so that they can better understand the dynamics of the tennis development of elite players.

The well-rounded tennis background that Patricia had as a tour player, a three-time Olympian, a high-performance coach, a tennis mom/coach, and a father who was her first coach, gives her the multi-facet perspectives from all those involved. She understands the fear and courage of competition, the frustrations of a coach, and the sacrifices of a tennis parent.

Resources and information for Patricia

Website: https://patriciahy.com/

__________

Some Perspective on Group Training
The revolution of tennis has brought on a fearless nextgen lead by Bianca’s outstanding performances in 2019. Not only are the younger generation of tennis tactically better, physically more resilient, but mentally they are not afraid to go through the pain to reach the finish line.

My commentating experience at the Rogers Cup was as close as being on the court coaching. Having analyzed twenty-four matches over four days, solidified three key points for me.

Key Point #1: Love what they do

For players to have any hope of doing well, they must love what they are doing. On average, players play twenty-five tournaments and travel thirty to thirty-five weeks of the year. The constant adjustment to travels, time zone changes, hotels, different foods, language barrier, training, and away from families and friends can get to the best of them.

Key Point #2: Enduring Pain

What separated the winners and the losers lie in their ability to endure pain and to handle pressure. All of these elite players were fit, fast, strong, and talented. They all had the potential to do well, to win the title. However, the ones who did well understood the power of resiliency. They ran after every ball. And then they ran some more. They were determined to put one more ball back. It wasn’t the one with better strokes or hitting champagne shots who won matches. It was the fight. The grit.

Key Point #3: Handling Pressure

At any level, tennis goes beyond the testing of endurance and grit. The pressure inflicted internally and externally supersedes the norm. It is a lesson for the individual to experience and to learn to handle in due course. Pressure is not something that can be explained and taught. It is to be experienced. The amount of pressure that we feel is in relation to the value that we put on the thing. The higher the position we are, the more pressure we feel that we need to perform well. And so as when a player gets deep in the draw. The finish line is within reach. The title is within reach.

Canada is in exciting times of tennis. Let us stay positive and remember how far tennis has come for Canadians as we fight through these difficult times.