Teaching Tennis Players to Think: Lessons from an English Classroom

Thought Provoker Pam pointed out a great article in Saturday’s Spectrum: “A Lesson I’ll Never Forget.”

It told the story of an English teacher who used fiction to teach a classroom of teenage boys how to think—critically, empathetically, and independently.

As I read it, I was struck by how many of those same lessons apply directly to coaching tennis, especially when we approach the game as a form of strategy and self-discovery rather than just technique.

Here’s a quick wrap of the key takeaways from the article—and how they overlap with teaching tennis as strategic sport:

1. Passion Inspires Thinking

The teacher’s unapologetic passion for literature lit the spark in his students.

Tennis Parallel: Show your enthusiasm for strategy, tactics, and the mental side of the game. When players see you care about the details, they’re more likely to start seeing them too.

2. Thinking as Detective Work

Students were taught to spot contradictions and read between the lines.

Tennis Parallel: Train players to pick up patterns—opponent weaknesses, shot selection under pressure, body language. Ask: “What clues did that last point give you?”

3. Ambiguity Builds Adaptability

The teacher showed that truth can be layered and uncertain.

Tennis Parallel: Teach players to handle grey areas—changing conditions, momentum swings, unpredictability. Strategy isn’t binary; great players live in the in-between.

4. Better Questions Build Better Thinkers

Rather than giving answers, the teacher asked pointed, revealing questions.
Tennis Parallel: Ask players questions like:

“What was your plan there?”
“Where was your balance?”
“What shot did you want your opponent to hit?”

You’re not coaching shots—you’re coaching awareness.

5. Fiction as a Mirror for Reality

The students began to see real-world complexity through the lens of fiction.

Tennis Parallel: Use the court to teach life skills—resilience, strategic thinking, self-control. Tennis is one of the few sports where players must self-regulate under stress in real time.

6. Thinking Requires Training

Just like their bodies, the students trained their minds to think critically.

Tennis Parallel: Create match-like pressure in practice. Build in moments where decision-making and focus are tested. Make mental reps part of the physical drill.

Wrap: From Execution to Education

Whether in a literature class or on a tennis court, we’re not just teaching skills—we’re developing thinkers.

Tennis isn’t just about hitting balls; it’s about reading the game, adjusting in real time, and owning your choices under pressure.

That’s the kind of player who wins more—and understands why.

Teaching Tennis Players to Think: Lessons from an English Classroom