Deciding Between Coaches in High School

by Steven Nim
(Alhambra, California)

I have a Junior Varsity coach who coaches for thirty years (and played for over 40). He coaches tennis for 20 years, mainly varsity, and won 9 championship. This is his second year coaching at my school for Junior Varsity boys.

Last year, I was a junior varsity, and I learned many things from him. Mainly, his philosophy is control.

Now, I am varsity player number three (singles), and I have a coach who believes in "hitting the ball harder." Most of the time, his advise to me would be "hit the ball harder." He's been coaching for about seven years.

I cannot choose whether to follow my Junior Varsity coach's many advises, or follow my varsity coach's advise.

My varsity coach is putting me in doubles number two for a "stacking strategy against other schools." I do not know whether to follow his advise to bring me up a rank or two (I should be number two in the team), or follow my intuition that I am a good player regardless of my "seemingly slow shot."

Briefly, my varsity coach only likes seeing shots that look "pretty" and not players that are good.