junior tennis development consulting
Most junior players train hard.
Few develop well.
Which one is your player? I help families of serious players aged 12 to 18 build the plan their coaching team can’t build alone. In the United States and Europe, wherever the player trains.
I’m Miguel Coelho. I’ve coached since 1998 on both sides of the Atlantic, from first lessons to the ATP, WTA, and ITF tours. I hold a master’s in high-performance tennis and a PhD from the University of Arizona, and I’m a member of the USTA Southwest Coaches Commission.
A quick self-check
Can you answer these
about your player?
Tick the ones you can answer with confidence.
Two or more left empty? Those are exactly the questions an audit answers.
The problem
Why talented juniors stall
It rarely looks like a problem at first: a strong year at 12, a plateau at 14, frustration at 15. I’ve watched this pattern in Europe and the United States, at clubs, academies, and national programs. The talent is there, the coaching is often good, and still nobody is connecting the pieces.
No one owns the plan
Maybe it’s one coach. Maybe it’s a club group, school sports, and a fitness class on top. Whoever is involved sees one slice of the player, nobody owns the whole picture, and the training week gets built by accident.
Decisions by imitation
Another family moves to an academy, adds private lessons, or plays up an age group, and it feels risky not to follow. What worked for their child is rarely the right call for yours.
The 13-year-old trap
Winning at 13 often comes from size, consistency, and pushing the ball. Those advantages fade by 16, and players built only on them stall just as the stakes rise.
More tournaments, less development
A full calendar feels like progress. The ITF’s guideline for players aged 13 to 16 on the international pathway is 50 to 70 quality matches a year, with time to train between them. Most families have never counted.
Recognize your player in one of these? Let’s talk it through. Start a conversation →
How I work
Your player’s
development director
That’s my role: the person who makes sure everything connects, says so honestly when something isn’t working, and keeps the long view when short-term pressure takes over. I work in the background: your coaches stay in front, and the plan is built from everyone’s input, including the player’s.
1
Player first
Before any plan, I sit down with the player on their own: what they want from tennis, how training feels, what makes competing hard. A plan they believe in is one they keep following through the tough weeks.
2
Deep assessment
I review match and practice video, a year of results, and how training, fitness and school fit into the week. Technique, patterns of play, physical maturity and competitive habits are measured against your player’s age and stage.
3
One integrated plan
Tennis sessions, gym work, tournaments and recovery are planned together, in blocks, so the load rises and falls on purpose. Coaches, trainers and family work from the same calendar, and everyone knows what this month is for.
4
Straight answers
You get a clear read on where your player stands, in plain language: what’s working, what isn’t, and what to change first. If the current setup is right, I’ll say that too. Families invest too much to get anything less.
For coaches: you stay in charge on court. I bring the long-term plan, the competition calendar, and an outside view, and we work from the same page. Your experience with the player shapes the plan, and with the family’s permission, every audit includes a call with you.
Background
Court experience,
backed by research
Over the years I kept seeing a gap between how athletes actually develop and how junior tennis makes its decisions. So I went back to study it, earning a master’s in high-performance tennis focused on long-term athletic development, and then a PhD. I’ve also built programs from the ground up, growing one club junior program from 17 to 160 players in 10 months. Every audit draws on both: what I’ve seen on court and what the evidence shows.
Work with me
Start with
an audit
An expert, outside view of where your player stands, and a clear plan for what to change first.
I. Development audit
Footage review, a conversation with the player, a call with the coach, a written report with two or three priorities, and a 90-minute debrief with a roadmap you keep. Within two weeks of receiving footage.
II. Development partner
Then, if it fits: an ongoing monthly partnership with training plans, competition strategy, coordination with the coaching team, and regular check-ins.
III. Elite partnership
Intensive support for players with high-performance goals: national level, Tennis Europe and ITF events, or the US college pathway.
I keep my roster small, so every family gets my full attention.
From the blog
What most families
never hear
Research translated. Myths examined.
Practical thinking on what good junior development actually looks like.
The Long Game
One idea on junior development,
in your inbox
Each issue takes one idea from the research and makes it practical for families, players, and their coaches. Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
FAQ
Questions
families ask
What does a junior tennis development consultant do?
I design and coordinate a player’s whole development plan: training structure, competition calendar, physical preparation, and mental performance. I work with the family and the existing coaches so every part pulls in the same direction.
Do you replace my child’s coach?
No. I work alongside the coaches you already have, and the audit includes a call with the player’s coach.
Do you work with families outside the United States?
Yes. All work is remote, by video and shared footage, with families in the US and across Europe. I work in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Who is this for?
Players aged 12 to 18 competing at sectional, national, Tennis Europe, or ITF level, and families weighing the US college or professional pathway.
What do I need to start an audit?
Recent match and practice footage and a short conversation about your player’s goals. I’ll guide you on what to film.
Where does your player
really stand?
In two weeks, you’ll know what’s working, what’s holding your player back, and what to change first.