Our System
Understanding Our Approach
At JET, we take a science-based approach to developing young athletes into high-performing tennis players, ensuring they are prepared for the demands of higher level competition. Our system, tailored for junior players aged 10-18, is grounded in the concept of periodization—a structured method that adapts training to match the player’s competitive schedule, physical readiness, and long-term development goals.
What is Periodization?
Periodization is a systematic approach that divides the training year into specific periods, each with its own objectives and intensity levels. Our program is built around four primary phases:
1. Preparation – Building a strong technical and physical foundation.
2. Pre-Competition – Fine-tuning skills and raising intensity.
3. Competition – Focusing on maintaining performance and adjusting to match conditions.
4. Active Recovery – Allowing for rest, recovery, and injury management.
These phases ensure that training is not only targeted and effective but also sustainable, reducing the risk of overtraining and burnout, which is common among junior athletes who juggle both rigorous competition and academic commitments.
Tennis-Specific Drills
Our system relies on a modulation of tennis-specific drills that are tailored to each phase of training. These drills are categorized into:
Global Drills: These simulate real match situations, working on tactical and technical skills in a way that closely resembles competition. Examples include rallying down the middle, crosscourt groundstrokes, volleys, lobs, and structured match play.
Analytical Drills: These focus on specific aspects of the game, such as serves, returns, and footwork, isolating skills to enhance technique and precision. Analytical drills allow us to fine-tune key areas like racket acceleration or movement across the court.
In the Preparation Phase, for example, players work on a mix of both global and analytical drills, with an emphasis on building consistency, endurance, and technical foundations. During the Competition Phase, the focus shifts to match-play simulations with high-intensity, short-duration drills to replicate the demands of a competitive match. This dynamic adjustment ensures players are not only technically sound but also physically prepared to handle the fast-paced nature of elite tennis.
Integrated Training: More Than Just Skills
The complexity of tennis requires players to excel in multiple areas simultaneously: tactical decision-making, technical execution, physical conditioning, and psychological resilience. Our training model integrates these components into every session, ensuring that all aspects of the game are being developed in harmony.
For instance, tennis matches are characterized by bursts of high-intensity effort (lasting between 4-10 seconds) followed by short periods of recovery (25-120 seconds between points). Our training sessions are designed to mimic this rhythm, helping players improve both their explosive power and their ability to recover quickly during a match. We also monitor key indicators such as heart rate, using it to control training intensity. For example, moderate training loads may target heart rates between 140-160 bpm, while high-intensity drills push players to submaximal or maximal levels (170-190 bpm).
Tailored to Individual Players
A key element of our system is individualization. Every athlete is unique, with different physical, mental, and tactical needs. We work closely with players to design customized training plans that adapt to their specific strengths, weaknesses, and competitive goals. We continually assess and adjust the training variables—volume, intensity, and recovery periods—based on each player’s progress, match results, and feedback.
For example, during high-load periods like the pre-competition phase, we might focus on explosive movements, agility, and reaction speed, while reducing aerobic training. In contrast, during active recovery, the focus shifts to light technical work and cross-training, allowing players to recover from the mental and physical stress of competition.
Monitoring and Feedback
Data plays a central role in how we manage training loads. We measure everything from the number of strokes per drill to the duration of rallies and rest periods. This allows us to track progress, make adjustments in real time, and ensure that each player is working at the right intensity for their developmental stage.
Feedback is critical to growth, but we also understand that players need to develop independence. While we provide guidance and corrective feedback during sessions, we gradually reduce the frequency of external feedback to promote players’ decision-making autonomy. By encouraging athletes to assess their own performance, we help them build the confidence and mental resilience necessary to succeed in high-pressure competitive environments.
The Benefits of Our System
By following a structured, data-driven approach, our Junior Elite Tennis Program helps players maximize their potential in all areas of the game. The system offers:
– Optimized performance through phase-based training tailored to each player’s development and competition schedule.
– Improved physical conditioning with training loads designed to match the demands of match play.
– Technical precision through carefully selected drills that enhance skill acquisition and adaptability in real match scenarios.
– Mental toughness by training in high-pressure, competitive situations that simulate tournament environments.
– Injury prevention by managing training loads and recovery times, reducing the risk of overtraining or burnout.
Our integrated, player-centered approach ensures that athletes are not only prepared for immediate competition but are also equipped with the skills and mindset for long-term success.
Miguel Coelho
Technical Director
miguel@jetennis.com
Since 1997, Miguel has worked at several tennis clubs, organizations and academies in Portugal, Spain, and the US, where he held different positions and worked with players from all levels and ages, from pre-school children to touring pros (ATP, WTA, ITF). He is a member of the USTA Southwest Coaches Commission and Head Coach at The Tennis Xperience, an international program preparing top junior players for the professional tours.
Known for his sports-science approach to methodology and periodization, for following the fundamentals of the Spanish tennis methods, and for his ability to motivate and inspire students, his coaching philosophy always put the player first, developing personalized and goal-oriented programs around them.
Miguel holds a masters degree in high-performance tennis and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Arizona.
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