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For players who want to get more from their game

If you want to play better with less effort and more enjoyment, my time-tested, foundational teaching method will do the trick. You have come to the right spot!

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I'm Jim McLennan, a lifelong player, teacher and student of the game. I am the Emeritus Tennis Director at Fremont Hills Country Club in Los Altos Hills, and past editor of TennisOne. I graduated from UC Berkeley in 1970, and earned a masters degree in Sport Psychology from the University of West Florida in 1991. In the course of the graduate work I used an electromechanical teaching aide to study methods for teaching the tennis serve, and this gizmo called "The Whistler" was developed and patented by Don Kerr and myself over the course of a few hot summer afternoons in Destin Florida.

Much of my subsequent study of the game has grown from the work on that project. I created "The Secrets of World Class Footwork (VHS)" and companion booklet, and with the support of the Stanford Biomechanical Engineering Department, studied the efficiency of various footwork starting techniques, with special reference to the "gravity turn" which again flowed from the fertile brain of Don Kerr.

Presently as a teacher, and this teaching thing is a fluid and ever changing thing, I am using material from the Alexander Technique on postural awareness, and attempt to teach from a student centered approach, where rather than with command and direction, the teaching flows from questions that the students explore. I believe the game is so darn complicated, that whenever possible students and players should access their physical awareness and shut off their cognitive self talk channels. But over the years I have grown and changed numerous times (hopefully) so that as this process continues the self description material will change as well. Stay tuned, stay in touch, and let's enjoy the ride.

The Details

Chico State 1966 – 68 – Captain of 1968 WCAC league champions
University of California 1968 – 1970
I have held sectional and national rankings in men’s open and senior divisions
Past president of the Northern California division of the USPTA
USPTA NorCal Pro of the Year 1989 and 1992
Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UC Berkeley (1970)
Masters Degree in Sport Psychology from the University of West Florida (1992 Thesis “The Effects of Biomechanical Feedback on the Tennis Serve,” Research supported by a grant from the USTA
Developed and patented the miniature electromechanical swing trainer used in the thesis research – and received an endorsement of the device from Martina Navratilova
Co-authored footwork research with Stanford University Biomechanical Engineering - Moving to the Ball: Reaction Step Footwork (gravity motion)

I have been a featured seminarian at the following conferences

ITF Tennis Science and Technology conference London 2003
USPTA World Conference 1990, 1992 -1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2010, 2012
USTA National Teachers Conference New York 1992, 1993, 1996 – 1998
STMS conference San Jose California 2011

Discover Effortless Action on your Serve

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