ParentingAces - The Junior Tennis and College Tennis Podcast

Welcome to the final episode of Season 14 of the ParentingAces Podcast! We close the season with a thought-provoking discussion with coach Duey Evans centered around the secrets to better coaching.As in the majority of our conversations here, this one once again turns to the importance of communication. In Duey's more than 3 decades of tennis coaching, he has given much thought to how our sport can do better on the part of coaches and players, and as a direct adjunct, parents.Duey has spent the last several months writing thought pieces for his The Performance Architect website, many of which we have reprinted on ParentingAces.com. The impetus behind these writings is to figure out what goes into quality coaching and how better - and more thoughtful - communication can improve the coaching experience for all parties. In this episode, Duey and Lisa dig into the various ways we communicate, why and how certain limiting habits get ingrained into our personal style of communication, and how we can move into more effective individualized communication to have more positive experiences on and off the tennis court.Our hope is that this final episode of the season will give you some things to think about and maybe work on as we all move into 2026.To get in touch with Duey, you can reach out via his website at https://www.theperformancearchitect.com/contact. You can also find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/duey.evans.We will be back in January with Season 15! In the meantime, please enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones, however you choose to celebrate it! Thank you for supporting ParentingAces and your child(ren)'s Tennis Journey. Wishing you all the best as 2025 comes to an end and we prepare to start fresh in the New Year!As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 44 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, sports psychologist and former top junior and pro player, Jeff Greenwald, joins Lisa to discuss the importance of mental training FOR TENNIS PARENTS!On this podcast, we've covered mental training for junior players many, many times. This episode is the first to address mental training for parents, digging into the why and how of it with someone who has plenty of experience as both player and parent. Jeff Greenwald, M.F.T., is an internationally recognized sports psychology consultant/elite mental coach and licensed therapist. Frustrated with his performance as a modestly ranked professional tennis player in his twenties, Jeff went on to earn Master’s Degrees in clinical and sports psychology. During this process, he discovered the fundamental principles of athletic performance that propelled him from a moderately successful tennis player to No. 1 in the world in his age group and two ITF world titles. Jeff has written a new book, THE MENTAL EDGE FOR YOUNG ATHLETES: A WORLD CHAMPION'S MENTAL TOUGHNESS GUIDE FOR ATHLETES, PARENTS, & COACHES IN THE DIGITAL AGE (visit https://amzn.to/4pexg5D to order your copy). In it, he devotes the final section to Tennis Parents, giving us actionable tools to do a better job with our own thoughts, words, and actions as we go through this journey with our child(ren).If you are interested in reaching out to Jeff, you can visit his website at https://mentaledgeforsports.com/. Be sure to sign up for his email newsletter list while you're there! You can also follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jeff_greenwald/ or reach out directly at [email protected] always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 43 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, Ben Shapiro of Atlas Tennis is back to talk about the phenomenal trips they took in Summer 2025 and what's on deck for Spring Break and Summer 2026.Tennis, travel, and human connection—these are the foundation of Atlas Tennis. Well before they started Atlas, the founders knew there was so much potential in bringing these things together, and that belief is what drives Atlas to create one-of-a-kind tennis camps and experiences. They take small groups (10-15 teens plus 2-3 well-vetted coaches per group) of junior tennis players ages 13-18 to the UK and Europe to experience their sport in a whole new way.For 2026, Atlas is offering their summer experiences but also adding in Spring Break trips for high school teams and individual players who are looking for a different type of training environment for 4-5 days. In order to get more information on these offerings, go to the Atlas Tennis website at https://atlas.tennis/learn-more/. You can also reach out to Ben directly at [email protected] or message him through the Atlas Tennis Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/atlastennis/.As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 42 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, we're doing things a little differently - we asked you what you want to know about player health and injury prevention from the Director of the Emory Tennis Medicine Program, Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, then gave him the opportunity to answer your questions.Dr. Jayanthi is also the co-director of the Emory Youth Sports Medicine Program and has 25 years of experience caring for athletes at all levels: youth, collegiate, and professional. He sits on the USTA Sports Science Committee and writes articles for USTA's Serving Success website which provides information to parents, players, and coaches. Dr. J combines research and education to provide the best care in sports medicine. Our previous podcasts with Neeru:https://youtu.be/K5isy7cJXHwhttps://youtu.be/2HklV3jW4TYhttps://youtu.be/y6X8nAvj24gNeeru mentions our recent podcast with Mark Kovacs. You can find that at https://parentingaces.com/podcasts/keeping-our-jr-players-fit-injury-free-ft-dr-mark-kovacs/.To request an appointment with Dr. J, call 404-778-3350 or visit ⁠emoryhealthcare.org/njayanthi. He is available for virtual consults as well as in-person assessments and treatment. You can also find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/neeru.jayanthi.As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 41 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, Lisa is joined by former top Ukranian junior, NCAA All-American, and current WTA professional and coach, Veronika Miroshnichenko.At the age of 14, Veronika and her developmental coach made the tough decision for her to move to the US to increase the level of her training. She left her parents and younger sister and made a commitment to be the best tennis player she could be. Her journey led her to US College Tennis at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles where she had a stellar career, playing professional tournaments along the way. During that time, Veronika found that she also had a passion for coaching, especially younger players, and found her way to her current coaching mentor, Susan Nardi. In this episode, Veronika talks about her coaching philosophy, what she has learned through her own journey that helps her be an effective coach, and how her experience is helping her parents do a better job with her younger sister's tennis journey.Veronika is active on social media - you can find her on Instagram and Facebook and message her on either platform. You can also email her at [email protected] always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 40 of the ParentingAces Podcast! In this week's episode, former top junior and pro players, Sky Kim, shares his journey through injury and recovery which led him to coaching and entrepreneurship through his company, Road to Pro.As a child, Sky moved with his father from South Korea to South Florida to train at IMG with Nick Bollettieri. He was training alongside Maria Sharapova, Tommy Haas, and Venus and Serena Williams, among others. After going through two knee surgeries and multiple shoulder injuries, Sky decided to retire from a professional playing career to move into tennis coaching. Once realizing that not only did he need to preserve his own body if he wanted longevity in his coaching career but also other players and coaches were suffering with the same injuries he had endured. Sky put his love of engineering to use by developing unique vibration dampeners, insoles, and performance socks to reduce the wear and tear of tennis on the body. HIs products are now available on his website, RTPtennis.com. Sky has graciously set up a discount for the ParentingAces Community - ParentingAces20 for 20% off your order!Sky has also worked very hard to overcome his introvert personality by creating an online coaching platform on YouTube where he has over 100,000 subscribers. You can follow his channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Lsu90hbliCn9_Vkp7WtLw/featured.As if that weren't enough, Sky has written the book, ART OF WAR: ART OF TENNIS which you can purchase online at https://rtptennis.com/products/art-of-war-art-of-tennis-by-sky-kim-1. The book bridges the ancient wisdom of Sun Tzu with the modern battles of competitive tennis. By drawing striking parallels between warfare and the tennis court, this book unveils the hidden roles of the player, coach, and parent—mirroring the general, the strategist, and the king in a campaign for excellence. Through real experiences of top juniors and pro players, it answers the toughest, most often ignored questions that arise on the journey to world-class performance.Currently, Sky is coaching in the LA area as well as continuing to provide virtual coaching via YouTube. You can follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rtptennis/ or reach out to him via email at [email protected] always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 39 of the ParentingAces Podcast! In this week's episode, Lisa chats with former top junior and long-time coach and coach-educator, Kyle LaCroix.We've kind of followed a theme in our most recent episodes, one in which we've examined the state of junior tennis coaching and how to make it a better experience for the coaches, players, and parents. The hope is that, through these conversations, we can get the ball rolling to improve coach education, parent education, and the overall experience of families and professionals involved in our sport.Here's a little bit more about Kyle and why he's a great guest to tackle this subject:Kyle LaCroix has a proven track record of service and success in the racquet sports industry. A RSPA (Racquet Sports Professionals Association  , Formerly USPTA) Master Professional, and a decorated industry veteran that is also certified by RSPA Padel, Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), Registro Profesional de Tenis (RPT), Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association (GPTCA) and the United States Center For Coaching Excellence (USCCE). Kyle has spent the past 25+ years as one of the foremost experts and leaders in coach development. Having worked with players of all levels, across numerous racquet sports as well as coaches, Kylebrings with him a wealth of knowledge through work at clubs and academies. Kyle has served the racquet sportsindustry in a multitude of capacities including being a RSPA Florida Division Tester/Coach Developer for 17  years and a member of the RSPA National College Curriculum Committee, The RSPA National Membership Committee, The RSPA Strategic Planning Committee as well as other board appointments. Kyle has tested, certified and mentored over 1700 individual tennis coaches from around the world.  In 2014, Kyle became the youngest recipient of the RSPA National Tester/Coach Developer of The Year Award.  Kyle is The Chief Education Officer of SETS. He holds a B.S. Degree from Ferris State University in Professional Tennis Management. A B.S. Degree in Marketing as well as an MBA from The University of Michigan. He also has an M.Ed. from Stanford University.To get in touch with Kyle, you can email him at [email protected]. You can also follow him on Twitter @SETS_Consulting and Instagram @sets_consulting.For our podcast with Kyle's wife, Lisa, go to https://parentingaces.com/podcasts/love-serving-autism-ft-lisa-pugliese-lacroix/.As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 38 of the ParentingAces Podcast! In this week's episode, Lisa is joined by Sam Parfitt, former top junior and collegiate player and the founder/CEO of The True Athlete Project (TAP).TAP has pioneered a holistic mindfulness-based approach that unleashes sport's potential to change lives across diverse contexts. They believe sport can play a powerful role in building a happier, healthier, more compassionate world. But too often, sport fails to live up to its potential, driven by a win-at-all-costs culture that dehumanizes people and leads to dropout, burnout, bullying, and disastrous mental health outcomes. TAP wants sport to be joyful and freeing, and to bring people together. They have become leaders in how to change the culture of sport, working with national and international governing bodies, community sports centers, schools, colleges, coaches, athletes, referees, and parents.Sam Parfitt holds an MSc in Sport Policy, Management and International Development from the University of Edinburgh, where he then became an associate tutor. His dissertation focused on the role of sport coaches as social change-makers. He is a certified mindfulness teacher and a USPTA professional tennis coach with experience coaching all ages and standards - from total beginners to internationally-ranked juniors.​While Sam suffered with poor health during his time in the US, Sam endeavored to use his experiences in sport - both positive and negative - to help others. His academic work centered around sport and identity, and he became intimately involved in establishing projects which used sport as an agent for social change. He worked extensively within the context of sport for at-risk Hispanic youths and won multiple awards for his efforts, including the 2012 UTC and City of Chattanooga public service award and the Coleman Lew & Associates Leadership Award.After working within an NCAA Division I athletics department, he was appointed director of athletics at Saint Peter's School - an independent K through 5th school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. There, he had the chance to create his own athletics program around a set of ideals that would help the children enjoy a positive start to their sporting careers. The program included a novel parkour program, sports poetry, mindfulness, and brought the school into the news for his inclusive and innovative approach to the holistic training of young athletes.During his time at St.Peter's School, Sam was also an NCAA Division I women's tennis coach, helping to take the Mocs to their best record for over twenty years.Sam has also worked with the Mastercard Scholars Foundation and advises several NGOs. He has delivered mindfulness to Olympians and Paralympians across over thirty sports.If you're interested in learning more about The True Athlete Project, visit their website at https://www.thetrueathleteproject.org. You can reach Sam directly via email at [email protected] always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 37 of the ParentingAces Podcast! In this week's episode, we hear from Quinn Borchard, a former top junior, college, and professional player who is now coaching his own two sons through the juniors.Parenting a child who aspires to be the best at their pursuit - whether that's in academics, the arts, or in sports - is challenging, to say the least. Parenting that child while also acting as his primary coach adds a whole new level of challenge! Quinn Borchard has taken on the challenge with both of his young sons and is doing so very successfully.In this podcast, Quinn goes into detail about his approach to both parenting and coaching his children and shares their weekly schedule and how he and his wife work together to ensure family harmony.Quinn is happy to chat with anyone looking for guidance on their own child's tennis journey. You can reach out to him through the ParentingAces Facebook Group or via email at [email protected] always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

Welcome to Season 14 Episode 36 of the ParentingAces Podcast! In this week's episode, Lisa chats with WTA tour coach and former USTA National Coach, Michael Joyce, and high-performance junior coach, Todd Widom about what true high-performance coaching looks like and what it takes to make it to the top levels of our sport.Michael was a top junior player, winning Kalamazoo in the Boys 18s, who went on to a successful professional tennis career before turning his sites to coaching. Since entering the coaching arena at age 22, he has worked with Maria Sharapova, Jessica Pegula, and Ashlyn Krueger, among others. He has also worked with numerous junior players who had their sites on becoming pro players.Todd Widom runs a successful tennis program in Florida with a focus on preparing his players for college tennis and beyond. Todd also had an amazing junior and college tennis career before embarking on the pro tour. He brings those experiences to his work as a coach today.Both of these men grew up with strict junior coaches - Robert Lansdorp and Pierre Arnold - who taught them the value of hard work, commitment, and patience. Tennis development is a long process where the focus needs to be on growth over results and rankings.To contact Michael, you can email him at [email protected] or call/text him at 407-421-4341.To contact Todd, you can email him at [email protected]. You can also follow him on Instagram at https://instagram.com/toddwidom_tennis.As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.CREDITSIntro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNEAudio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone