Joe Hauser from the European Tennis Academy explains in the Interivew with tennisnet. com what’s behind the organisation, gives an overview of the tennis camps and has also brought along interesting offers!
tennisnet. com: Mr. Hauser, what exactly is behind the European Tennis Academy?
Joe Hauser: We have been running tennis camps in several European countries for many years. Our main market is currently Switzerland, partly because of a close partnership with Swiss Tennis. In addition, we are strongly involved with the camps in Austria and South Tyrol, so-called car destinations, which our customers can easily reach by car.
tennisnet. com: Now there is also a successful cooperation with the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia. Here too, ETA organises tennis camps.
Hauser: Right. This partnership has been in existence for three years now. In this context, we also considered promotion and marketing activities for the German market. I think the Forte Village is very interesting for the clubs and their preparation for the season. Once from mid-March to the end of April/beginning of May. And then again in autumn, October and November. This can be a very nice extension of the summer season in this wonderful ambience. For small groups, also for families and single players.
tennisnet. com: And what about the other goals?
Hauser: We have leased the facilities all year round. In some cases we also offer very attractive combinations of ski and tennis. Different variants are possible here. Group trips, but also trips for individualists or couples. We also like to combine tennis with wellness offers. Depending on the season, the offers are tailor-made. Basically, tennis is the focal point, but there is always added value.
tennisnet. com: What can tennis players expect from their travels?
Hauser: We always want to give the player a positive input. And not to confront him with anything he does wrong. Almost always the biggest opponent for a player is his own voice in the head. And here we try to work on and influence these psychological aspects in a pleasant way, in the Mental Match Play (MMP). We have a trained sports psychologist in our team, his name is Kurt Wiederkehr, who works very intensively with the respective coaches.
tennisnet. com: How do players learn how to deal with the tiresome pressure in competitive situations?
Hauser: It is very important to get used to certain rituals. Clear, structured processes. After all, they create security and confidence in their own abilities. You can see that even with big players like Rafael Nadal. They eliminate much of what is going on around them. Just do their own thing. We also attach great importance to qualitative training. Not to endless repetitions.
tennisnet. com: Nevertheless, you are confronted with a lot of players in the caps, who deal very negatively with themselves, talk to themselves and seem to be undisciplined. Is it possible to turn this around, can you really still influence it?
Hauser: We have also developed clear instructions for action. If we see someone who is constantly struggling with himself, we interrupt. And say, comparable to a computer: press the reset button, reorder yourself. And then start all over again, so to speak. And you have to be very consistent. It’s no different in professional life. To say at some point: Now do not bite you in this matter. Turn it off. And make another run for it.
tennisnet. com: Are the offers actually aimed at all players?
Hauser: Yes, absolutely. We have had everything from beginners to demanding club players. But we also develop tailor-made programs for everyone. Basically, I would say: we are not a drill camp now, but focus our attention on the mental side of sport, on communicative elements. Of course, we also work in the video sector, but are more focused on aspects such as body language. And not the technical dismantling of a shot, for example.
tennisnet. com: How long do the camps usually last?
Hauser: Two variants have proved their worth: Once from Sunday to Thursday, i. e. four days. Or a whole week. And that applies to all goals. Many of our customers also come for ten days. Then you want to get involved.
tennisnet. com: The Forte Village is especially attractive in March and April – right?
Hauser: That’s right. We have really great offers. It is important to mention that the space rental is included in each case, as well as a thalassotherapy tour. You don’t have to bring any material, balls or similar. Practically everything in the squares is taken care of. In addition, everything else is also available in top quality, such as the large pools. There are also football fields and basketball courts for young people. You just have to be clear: we offer this at affordable prices.
tennisnet. com: Would the Forte Village’s seven-day stay be more likely?
Hauser: Yes, definitely the variant with seven or even ten days. And one thing is simply beautiful: in March and April you have great weather, leave the grey and rain behind you. May possibly have some wonderful days around Easter.
tennisnet. com: And do you offer different training intensities?
Hauser: That turned out to be sensible. For example, with a bronze package you can get a taste of this training work and see how you like it. And maybe do more next time. There are gold, silver and bronze packages. We also take a close look at what it looks like with people’s playing strength. If we have players who may not fit ideally into the group, depending on the class, we also convert the training into individual training. We don’t want to force different players into a group. You usually have fun when you have an opponent who has about his or her own playing strength.