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Reed Anderson Tennis School
Rancho Mirage, California

Kevin Pilon found out about the Reed Anderson Reed Anderson Tennis School Tennis School by accident, when business took him from his home near Hartford, Connecticut, to Palm Springs, California, and the Westin Mission Hills Resort. But he was so taken by Anderson's approach to teaching that he came back on vacation five months later, this time with his wife and teenage son, bent on doing another three days of the school.

"He gives you only one thing to think about, but that correction somehow fixes the other six things that are also wrong," Pilon says of Anderson's instruction. "And beyond that I like the format, the mix of drills, thought, strategy, and then playing. For me, that works."

Overview

A former college and satellite player, Anderson has logged more than two decades on the teaching court, including a stint in Lake Tahoe the 1970s with Billie Jean King and Dennis Van der Meer's TennisAmerica program. He's run his own school since 1982. All that experience has made him a gifted diagnostician, a man who, as Pilon discovered, sees through to the essential flaw and focuses on that.

Yet Anderson is not a exactly household name, even in households full of tennis players. One reason he isn't is, Reed Anderson paradoxically, one very good reason why he deserves to be: Anderson has allowed his school to grow to the point where it's profitable yet not so large that he can't get to know and personally help every student who comes to him. He has long used ball machines to feed so he and his pros can work directly with students on their side of the net. "The older I get the more I realize you have to do certain things to hit the ball right," says Anderson.

Nevertheless, he eschews any particular system, preferring instead to adapt his teaching to each individual. "I think I'm more flexible than ever, no schedule, no program," he adds. "My real skill lies in getting the most out of people's games. People leave and they're hitting the ball better but they don't realize what happened. They don't think I've changed much but I've changed a lot." He's also unusual in stressing play almost as much as technique. A three-hour session typically devotes half the time to instruction and drills and the other half to supervised doubles with advice on strategy and tactics.

From October to May, Anderson offer two-, three-, and five-day packages with the option of three or five hours a day of gruop instruction. All of his clinics have a spontaneous feel, as if he altered the drills and approach as he went along, making things up to suit each particular group and, perhaps, his own mood. Rather than lecture during water breaks, Anderson lets the conversation wander wherever the group wants it to go. It may start with observations about the pros or questions like "What's the one word that describes your state of mind in a match?" but almost never ends with tennis. Pilon finds that refreshing. "I like the relaxed talk between drills about sports, tennis, life," he says. "After three days with Reed I felt like we'd gone to college together. We got into a lot of stuff."

Those who book Anderson's school can sometimes get reduced rates on rooms at the 550-room Westin, which also has two golf courses, a courtside fitness center and spa, a restaurant, and a free-form pool with a waterslide; however, there are many places to stay in the Desert (see Rates below for a link to options). Its location, at the northern edge of Rancho Mirage, puts it within easy striking distance of everything in "The Desert," from attractions, shops, and restaurants in Palm Springs proper to those in Palm Desert and communities to the south and east.

Your Call

Here's what others have had to say about Reed Anderson Tennis School.

""—D.L., May 2008

"The clinic was awesome. Reed and his assistant provided great fastmoving tennis instruction along with a fun personality and unique flair. It was well worth the reasonable price and I would definitely attend again. The ONLY weakness was that there were no refreshment cafes within immediate walking distance. We just needed to bring plenty of fluid to stay hydrated."—S.K., Adv. Int., April 2008

""—L.B., Int., April 2008

"Reed's clinics are great. He took my 3,0 team to Nationals several years ago. We have now moved up to 4.0 thanks to his help. His teaching style varies according to skill level. Just when you think you know it all, he keeps improving our games. We will miss him in Sunriver this summer."—L.R., Adv., April 2008

"Have been multiple times to Reed Anderson's Tennis School in Sunriver. Reed is very good at offering a few simple, executable suggestions that really help. Early and late in the season we got phenomenal personal attention from Reed. We go to tennis camp to improve our games and fitness. We're not interested in welcome parties and mixers so the program fits us well. Sorry to see Reed isn't running a tennis camp in SunRiver this summer."—E.R., Adv., April 2008

"I'm a new tennis player at age 65 with one year experience. Although I got basic tennis training elsewhere, I now go to Reed's school about once a month because he has improved my game and ability to play tennis significantly. Reed has a unique ability to quickly identify areas for improvement and then work with you to change with confidence what needs to be done and the drills to build those needed skills. My goal is to play competitive tennis and since I'm a late starter with minimal time experience Reed's work with me has already made such a difference in playing against more experienced players. I highly recommend Reed Anderson for those who want to really improve their game. He also makes it fun to learn."—T.H., Low Int., April 2008

"Reed and his staff offer very good personal teaching attention. Reed takes a thoughtful approach to improving each student's game. His relaxed style and sense of humor help put participants at ease, while encouraging them to make the changes necessary in order to "take it up a notch". The setting is beautiful, too."—A.B., Int., April 2008

"Reed Anderson was very accommodating and worked hard to focus on the areas we wished to improve."—N.S., Int., April 2008

"Coaching staff is sooooo fun and knowledgable!!!! You can get help on the basic skills of tennis and learn important game strategy and concepts all in one lesson."—E.D., Int., April 2008

"Strengths: Informal, friendly, fun, able to arrange clinics and lessons with little lead time.
Weakness: While there are many drills, there is not enough individualized correction or instruction."—T.F., Adv. Int., April 2008

"The staff is relaxed, friendly, and eager to get you playing tennis so you can win and have fun. These are the strengths. I do not know of any particular weakness."—R.C., Int., April 2008

"I have attended this camp as well as Dennis Ralston's at the Boulders. The groups at Reed Anderson are smaller and, as a result, the instruction is more personalized. Reed and his staff are technically helpful, and leave you with stroke keys to work and and which work. More importantly, the sessions are fun. Tennis is, after all, play. By the end of the third day a half day clinics I was quite sore."—R.D., Int., April 2008

Rate Reed Anderson Tennis School

Travel Essentials

Seasons. The school runs from October to May.

General Tourist Information. Visit the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention & Visitors Authority web site or contact them at 69-930 Hwy. 111, Suite 201, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270. Phone: 760-770-9000 or 800-967-3767 or Fax: 760-770-9001.

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