Interview with Mitch Bridge, owner and head tennis coach of Southern California Tennis Academy

Yesterday I talked to Mitch Bridge, owner and head tennis coach of Southern California Tennis Academy.

Q.: What is your philosophy as a man as well as a tennis coach?

A.: My philosophy as a man and a coach is to pursue your passion. Wake up each day and work at what you love and it is not really work at all. If you enjoy what you are doing, you will learn to do it well and share it with others, either by playing well and having fans enjoy watching you or training with others and helping them progress while you also progress.

Q.: You have a significant experience as an owner of tennis academies. Four years ago you moved from Colorado to California and used to work as Head Coach with Advantage Tennis Academy for three years. Why did you leave it and launched your own Southern California Tennis Academy?

A.: I have been in full-time academy ownership for 14 years. I started with Junction Tennis Academy in Colorado, where we developed many Division 1 college scholarship players. I was recruited by Advantage Tennis Academy to partner with them in 2008. After 3 years at Advantage, I decided to pursue my own program so that one development system would permeate the whole academy-one voice. In tennis you have to decide if you are going to use one technique or another, and it is very important that each player is clear on which path is best for his/her development. With one opinion at the top of a company it is easier to keep that information and development path clear for all players.

Q.: Tell me about your tennis academy. What is difference from others academies?

A.: The difference in my academy is that each player receives daily instructional semi-private lessons. This individual attention makes all the difference because the players can work on specific technique to overcome their weaknesses. It is pretty simple. Work on your weaknesses everyday to make them better so your opponents have a harder time exploiting them.

Q.:  Do you have a selection process at your academy or accept everybody?

A.: You have to be a tournament level player to attend Southern California Tennis Academy. Half of our players are ranked in the top 100 in Southern California in their divisions, and this is an incredibly strong section of the USTA.

Q.: What about your goals?  Do you want to develop Grand Slam Champion?

A.: My main goal in the next five years is to create a professional champion. I lived in Colorado for 13 years and didn’t have the talent pool, climate and tournament system to create successful touring pros, so now that I am back in Southern California, and I have a strong tennis academy, I can work on creating top level players. I will do this with players by having them succeed in Southern California first, then ITF, then ATP/WTA.

Thank you for your answers Mitch. I hope to get an interview with your tennis professional champion in five years. Good luck to you!