'THE TENNIS NOBODY' 1

Chapter 1
I could have titled this book anything, including 'Glenn Thompson Tennis' however that had as much chance of selling a copy as I have of making the main draw of next year's French Open. So I thought I would call it something that came about from a reply to a complaint, I have had several, but let me clear this up.
I have taught the sport of tennis in Albany since I was 19 years of age, for two years initially then again 12 years later after time spent in Perth, Brisbane and even Europe. On my return to Albany in 2000 I took up coaching again at the Emu Point Tennis Club, a long stone's throw from the beach at one of Albany's most popular beaches. After several years at Emu Point I moved back to my old club in town, the Lawley Park Tennis Club, a club overlooking the boat harbor with eye catching views.
Many years later a good mate of mine Ben Reynolds, a photographer explained the benefits of a blog and how it could help with business and selling my product, tennis tuition. I thought it was a good idea so an initial blog was set up but the entries on it were few and far between, I was basically not interested in 'keeping up with the Joneses'. The blog died a slow death, sorry Ben I did appreciate your efforts.
 Several years later the idea of advertising appealed once again so the Glenn Thompson Tennis Technique blog was born and a few ads in the paper gave the public a site to look at regarding who I was and what I was offering in regards to tennis.
Initially I just put some things on it to explain who I was, where I had been, my experience in the game and even my philosophies on tennis. This all changed when I developed a personal need to vent my frustrations at the game and how I felt it was turning into a 'Circus'.
By this I mean that I was seeing all sorts of things written about the game and self promotion from people who were 'teaching' it who lacked the experience to do so. I referred to them as 'Facebook Tennis Coaches', ones who had not been out of their back yards but who offered all sorts including a 'career' from the game ! I am still not certain as to what they meant from this however offering tennis as a 'career' surely is the same as offering the same odds as a needle in a haystack.
Many of my rather brutal assessments attracted some unwanted attention, none more so than from the local association President who asked me to join him and a Club President for a 'chat'. I was told that I had been a 'naughty boy' and that the content on my blog could perhaps receive a 'tweak'.
I did my best and sent off a letter of apology to the people who I offended. Personally though I still felt the chapter needed to be written as it exposed a situation locally that I still consider to this day to be a farce of epic proportions ( I won't go into it for fear of legal repercussions). Anyhow I was off the hook so to speak, free to write albeit a little more carefully.
My next complaint actually came from a Tennis Coach who took offence to something I had written, someone who had obviously been given my site's address and someone who felt they were being targeted by my content. I had heard of this person and I felt a little uncomfortable with their complaint as I knew they weren't a 'Facebook' coach so I got back in touch, politely.
I explained who I was and why I write what I do, in fact I sent back the equivalent of an A4 size piece of paper with many examples of why I am argumentative toward certain people and organizations. No reply. I did in fact send this person a congratulations not long ago for not only 'talking the talk' but for 'walking the walk' as they won a tennis tournament against some fairly decent opposition.
I was genuine in my praise for this person as my views on 'Facebook Tennis Coaches' remain, they look and sound great but they really don't know much about tennis. Most of them are too frightened to play a tournament as they may just be exposed for who they really are.
I think this person and I are now 'cool', I hope so as I do not target the 'real' coaches of this sport. The coach in question sent me back a thank you and basically said 'no hard feelings', so I believe I have been forgiven. Personally I have never stated that I am a 'guru' of the sport, quite the opposite really, I just have a view on it that I have acquired over the last 33 years of playing it.
I have never charged more than $40 for a tennis lesson and the only reason I once charged that amount was because that figure was suggested. A Production Company was in town and they needed their lead actress to look as though she knew how to play tennis for one of their scenes,I was happy to oblige.
Briony Stewart from the series 'Lochie Lennard' knew less than nothing about tennis (sorry Briony) but by the end of her second session she was looking like someone who knew a little bit. I asked the company how much I should charge and they told me surfing was costing them $50 to learn per hour so I dropped it by ten bucks.
I didn't even get a mention in the credits of that episode but it was a great tennis scene and Briony looked like Sharapova on the service action. Perhaps my only claim to fame in the sport but one I was and am still proud of.
I have never produced a champion, probably never will but not many coaches do, it's a tough sport to teach, a tougher sport to play. I am a tennis realist in a needle in a haystack type of sport where the odds of even winning your local championship are slim.
I write about this sport because I have always felt that tennis has a mystique about it that most sports do not. It's more a mind game than anything else and my mind is like a tin of worms, always has been since I was a kid. It's helped me in some ways, hindered me in others but I am who I am, a nobody of the game who ended up winning a tennis tournament not far from Paris.
I am just another tennis junkie who had a go at the highest level before the pros but fell short due to lack of ability and failure of mind. One of many.....