Projects

In this episode, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson sit down with Tim Ross, who spent over a decade at Ernst & Young before making a full-time leap into tennis coaching. Tim shares his early years at the Julian Krinsky School of Tennis, how mentors like Arvin Aravindhan and David Detweiler shaped his development, and how his corporate background now helps him approach coaching with structure and intention.

Tim also discusses his time volunteering with the Isha Foundation and how meditation, breathwork, and inner-work practices have transformed his emotional control and on-court performance. The conversation explores practical tools players can use, breathing patterns, mantras, routines, and daily habits, to develop calm intensity, stronger focus, and a healthier relationship with competition.

Episode 276 finishes with insight into junior tennis culture, the pressures young players face, and why mindset training must accompany technical training. Tim starts his new coaching role at Doylestown Tennis Club, and Steve and Dave offer advice, encouragement, and stories from decades of teaching and competing.

In this episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson highlight the final two pillars of the GreatBase curriculum: Bill Jacobson, the pioneer of CompuTennis and modern match charting, and Vic Braden, whose scientific approach revolutionized how the game is taught. They discuss how both men were decades ahead of their time—using data, geometry, physics, and fact-based instruction long before the rest of the tennis world caught up.

teve and Dave share stories from the early days of charting, insights from Vic Braden’s research, and examples of how these principles still shape effective player development today. They also connect these lessons to the upcoming Tennis Golden Growth Opportunity workshop at Ave Maria University, where their goal is to honor past teachers and bring true tennis education back to the forefront.

Episode 275 is a must-listen for coaches, parents, players, and anyone who believes tennis should be taught with clarity, accuracy, and purpose.

In this episodeIn this episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson continue their series on the eight pillars of the GreatBase curriculum, focusing on two coaching icons, Peter Burwash and Harry Hopman. They explore how Burwash set new...

In this episodeIn this episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson discuss two of the most influential minds behind the GreatBase philosophy: Dr. Jim Leohr and Coach Jim Verdieck. Through stories, lessons, and personal experiences, they...

In this episodeIn this episode, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson discuss the upcoming GreatBase Tennis workshop at Ave Maria University (Dec 18–20). They reflect on the enduring coaching philosophies of two key pillars of their curriculum: Welby Van Horn and Dennis...

In this episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson announce a three-day workshop set for December at Ave Maria University. Open to all, the event aims to spotlight tennis’s “golden growth opportunity” by focusing on the eight core pillars of the GreatBase curriculum and beyond.

They discuss the need to improve tennis coaching at all levels, not just through better technique but through deeper lessons in character, discipline, and education. From grip fundamentals to life skills, episode 271 reinforces that developing great players starts with developing better teachers.

In this episodeSteve Smith and Dave Anderson introduce a “Sunrise to Sunset” tennis fundraiser planned for Ave Maria University. Inspired by a past event in Texas, the goal is to raise support for junior players through a fun, community-driven day of tennis. They...

In this episodeIn this episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith is joined by co-host Dave Anderson, Tim Ross, and special guest Max Fomine. Max is a Moldovan-born coach whose path to tennis is as unique as it is inspiring. Max shares his family's...

In this episodeIn this episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith is joined by Dave Anderson and Ryan Fleming for a reflective and forward-looking conversation about the launch of a new tennis program at Ave Maria University in Southwest Florida. Steve...

In this episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith sits down with longtime friend and coach Ryan Fleming for a reflective and practical conversation about tennis, coaching, and leadership. Fleming shares his journey from hitting on a cinder block wall in North Carolina to playing college tennis for Chuck Kriese at Clemson, and eventually finding the GreatBase system, which reshaped his technique, mindset, and career.

They discuss the frustrations of not being taught the fundamentals earlier, how hitting left-handed changed Ryan’s perspective, and the transformative power of clear, fact-based instruction. Ryan also shares insights from his time managing over 100 coaches at TennisBloc and his new role as Director of Racquet Sports at Wintergreen Resort in Virginia. The episode closes with programming ideas for Wintergreen, thoughts on doubles as a development tool, and the value of teaching players and coaches how to truly improve.