The Adam Blicher Show: Dissecting High Performance

Episode 3 of Winning Words – The Audiobook Series is now live! As I’m releasing this episode, I just hit 99 reviews on Goodreads and Amazon combined—and I can’t tell you how proud I am of that. Even more surreal: we just crossed 1,000 copies sold. When I first published Winning Words, my goal was to maybe reach 500 readers in the first year. Hitting that number in just 2.5 months has been overwhelming in the best way possible. If you’ve read the book and found it valuable – thank you. And if you haven’t left a review yet, I’d be incredibly grateful if you took a moment to do so. Honest reviews help spread the word and make sure the next 1,000 coaches get access to these tools too. Now – let’s get into Chapter 3: Building Trust and Connection. How do you earn true buy-in from players? Why trust isn’t something you demand – it’s something you build. How to balance connection and professionalism without becoming “just a friend.” A practical framework for adapting to how your players learn and communicate. In short: Connection comes before correction. If a player doesn’t trust you, your coaching won’t stick. This chapter will help you deepen the relationship, adapt your message, and communicate in a way that opens the door – not shuts it. Heads up: You don’t have to wait for each chapter to drop. More and more coaches are taking advantage of the full audiobook version – because, let’s be real, most coaches don’t read books anymore. I’ve recently become a dad, and I barely have time to sit down with a paperback. If it’s not a podcast or audiobook, I probably don’t get through it. So if you’re like me – jumping between lessons, matches, and long drives – having the full audiobook in your pocket just makes sense. Get instant access to the full audiobook for the same price as the paperback ($14.99).Just email me at adamblicher@gmail.com and I’ll send it over personally. With all the waiting time we have as coaches – between sets, on the road, during rain delays – Winning Words in audio is a smart investment. You can actually absorb it, and more importantly, apply it. Right there on the court. Grab your copy of Winning Words here:https://tinyurl.com/WinningWordsAB Thanks again for your support. Let’s keep helping players grow—by becoming the most trusted coach in their corner. Let me know what stood out to you from this chapter. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Chapter 2 of Winning Words is now live! Want the full audiobook now? Email me at adamblicher@gmail.com to get access to the entire audiobook for the same price as the paperback ($14.99). Otherwise, new chapters will drop as episodes over the coming months. In this episode, we dive into Chapter 2: Beyond the Backhand – Why great coaching starts by understanding the person, not just the player Personality & Communication – How different types of players tick, and how to adapt your coaching to get through to each of them Gender, Culture, and Sensitive Topics – How to coach without falling into stereotypes or ignoring what matters most Tools & Tips – From using personality profiles to spotting key behavioral patterns that impact performance The truth is: you can’t coach effectively if you don’t know the person you’re coaching. This chapter helps you build deeper understanding, adapt your message, and connect in ways that build trust and boost performance. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to uncover what drives your players—and how to use that insight to coach more consciously and effectively. Grab your copy of Winning Words here:https://tinyurl.com/WinningWordsAB I’d love to hear what stands out most to you!

Many of you have been asking for an audiobook version of Winning Words—and now it’s here! Want the full audiobook right away? You can get immediate access to the entire audiobook for the same price as the paperback ($14.99) by emailing me at adamblicher@gmail.com. Otherwise, the rest of the book will be released in episodes over the coming months. In this episode, we dive into Chapter 1: The Power of Clear Roles & Expectations – Why strong coaching relationships start long before stepping on the tennis court Avoiding Misalignment – How thorough conversations can prevent misunderstandings between coaches, players, and parents Making the Right Coaching Decisions – Evaluating whether a player-coach relationship is the right fit One of the most overlooked aspects of coaching success isn’t just what you teach—but how you communicate expectations and structure relationships. This chapter breaks down how to establish clear roles, set mutual expectations, and navigate tough decisions—ensuring trust, respect, and alignment from day one. Grab a copy of Winning Words here:https://tinyurl.com/WinningWordsAB I’d love to hear your thoughts!

You Asked for It – Here It Is! Many of you have been asking for an audiobook version of Winning Words – and now it’s here! Want the full audiobook right away? You can get immediate access to the entire audiobook for the same price as the paperback ($14.99) by emailing me at adamblicher@gmail.com. Otherwise, the rest of the book will be released in episodes over the coming months. In this episode, you’ll hear: The initial spark – how Winning Words came to life and why communication became my focus Overcoming Communication Hurdles – real-life coaching struggles that shaped the book’s prologue Unlocking the Power of Communication – why mastering the way we speak, listen, and interact elevates coaching effectiveness If you’ve been curious about the thought process behind Winning Words and how it can help you become a more impactful coach, this episode is for you! Grab a copy of Winning Words here: https://tinyurl.com/WinningWordsAB I’d love to hear your thoughts!

In this special episode, I’m diving into something truly fascinating—AI has taken on Winning Words – How to Unlock Potential Through Communication as a Tennis Coach and condensed the entire book into just 30 minutes! Using Notebook LMN, this AI-generated episode pulls out the most essential lessons from the book’s three key sections—Off-Court, On-Court, and At Tournaments—and the accuracy is mind-blowing. In this episode, you’ll hear: How AI breaks down the fundamentals of relationship-building with players The key takeaways on how to communicate information effectively as a coach The essential framework for helping players perform at their best in tournaments If you’re looking for a fast-track guide to the most powerful coaching communication insights, this AI-powered recap is an episode you don’t want to miss! Grab a copy of Winning Words here: https://tinyurl.com/WinningWordsAB I’d love to hear your thoughts!

In this special episode, I’m thrilled to share some exciting news with you—I’ve written a book! Winning Words – How to Unlock Potential Through Communication as a Tennis Coach is finally here, and I couldn’t be more excited to tell you all about it. But that’s not all… As a special thank you to my loyal listeners and the tennis coaching community, I’m making the entire audiobook version of Winning Words available for free right here on the podcast! In this episode, I’ll dive into: Why I wrote Winning Words How it can help you become a better coach What you can expect from the audiobook series How better communication can unlock your players’ full potential If you’ve been following the podcast and found value in the insights shared over the years, this book is the next step in taking your coaching game to new heights. Grab a copy of the paperback here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRTK3ZZW?psc=1&smid=A1Y53T3O3Q25L8&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp I’d love to hear your thoughts on the book and how it helps you in your coaching journey. Let’s keep learning and growing together!

  Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Kyle LaCroix. Kyle holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Stanford University. He is among a bunch of other certifications a USTA High Performance Coach and last year he was named USPTA Master Professional which is the highest achievable rating a tennis professional can hold. On a day-to-day basis Kyle is running Sets consulting that specializes in educational tennis solutions, You’ll get to know: How to adapt and set high standards How to balance work-life as a tennis coach How to consider the legacy that you leave behind Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:00 The shared denominators of great coaches 05:30 No connection, no direction 08:30 Balancing adaptability 11:15 Adaptability and standards 12:40 How to communicate standards 15:30 Work life balance as a tennis coach 21:45 Failure 26:25 The semantics around failure 31:10 The best way to fight negativity 36:30 Holding up your end of the bargain + flicking with the wrist 48:50 On court coaching – for it against it 53:45 Is serve and volley on it’s way back to tennis? 60:15 My aces my faults – owning your mistakes, gratitude and perspective The post #101: Kyle LaCroix – It’s not WHAT a coach does, it’s HOW appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

  Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Emma Doyle. Emma has been coaching for the past 30 years. She is a Tennis Australia High Performance Coach, tennis touring professional and a talent developmental coach. Emma is big on what she calls the “E-factors” Energy, Empathy and enjoyment. You’ll get to know: How to use future based questions How to use sticky language When to use direct- and indirect coaching Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:30 What makes a great tennis coach 04:00 Listen 06:30 Future based questions 12:00 Sticky language 14:45 Direct vs indirect coaching 21:20 Questioning 25:00 WTCA 26:30 Team values 30:00 Habitual words 30:45 Keep knocking on doors and don’t take it personally 31:45 The importance of cringing 32:40 It doesn’t matter if you have the prettiest technique 34:30 Tennis exposes who you are 35:00 Gamification and anchoring 36:30 Emma’s inspirations 38:00 Emma’s advice to players, parents and coaches 40:15 How to get in contact with Emma The post #100: Emma Doyle – To really listen, you have to ask great questions appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

  Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Peter Lundgren. Peter might be best known for coaching 3 world number ones in Marcello Rios, Roger Federer and Marat Safin, but he was a great player himself with a ranking high of #25 ATP and 3 ATP titles to his name. Besides the previously mentioned players Peter has had coaching stints with the likes of Marcos Baghdatis, Francesca Schiavone, Grigor Dimitrov and Stanislas Wawrinka. You’ll get to know: How it is being a traveling tennis coach and a father The differences between Federer and Safin Why balls are good for spectators, but bad for players Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:30 Dealing with different tennis players 03:00 The difference between Federer and Safin 05:30 Dealing with being a traveling tennis coach and a father 07:30 Deciding on the size of your entourage as a player 09:30 Dealing with tennis parents 11:00 Peter’s lessons from coaching in Houston for 10 years 13:30 The Francesca Schiavone story 16:40 Why you should play on clay 18:30 Why new balls are good for spectators and bad for players 19:30 The player-coach employment 21:00 The good bad and ugly part of being a traveling coach 23:00 Biggest lesson in tennis; be humble 23:15 Tribute to Bjorn Borg 24:30 Peter Lundgren’s tennis advice The post #99: Peter Lundgren – The good, bad & ugly part of being a traveling Tennis Coach appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

  Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Howard Green. Howard spent six years in the Royal Marines Commandos. Serving in Iraq and Afghanistan he has extensive experience in preparing ITF, ATP and WTA players and Currently Howard is the Head of Strength and Conditioning at USN Bolton Arena High Performance Tennis Academy which he has been for ten+ years. You’ll get to know: Non-ego-confidence Setting up physical fundamentals for tennis players What tennis players can learn from the Marines Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:30 Rehersal 03:40 Mnemonics 07:40 Non-ego confidence 11:10 Why the Super Movers programme 15:20 Providing tennis players with the best possible fundamentals 22:00 What the Super Movers programme is all about 28:30 The key shapes 32:00 Determining the load of tennis drills 36:00 S&C on the professional Tennis Circuit 40:00 Speed up learning by sharing on social 42:00 Don’t be afraid to copy experienced coaches 43:30 The application of bungees in tennis 46:00 Don’t take away the tennis player’s opportunity to learn 47:30 You have to do extra The post #98: Howard Green – Stand out, but don’t burn out appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

  In this episode you are going to listen to Michael Geserer. Michael did not pick up a tennis racquet until the age of 17 but managed to play qualifying for all Slams and a career high singles ranking of #198. Formerly Michael has among other coaches Julia Goerges and is currently the coach of Jen Brady. You’ll get to know: Jen Brady’s attitude during Covid-19 How to plan so you can adjust The importance of empathy and listening Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:30 Communication with a player during Covid-19 03:50 Jen Brady’s approach and attitude in the Covid-19 period 05:15 Looking forward to the Australian tennis swing 2021 06:15 The German Tennis Coaching License 07:30 Planning as a tennis coach to adjust towards the outcomes 08:10 Empathy and listening 09:10 Respect 10:25 The tennis player and the whole human being is closely connected 11:55 The opportunity to practice in Regensburg 12:30 The environment in Regensburg 13:15 Experience and passion 13:45 Use your time it’s valuable 14:30 Learn and gather information 14:50 Surround yourself with positive people 15:15 I believe in planning 15:40 Swedish tennis coaches have predominantly been the inspiration 16:15 Long term commitments > short term commitments 17:00 How to go about long-term commitments with a player 18:30 How reach Michael Geserer The post #97: Michael Geserer – There are no short cuts in tennis appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

  Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Luke Passman. Luke worked 6 years at the Soto Tennis Academy as the Head of Sport Science Support and have for the past 2 years been the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator at The New York Mets. You’ll get to know: The Google Earth Analogy Why and how to quantify Tennis drills What Tennis can learn from Baseball Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:30 How to safely progress serve count in tennis 08:00 Using the Google earth analogy to help tennis players 11:00 Why there is a need to quantify tennis drills 15:30 How to balance intensity, repetitions and volume in tennis practices 18:00 How to plan a tennis player’s weekly practices from a physical point of view 20:10 How tennis coaches can approach S&C coaches to plan a tennis player’s schedule 24:00 What tennis can learn from baseball 27:10 What Luke would change where he to go back to Tennis S&C 29:30 Why you need to build strong relationships as an S&C Coach 30:45 Problem solving coaching and how to get organizations to change 31:30 Why technology needs to be on tap not on top 332:40 The biggest myth is that tennis players can’t lift weights 34:50 How different approaches work in different cultures 36:00 Favorite Books: “The Chimp Paradox” and “Conscious Coaching” 37:00 Luke Passman’s advice to tennis players, parents and coaches 38:00 How to stay updated on Luke Passman The post #96: Luke Passman – “How to safely increase the number of serves” appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

  Hi guys, in this episode you are going to listen to Carl Maes. Carl spent 6 years at the LTA as Head of Women’s tennis, he has been the director at the Kim Clijsters Academy and have coached the likes of Kirsten Flipkens, Yanina Wickmayer, Sorana Cirstea and Kim Clijsters for more than 10 years. Carl is currently the Director of High Performance at the Tenerife Tennis Academy where his aim is to establish an international training environment for high performance players and he is further a part of the expert team at Orange Coach Exchange where it’s possible to attend Webinars with all of the experts or smaller “Locker room sessions” with Carl or get his advice all by yourself in 1 to 1 sessions. You’ll get to know: Why the arm shouldn’t be fully extended on the serve What the zone of truth is 3 essential aspects to include in women’s warm up Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:50 Why we need to hit outside the tennis court 04:25 How to organize the practice court with 3 players on court 07:20 The Zone of truth 10:05 Why the arm shouldn’t be fully extended on the tennis serve 12:50 Anticipation > execution in the drive volley 18:50 The 70-70 Concept for female tennis players 21:05 Practicing the 3rd ball during the warmup for female players 24:20 Put tools in your toolbox and then learn how to apply them 26:50 Making Tenerife the new European Dubai of tennis 28:20 If you have a why you will find the how 30:20 More money poured into your child’s tennis is not always better 30:20 More money poured into your child’s tennis is not always better 32:20 Know where you in the tennis land scape as a tennis coach 34:20 Emotional intelligent leadership 37:10 Zoom out and reflect before you act 40:20 How to reach Carl Maes The post #95: Carl Maes – Why we sometimes should practice hitting outside of the court appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Nick Horvat. Nick has been the assistant coach of Mario Ancic and coached the likes of Sofya Zhuk, Timea Babos and Donna Vekic. Since 2015 he has further been a scouting agent for Yonex. You’ll get to know: Why it’s not always a mental problem How to get the best out of practices at tennis tournament Why education is important for tennis players Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:00 The Mario Ancic story 04:40 Why it’s not always a mental problem 07:10 Getting the best out of practices at tennis tournaments 10:50 The power of basics 14:00 Choices 15:30 Physical and mental capacity as a tennis player 20:50 The importance of repetition 22:05 Practicing what you preach 23:15 Practice matches 26:20 Inspiring players 27:40 Why education is important for tennis players 30:40 The importance of patience as a tennis coach 31:20 Perfectionism < good enough 32:06 The possible pitfall of changing tennis coaches 32:40 How tennis teaches commitment 33:45 How Nick Bolletieri was a pioneer in tennis 35:00 The medals are for the ones who are ready to dig deeper 35:45 How to stay updated on Nick Horvat The post #94: Nick Horvat – The Power of Basics appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

Emilio is a former top 10 singles player and world number 1 doubles player. He is a 5-time Grand Slam winner and won the Hopman Cup alongside his sister Arantxa in 1990. After he retired as a player, he set up the Sanchez Casal Tennis Academy with his former doubles partner Sergio Casal in 1998 where former students include Daniela Hantuchova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Grigor Dimitrov and Andy Murray. He captained Spain to Davis Cup victory in 2008 and was in 2017 awarded the ITF’s highest accolade, the Phlippe Chatrier Award, for his contributions to tennis You’ll get to know: About empathy and connection How you need to care and have a strong voice What you’ll learn from tennis for life Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:00 The coach needs to be behind the player 04:25 Ex pro tennis players have an advantage, but… 07:15 The ideal coach has to care and have a strong voice 08:45 Empathy is key in tennis coaching 13:05 The difference on the best and the rest in tennis 18:15 Habits build character 22:30 Respect, effort and discipline no matter your tennis level 28:00 What you will learn from tennis as a human being 32:35 The line, height and speed of the ball 34:00 The mindset of a tennis player 36:45 The tennis triad 39:40 How to stay updated on Emilio Sanchez Vicario The post #93: Emilio Sanchez Vicario – Habits build Character appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Hans-Peter Born. Peter was for 26 years in charge of coaches’ education and 14 and Under development in the DTB (the German tennis federation). During his tenure at the DTB Peter has overseen the development of the likes of Laura Sigemund, Sabine Lisicki, Angelique Kerber and Sasha Zverev. Peter has been a part of the ITF coaches commission since 1996 and even though he is recently retired from his position at the DTB he can’t help himself from being engaged in the world of tennis on and off the court. You’ll get to know: About Junior Tennis Player Development now and then Peter’s thoughts on traveling abroad as a junior tennis player How Peter has changed his mind on changing grips Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:00 A new priority in practices 03:49 Intensity in practices 05:00 Placement of serve, return + 1 in tennis practices 06:36 Beginner vs performance player 07:50 Create open game situations on the tennis practice court 09:12 60-80 serves in a 90-120-minute practice 10:55 There is a difference on a 1980 and 2020 Porsche 12:30 The difference between before and now in junior tennis development 15:40 The amount of international travel at an early age 18:00 Moderate travel 12U + 14U internationally 20:30 The change of carpet courts 21:15 Always have a purpose as a tennis coach 22:00 Changing grips 24:45 Communication is key 26:15 Clearing roles between coaches and players 27:35 Less is more as a tennis coach 28:35 Rather 90 good minutes than 180 average ones 29:10 Why the resistance against changing the practice court 30:35 Hans Peter Born’s inspirations 32:55 Hans Peter Born’s advice to tennis parents, tennis coaches and tennis players 33:20 How to stay updated on Hans Peter BornThe post #92: Hans-Peter Born – A new priority on the tennis practice court appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

Hi guys, In this episode you are going to listen to Mike Barrel. Mike has taught tennis for 30+ years and is the founder and CEO of evolve9. He specialises in coach education and program management for tennis coaches and centres. Among others he has worked on programs for USTA, Tennis Australia and the LTA. You’ll get to know: About the police, doctor and bartender About over- and under achievers How to actively listen Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:00 The police, the doctor and the bartender 05:25 The 3 learning principles 07:15 Creating independent critical thinkers 09:35 How when you are born influences who you will develop into 15:50 Over and under achievers 21:25 Active listening 27:25 Kids perception of time 30:10 Why we need to appreciate “sticky” in a training group 38:30 Having a question mark rather than an exclamation mark 42:00 Shut up and listen 42:30 Broad vs narrow 43:35 Be aware of how data is interpreted 45:00 Mark’s favourite books 45:25 Mark’s favorite persons 47:35 Mark Barrell’s advice to tennis players, parents and coaches 49:40 How to stay updated on Mike Barrell The post #91: Mike Barrell – It’s my game. Getting tennis players to think, play and explore appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

Hi guys, in this episode you get to listen to Izo Zunic Izo is a tennis coach with a special passion for personal development. For the past 7 years he has been coaching on the WTA tour where he has coached the likes of Ani Mijacika, Tereza Mrdeza and Magda Linette. He is a part of the Star River Professional Tennis Team and runs the IMP-attitude community. You’ll get to know: How simplicity > complexity How ressourcefullness > ressources Why you need to clear roles and goals Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:00 How Izo Zunic got into coaching on the professional tour 03:25 The Star River Professional Tennis Club 04:10 The start of IMP Attitude 06:46 Imp-attitude 15:25 The obstacle is the way 17:45 Be the shark in the ocean not in the aquarium 19:00 Creating a community to feel accountable 20:00 Simplicity always win against complexity 21:00 Copy habits not coaching methodologies 21:30 You do not know what you do not know 22:25 You don’t lack resources you lack resourcefulness 23:25 The information is available, how we use it is the question 24:35 Roles and goals 25:30 How to connect with Izo ZunicThe post #90: Izo Zunic – If you change the way you see things, things you see change appeared first on AdamBlicher.com.

Hi guys, in this episode you get to listen to Carlos Goffi. Carlos’ coaching career began in 1975 at the Port Washington Tennis Academy in New York, by recommendation from his mentor Harry Hopman. He has written the book “Tournament Tough”, directed Nike tennis camps for 30+ years and been the coach of both John and Patrick McEnroe. You’ll get to know: How to separate green, yellow and red points Why “Play your game” might be a misleading advice The difference between hitters and players Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:00 Tournament Tough 13:40 Green, Yellow and Red points 17:00 The importance of the 2nd serve in tennis 23:35 Why “Play your game” might be a misleading advice  25:10 The difference between Players and hitters  42:25 Don’t work on the strokes until you can’t hit a ball anymore’ 45:40 You miss more than you make in tennis 46:30 What tennis is about 50:10  Harry Hopman’s tennis legacy 52:25 Only 100 tennis players are professionals 55:35 What happens when you put the best players together

Hi guys, in this episode you get to listen to Michael Baroch. Michael was coached as a junior by the legendary Tony Roche and went on to becoming Tony’s understudy and hitting partner for Ivan Lendl. He has had coaching stints with Mark Philippoussis and Maria Sharapova. Worked with the Vietnamese and Chinese Davis Cup Teams. Currently Mark is the founding director of Coaching at MITS (Melbourne International School) which has a base in Melbourne and Singapore. You’ll get to know: Why the best players improve fast The importance of getting to know the person How Ivan Lendl taught him attention to detail Enjoy the show! Timestamps 01:00 Meeting Tony Roche 02:00 Tough but fair 03:00 Living abroad from 12-17 years of age 04:25 Not only a coach (compassion) 06:00 Respect and trust 09:30 What you see is what you get 10:25 Physical and mental intensity 11:30 Being able to put instructions into actions quickly 13:00 Why the greats are able to improve their game all the time 14:00 The story of MITS (Melbourne International School)  15:45 More Asian champions are coming 19:05 Get to know the person first 21:25 Why you can’t expect every player to look you in the eye 24:00 Dealing with parents 25:10 Take care of information overload 26:20 Asian tennis is coming 27:50 More emphasize on the mental aspect of tennis 30:00 Don’t increase volume of practice leading into tournaments 31:05 How Ivan Lendl taught attention to detail 34:00 Wayne Dyer – The Power of Intention 35:35 Prioritize the mental aspect of tennis