John Mickelson is a Chartered Financial Consultant and Advanced Estate Planner who has spent more than three decades helping retirees and small business owners manage their finances as the founding partner of Wealth Advocates in Logan, Utah. Beyond his financial practice, John Mickelson is an avid tennis player who has coached the sport at Green Canyon High School since 2016, giving him firsthand insight into how players and coaches communicate on the court. A graduate of Brigham Young University with a degree in international finance, he went on to earn a master’s degree in financial services from The American College. He is also a longtime Million Dollar Round Table life member, having earned Top of the Table and Court of the Table recognition, and he enjoys cycling, hiking, and skiing in his free time.
A missed forehand can produce several explanations at once. A player may feel rushed, while a coach may see late preparation or poor spacing. If each leaves the court with a different account of the same point, the next drill can solve the wrong problem.
Effective communication begins before either person offers a correction. Coaches need to observe closely enough to describe what happened, while players need space to explain what they saw, felt or intended. The goal is not agreement on every detail, but a shared understanding that can guide the next repetition.
That understanding should identify the situation, the intended action and the evidence both will use to assess the result. A useful starting point is a small, specific practice objective.
Instead of saying that a forehand needs improvement, a coach and player can identify one observable action, such as arriving balanced to hit a wide ball. That objective gives feedback a clear reference point. After several attempts, they can assess whether the player reached the ball earlier, maintained balance, and recovered effectively.
Clarity also depends on timing. During a live drill, a brief cue may be more useful than a long explanation, particularly when a player must prepare for the next ball. A fuller conversation can wait for a water break or the end of a sequence, when the player can recall the situation without interrupting the rhythm of practice.
That distinction protects concentration during play while preserving enough time for questions and reflection afterward. The same restraint matters after a competition.
A player may want time before discussing a close loss, while another may want to review a tactical moment immediately. Coaches can ask which approach would help, then keep early feedback specific and constructive. A single useful observation, paired with a next step, is often more valuable than a catalogue of errors.
Players also have a responsibility during the exchange. When an instruction is unclear, asking a question is more productive than guessing repeatedly. Asking what the coach wants to see, when to use a tactic, or how success will be measured turns passive listening into active learning.
It also allows the coach to discover when an explanation has not translated into an on-court action. Communication extends beyond spoken instruction.
Written practice goals, short video notes, and shared lesson plans can preserve details that disappear after a busy session. Digital tools may help coaches share activities, assessments, and feedback away from the court, but the message still needs a clear purpose.
More information is not automatically helpful. A message that identifies one action and its purpose is easier to revisit than a long stream of reminders, especially under the pressure of competition.
Trust grows when players know that feedback concerns a specific action, not their character or commitment. Coaches can strengthen that trust by listening carefully, naming one priority, and inviting a response.
Players, in turn, can report what they understood and what remains difficult. That loop gives both people a way to adjust before a small misunderstanding becomes a fixed habit.
About John Mickelson
John Mickelson is the founding partner of Wealth Advocates in Logan, Utah, where he has guided retirees and small business owners through retirement, business, and estate planning for more than three decades. A Chartered Financial Consultant and Advanced Estate Planner, he studied international finance at Brigham Young University and earned a master’s degree from The American College. A longtime Million Dollar Round Table life member, he also coaches tennis at Green Canyon High School and enjoys cycling, hiking, and skiing.