Practice with Lesser Players

I just stumbled across a good post by Jeff Salzenstein.  It shows Colorado junior Max Roder hitting with ATP pro James McGee.  Both players are getting a good practice session.  Jeff's message is that you don't always have to hit with better players to get good practice.  That's obvious, but parents and kids way too often forget it.  They say they have to practice with better players to get better.  Not true.  If it were true, Roger Federer could not have practiced and improved over the last decade, since until recently there were no better players for him to practice with.  Even now, he doesn't practice with Djokovic and Nadal very often, if at all.  I guess none of those guys can improve.  Ha.

To amplify Jeff's message I thought I'd post a video of Dominic Inglot, former Virginia Cavalier and current ATP pro who was also in Colorado recently.  Dominic joined Miikka for a hit at The Ranch Country Club in Westminster.  Here's a few seconds of Dominic warming up (Sorry, no audio so don't adjust your speakers!).

Obviously Dominic is a way better player than Miikka, but Dominic didn't complain for a second.  He got a great workout and excellent practice.  He was grateful for the opportunity to come and practice while he was in town.

Don't be a snob and think you're too good to practice with someone.  Don't fool yourself into thinking that you can only get better by playing with better players.  The only way to get better is to practice.  So practice.