Steve Smith and Dave Anderson are joined by three special guests for a Richmond Hill reunion on the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast. Richard Hernandez, Miron Mann, and Patrick Jeffrion Amorin, three directors who have carried the GreatBase torch at Richmond Hill Country Club across three decades, share stories, laughs, and some sharp observations about the state of tennis development in Canada and beyond.

The conversation covers everything from the origins of each coach's journey into the game, to the challenges of building a culture when federations are circling and parents are overthinking, to the sorry state of junior tennis circuits on both sides of the border. Underneath the banter and the ribbing of Dave Anderson, there is a serious and consistent message: teach kids to hit the ball better, keep competition local, and trust the process.

Also, the return of the GreatBase Tennis merchandise online store! Please visit the website or our social medias for the link if you are interested in purchasing any apparel.

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson mark episode 300 of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast with a mix of shoutouts, reflection, and sharp commentary on the state of American college tennis. The episode opens with congratulations to Dave on his induction into the North Dakota Tennis Hall of Fame and a tribute to the late Dr. Jim Loehr, whose work on the mental side of tennis remains as relevant as ever.

The centerpiece is a reading of a spoof Steve wrote years ago, a fairy tale reimagining of Patrick McEnroe's time juggling three major roles in American tennis simultaneously, landing with humor but carrying a serious message about focus and accountability. The episode closes with a frank conversation about the University of Arkansas dropping its tennis program, the broader crisis facing college tennis, and why more Americans need to be both playing and teaching the sport they love.

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson dedicate the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast to one of the most fundamental and overlooked topics in tennis teaching: grips. Responding to listener requests to go back to basics, Steve works through his notes on the subject while he and Dave dig into why so many players, even experienced ones, are holding the racket incorrectly and why so few coaches are doing enough about it.

The conversation covers everything from the math behind bevel changes and racket face angles, to the grip habits of all-time greats like Borg, Connors, McEnroe, and Graf. Steve and Dave make the case that getting grips right from the beginning is not just a technical detail but the foundation everything else is built on, and that slowing down to get it right early is one of the most important things a coach or parent can do for a young player.