The GreatBase Tennis Podcast

Mason Vaughan: On The Rise 01.07.2026 1h

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson welcome 16-year-old junior player Mason Vaughan to the podcast for a candid conversation about his tennis journey. From his first trip to Memphis at age eight, to living away from home and training full-time at Brookhaven, Mason shares the struggles, the growth, and the routines that have shaped him into the player he is today. The conversation covers everything from mental training with Tracy King and situational drills to tournament strategy, tennis parenting, ...

A Thousand Little Jobs 24.06.2026 1h 36min

This episode is a practical, on-the-ground conversation about what it actually takes to run a college tennis program. With Johann Frühling reflecting on his experience as a first-time graduate assistant coach at St. Leo, and Pol O'Callaghan preparing to step into a coaching role at Ave Maria University, Steve walks through the thousand tasks a young coach must master, from scheduling and uniforms to fundraising, record keeping, academic compliance, and building relationships with support staf...

The State of College Tennis 17.06.2026 1h 46min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson are joined by NC State women's tennis coach Dave Secker and Spanish visitor Pol O'Callaghan for a deep dive into the rapidly shifting landscape of college tennis. Secker walks through the transfer portal, NIL, revenue sharing, the new five-year eligibility rule, and what it all means for American players, foreign recruitment, and the survival of programs like Arkansas. The conversation covers everything from agents signing high school juniors to the future of Lak...

Two Lifers Talk Tennis 10.06.2026 1h 31min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson are joined by AJ Chabria and Craig Bell, co-hosts of the At the Net podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation covering a lifetime of experiences across all facets of the racket sports industry. The four dig into the state of teaching organizations, the challenge of attracting new blood into the profession, the legacy of John Yandel and TennisPlayer.net, and where pickleball fits into the future of tennis. Listeners will benefit from the stories, energy, and passio...

Back To Basics: The Overhead 03.06.2026 48min

This episode is a deep dive into the overhead, one of the most avoided and undercoached shots in tennis. Steve and Dave break down the mechanics, the mental barriers, and the drills needed to build confidence and competency at the net, making the case that without a reliable overhead, a player's entire net game is compromised. The conversation covers everything from grip, swing path, and the quarterback position, to situational drills and the optical illusions that cause players to move too s...

Back to Basics: The Volley 27.05.2026 59min

This episode is a deep dive into the volley, a shot Steve and Dave argue is quietly disappearing from the game. They break down grips, ready position, swing path, and the drills needed to build real net instincts, making the case that if players don't learn to volley early, they simply never will. The conversation weaves through grips, stage development, situational training, and the mental barriers that keep players glued to the baseline, with plenty of references to the pros who got it righ...

The Richmond Hill Reunion 20.05.2026 1h 16min

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 jou...

Hatrick Mistakeikno 13.05.2026 36min

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 McEn...

Back To Basics: Grips 06.05.2026 43min

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 an...

The Madagascar Connection 29.04.2026 34min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson dedicate the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast to an exciting new chapter for the organization, a formal partnership with the Malagasy Tennis Federation in Madagascar. Steve walks through the backstory of how the partnership came together, tracing the connections between former University of Texas player Nomena and the GreatBase network that quietly shaped some of her tennis education years ago. The conversation touches on what it takes for a federat...

Bridge Sports and Blind Spots 22.04.2026 57min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson cover a wide range of topics on the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, from submarine parenting and the three phases of truth in tennis teaching, to shoutouts for Dave Fish, the Bryan brothers, and the coaching tree that continues to grow through the GreatBase network. The centerpiece of the episode is a look at the surge of new racket sports, with a particular focus on Steve Bellamy's new game Type T and whether sports like pickleball can serve as g...

The Rebuttal and the Reality 15.04.2026 1h 7min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson pick up where they left off on the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, turning their attention to Patrick McEnroe's official rebuttal to Wayne Bryan's open letter. Written during McEnroe's tenure as general manager of USTA Player Development, the response is polished and well-argued, but Steve and Dave feel it sidesteps too many of the hard questions Bryan raised. The conversation ranges from the structure of sectional play and the family versus feder...

Wayne Bryan's Wake Up Call 08.04.2026 1h 38min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson dedicate the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast to a deep dive into Wayne Bryan's now-famous open letter to the USTA, a document that was written over a decade ago but reads as urgently relevant today. Dave reads the letter in full while the two hosts pause to reflect on each point, drawing on their own decades of experience in the trenches of American tennis development. The letter pulls no punches, taking aim at the under-10 mandate, the glut of for...

The Lost Art of Attacking 01.04.2026 1h 32min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson cover a wide range of topics on the latest episode of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, from the Korda family's remarkable multigenerational tennis legacy to Iga Swiatek's recent struggles and the revolving door of coaching at the pro level. Along the way they draw on lessons from basketball, boxing, and other sports to make the case that the habits and disciplines that produce champions are universal. The centerpiece of the episode is a deep dive into the approach s...

Tennis Comsumer Insight 25.03.2026 1h 49min

On episode #293 of the GreatBase Tennis Podcast, Steve Smith and Dave Anderson offer a candid look inside the world of tennis academies, drawing on their time at the Seguso Bassett Tennis Training Center in Boca Raton to cut through the noise for parents and players alike. The two take a trip down memory lane, revisiting their dream of building something rooted in fact-based instruction and long-term development. By listening, parents and aspiring players will hopefully come away with a clear...

Rebuilding American Tennis 18.03.2026 1h 37min

Steve Smith is joined by Dave Anderson and Andy Fitzell for a wide-ranging discussion on player development, coaching education, and the direction of American tennis. The conversation centers around Craig Tiley’s leadership, accountability in coaching, and the growing challenges in junior development, including tournament structure, travel demands, and the role of parents. They also dive into doubles strategy, lost fundamentals like the approach shot and volley, and the importance of teaching...

Lessons From the Trenches 11.03.2026 1h 48min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson discuss the news of Craig Tiley becoming CEO of the USTA, reflecting on their early days together in the Tennis Tech program and the foundation of coaching education that shaped his career. They explore what leadership might mean for the future of American tennis, from player development to rebuilding stronger coaching networks. The conversation moves through the trenches of the sport: doubles strategy, tournament structures, coaching education, and the role pare...

Building Locker Room Power 04.03.2026 1h 20min

Tour coach and author Dave Sammel joins Steve Smith and Dave Anderson to unpack what “locker room power” really means, how players create an aura opponents can feel, and why advancing in tennis is driven by winning streaks, not perfection. He shares lessons from growing up in South Africa, playing U.S. college tennis, and decades of coaching on the tour, including the idea that the best winners are often the best losers. They also get practical: how to identify your two weapons, why “less is ...

Discipline is Non-negotiable 25.02.2026 1h 37min

Former ATP pro and Venezuelan Davis Cup player David Souto joins Steve Smith, Dave Anderson, and Coach Andres to unpack a player’s journey from Caracas to the Orange Bowl finals, Argentina, and Spain, and the hidden costs of trying to make it fast. He reflects on what he would change: do not rush development, invest in the little things such as mobility, recovery, and mental skills, and build fundamentals that hold up across surfaces and stages. The conversation expands into culture and leade...

Habits of Winning Players 18.02.2026 1h 30min

Steve Smith and Dave Anderson revisit foundational habits that shape long-term success in tennis and life. Drawing from Stephen Covey’s principles and decades of coaching experience, they explore proactivity, prioritization, win-win thinking, and the importance of beginning with the end in mind. Episode 288 connects these ideas directly to player development, character, and building resilient competitors. They also dive into awareness on the court, managing mistakes, body language, breathing,...