Even Tennis Stars Need Their Coach (2000)

Video Clip Synopsis:
Members of the 2000 Australian Davis Cup team, including Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt, talk about their relationship with their coach, John Newcombe. For Newcombe, the role of the coach is to treat your team as you yourself would want to be treated.

Duration:
1min 33sec

Even Tennis Stars Need Their Coach is an excerpt from the film The Fifth Set (55 mins), produced in 2000.

The Fifth Set: For a century, the Davis Cup has been one of the world's greatest tennis competitions. Despite the lure of big money on the professional circuit, the Cup continues to stand for sportsmanship, team spirit and national pride. For Australia, it has given us heroes like Norman Brookes, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Neale Fraser, Rod Laver, John Newcombe and Patrick Rafter. And it has helped define us as a nation, turning a rich person’s game into a country's passion.

The Fifth Set is a Film Australia National Interest Program in association with Media Giants and ScreenSound Australia. Produced with the assistance of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Curriculum Focus: Health/PE
Year: 7-8
Strand: Health and Physical Education
Theme: Health Work

Competition; Team sports; Rules and Coaching

ACT:	Health and Physical Education: Physical activity and the community
NSW:	Health and Physical Education: Interpersonal relationships, Movement skill, Active lifestyle
NT:	Health and Physical Education: Games and participation
Qld:	Health and Physical Education: Developing Concepts and skills for physical activity 4.4, 5,4
SA:	Health and Physical Education: 4.1, 4.5
Tas:	Personal futures: maintaining wellbeing
Vic:	Health and Physical Education: Health of individuals and populations 4.1, Movement and physical activity 4.2
WA:	Health and Physical Education: Knowledge and Understandings; Skills for physical activity; Interpersonal skills – Early adolescence

Despite our relatively small population, Australians have a history of being well represented at high levels in many sports, including tennis. Often, tennis players compete as individuals representing their country. The Davis Cup is a team event, where tennis players work together to do their best for their country. The coach is an important part of the team. In this video clip, John Newcombe is coaching the Davis Cup team in 2000.

As the coach, Newcombe has the respect of the players and he is to them, a sort of father figure. His philosophy is to treat the team as he would want to be treated.

Discuss different sorts of tennis competitions and how they are scored.

Discuss what students know about the Davis Cup competition and how it is organised.

Discuss the role of a coach in a team event. What makes a good coach? What makes a team player respect their coach?

Before watching the video clip discuss the types of sports people prefer watching. Why do people organise sporting competitions between different countries? Discuss the effect of Australia winning a sporting event on your personal feeling of wellbeing.

Research the Davis Cup by going to a library or the Davis Cup website and answer the following questions:

1. When was the first Davis Cup competition held – and between which countries?
2. Who was Dwight Filley Davis?
3. When did Australia join the Davis Cup?
4. How many people are in a Davis Cup team?
5. How many tennis games are played in a Davis Cup competition?
6. How many times has Australia won the Davis Cup?
7. Which country has Australia played most recently in the Davis Cup?
8. What is the prize?
9. When did John Newcombe play in the Davis Cup?

Health/PE Year 7-8, Health/PE Year 11-12, English Year 9-10