What Does it Take to be a Successful Parent/Coach — ft. Quinn Borchard

Summary

Quinn Borchard, head professional at Sunset Hills Country Club in Southern California and father/coach to James (age 12, current national #1 in 12-and-under) and Bo (age 9), shares the intimate realities of being a parent-coach. Starting with toddler classes at age 2, Borchard built a full under-10 program from scratch, watched James emerge as a standout, and has navigated the complex dynamics of coaching his own son through Little Mo national titles, Easter Bowl wins, and the Smrikva Bowl international event in Croatia — all while managing the emotional tightrope of being both dad and coach to an elite pre-teen.

Guest Background

• Head tennis professional at Sunset Hills Country Club (17 years)
• Former nationally ranked junior (top 5 SoCal, top 15 nationally in late 1990s)
• Played Andy Roddick at Kalamazoo
• Full scholarship to University of Portland (4 years)
• Coaches approximately 6-7 other national-level juniors alongside James
• Wife runs her own business and funds much of the tennis travel; provides grounding non-tennis perspective

Key Topics

1. Early development (ages 2-5): Classes focused on sending/receiving rather than hitting technique. Fun was the primary retention tool — stickers, games, hiding balls in cones, balloons. 35 of 45 minutes were pure fun; 10 minutes of tennis-related skill building.

2. The rally as the breakthrough: Once kids could rally (send and receive), engagement transformed. Finding the slowest ball that could float in the air was key to unlocking this concept for toddlers.

3. COVID as an accelerator: When structured programs shut down, the kids who could rally played extensively with Quinn, building a foundation that persists today. Same group of kids still training together.

4. Playing up philosophy: James played 12s starting at age 8 after winning Little Mo Nationals. Borchard’s rule: you must win at your level before playing up. James won Easter Bowl 12s before moving to 14s. Does not recommend playing L1 events up without proving yourself first.

5. Managing a prodigy’s expectations: “No one wants to be the best player in the 12s” — early success creates complacency risk. Pre-puberty tennis and post-puberty tennis are “two different things.” James could be a completely different player at 18.

6. Not projecting onto the child: Borchard explicitly warns against projecting parental wishes onto children. “My projection is not what is in reality for him.” James leads the schedule, intensity, and ambition.

7. The serve problem: James will only tolerate 20 minutes of serve practice (until recently, just 5 minutes). Rather than force the issue, Borchard accepts this and waits for readiness, even though he knows the serve needs development.

8. Openness to outside coaching: Borchard is “actively searching” for supplementary coaches, but at 12, James doesn’t want anyone else. Borchard respects that while recognizing it will change.

9. Wife as counterbalance: Non-tennis spouse provides essential grounding — mandates family weekends with no tennis, prevents over-scheduling.

10. Goal setting and UTR: Once James achieved his early goals (winning L1s, Easter Bowl, becoming #1), rankings became less important. Focus shifted to getting better and enjoying play.

Actionable Advice for Families

• Make it fun first: Under-10 development should prioritize enjoyment and return visits over technical development. If the child wants to come back next week, you’ve succeeded.
• The rally is the key milestone: Focus on sending and receiving before anything else. Once kids can rally, engagement transforms.
• Don’t rush the pathway: Win at your current level before playing up. The USTA structure allows natural progression if you earn it.
• Watch for the child’s lead: Does the child play for themselves or for parental approval? This question should be asked regularly and honestly.
• Manage the parent-coach tension: Separate tennis time from family time. At home, minimize tennis talk. On court, resist the urge to correct every shot.
• Accept what the child will and won’t do: If your child hates serve practice, don’t force it. Readiness matters more than volume.
• Have a non-tennis parent or partner in the picture: Someone who can mandate rest, family time, and perspective.

INTENNSE Relevance

• Under-10 development model: Borchard’s organic, fun-first program at a private club is a replicable template. INTENNSE could study or reference this as a best practice for clubs looking to build junior pipelines.
• Prodigy management: James’s case (national #1 at 10 in the 12s) illustrates both the opportunities and risks of early success. INTENNSE’s work with young talent should account for the burnout, complacency, and identity risks Borchard describes.
• Play-up decision framework: The “win at your level first” rule is a concrete, defensible standard that INTENNSE could incorporate into player development guidance.
• SoCal ecosystem: Borchard operates in the same SoCal tennis ecosystem as many INTENNSE contacts. His 60-kid program at a club shows there’s demand for quality early development even in a saturated market.
• Parent-coach dynamics: Relevant intelligence for families INTENNSE consults with who are navigating the dual-role challenge.

Notable Quotes

“No one wants to be the best player in the 12s. These are really cool things — he was number one in the 12s as a 10-year-old — but they don’t mean anything at all.”

“My job is to try to not project my wishes and thoughts and things that he should be doing on to him. My projection is not what is in reality for him.”

“Pre-puberty tennis and post-puberty tennis are like two different things. He could be a completely different player. Kids that can barely play now could be way better than him later.”