ParentingAces - The Junior Tennis and College Tennis Podcast

Lisa Stone
  • 4.9 (83)
  • Tennis
  • Updated Weekly

Host Lisa Stone discusses the various aspects of developing a tennis player from beginner through the juniors to college and beyond. Her weekly guests include experts in coaching, parenting, mental toughness, fitness & nutrition, technology & equipment, and college recruiting. Stone provides invaluable information for parents, players, and coaches.

  1. 1d ago

    Why Tennis Parents Should Stop Rescuing Kids From Losing ft Cassandra Toroian

    Welcome to Season 15 Episode 36 of the ParentingAces Podcast! Former top junior and Division I tennis player Cassandra Torian joins Lisa Stone to discuss how tennis shaped her resilience, independence, and entrepreneurial mindset. Cassandra also shares the stories behind Ruley AI, a rules-reference tool for racket sports and youth sports, and Volleybird, a subscription box featuring gear and products for tennis, pickleball, paddle, and other sports. Key Takeaways for Parents Let your child’s motivation come from within rather than from outside pressure.Teach the rules before conflicts happen, especially when parents may be unfamiliar with the sport.Encourage respectful, evidence-based conversations instead of loud or confrontational arguments.Give young athletes room to experience disappointment and develop their own coping skills.Remember that the lasting value of tennis includes resilience, independence, emotional control, and problem-solving.To get more information on Ruley.AI, go to https://ruley.ai/. For more information on Volleybird, go to https://volleybird.shop/. To reach Cassandra, you can email her at ctoroian@1sthandresearch.com. As always, Lisa is available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CREDITS Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

    Why Tennis Parents Should Stop Rescuing Kids From Losing ft Cassandra Toroian

  2. Sep 2

    The Free Tennis Tool That Solves Junior Tennis Chaos ft Amaury Blondet

    Welcome to Season 15 Episode 35 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, Lisa talks with Amaury Blondet, a tennis parent, entrepreneur, and creator of PathTennis, about the real-world problems that led him to build a platform for competitive tennis families, coaches, academies, and college teams. They dig into the communication gaps, tournament-planning chaos, and lack of alignment that so many junior tennis families face, and how one tool is trying to bring all of it into one place. In this episode, Lisa and Amaury discuss how PathTennis helps parents, players, and coaches stay aligned on tournament selection, training blocks, rest, injuries, and progress tracking. They also cover why the core search and tracker tools are free, what’s already available for academies and colleges, and how the platform is built to support long-term development, not just rankings. As a tennis parent himself, Amaury knows firsthand the pain points that junior tennis can inflict on the entire family. "Tennis is very costly. So first, to sign up is free," he shares. There are certain features of the platform that will remain free for life even when premium features are added down the road. And for the coaches who are concerned about technology trying to take the place of human interaction, Amaury says, "This is not going to replace you as a coach. This is just a tool to help you get organized." If you are interested in learning more about PathTennis, visit the website at https://pathtennis.com/ or email Amaury directly at amaury@pathtennis.com. Be sure to follow them on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/pathtennis Facebook: facebook.com/pathtennis TikTok: tiktok.com/@pathtennis YouTube: youtube.com/@pathtennis X: x.com/pathtennis LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/pathtennis For academies wanting to learn more:   https://academy.pathtennis.com/ For colleges/universities wanting to learn more:  https://college.pathtennis.com/ As always, Lisa is available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CREDITS Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

    The Free Tennis Tool That Solves Junior Tennis Chaos ft Amaury Blondet

  3. Aug 26

    The Long Game of Junior Development ft Todd Widom

    Welcome to Season 15 Episode 34 of the ParentingAces Podcast! Coach Todd Widom is back to talk about what's happening in junior tennis development now and comparing it to how he was developed as a young player. Those of you who have been part of our ParentingAces Community for a while should be very familiar with Todd and his no-holds-barred approach to working with junior players and their families. This week, he and I talk about the latest rash of backdraw withdrawals at the National Hardcourts, how technology is impacting junior tennis development for both players and coaches, and what it takes to build trust in the player-parent-coach triangle. If you'd like to get in touch with Todd, you can email him at ⁠todd@twtennis.com⁠. You can also follow then DM him on Instagram at ⁠https://instagram.com/toddwidom_tennis⁠. As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CREDITS Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

    The Long Game of Junior Development ft Todd Widom

  4. Aug 19

    Communication for Coaches ft Ryan Horgan

    Welcome to Season 15 Episode 33 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, UK-based coach, Ryan Horgan, joins the pod to talk about the best ways coaches can get young players to listen and integrate the lessons they are trying to teach through a process called Ecological Dynamics. Ryan started playing tennis around age 9 and always felt he was developmentally behind his peers. He was able to have a strong junior career but was soon sidelined by some neurological issues that caused him to pivot. He loved the game so decided to transition into coaching. An opportunity came up for Ryan to work on the island of Cyprus where he now works at an academy training upcoming juniors. In the last year, his passion for coaching took a big leap when he discovered Ecological Dynamics and started integrating it into the communications work he was already doing. If you are interested in reaching out to Ryan, be sure to follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/communicationforcoaches/ - his DMs are always open! As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CREDITS Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

    Communication for Coaches ft Ryan Horgan

  5. Aug 12

    Coaching from the Inside Out ft Kamala Nellen

    Welcome to Season 15 Episode 32 of the ParentingAces Podcast! Former professional dancer turned performance coach, Kamala Nellen, is back on the podcast (see https://youtu.be/orH0phGwcW0 for our previous podcast together) to discuss training and coaching the whole athlete from the mental/emotional side to the physical. Kamala understands the challenges parents face when trying to help their young athletes find success. Parents want to be cheerleaders or support or problem solvers when, according to Kamala, kids just need an anchor to keep them centered and grounded. For more information on Kamala and the latest edition of her book, WORKING IN, visit her website at https://www.kamalanellen.com/. The direct link to order the book is https://amzn.to/4xttQ34, and the link for the audiobook is https://amzn.to/4hnmbyC. You can also reach out to Kamala directly via email at coachingforchampions@gmail.com. As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CREDITS Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

    Coaching from the Inside Out ft Kamala Nellen

  6. Aug 5

    Rally for Tennis ft Tanner Oberg

    Welcome to Season 15 Episode 31 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, rising high school senior, Tanner Oberg, joins Lisa to discuss the organization started by his older brothers which he now leads, Rally for Tennis. Rally for Tennis is led by a network of student volunteers across high schools and colleges nationwide — united by the belief that every kid deserves a chance to learn, grow, and belong through tennis. They partner with National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) Centers across the country to support their year-round programs. Rally for Tennis connects high school and college students with kids through mentorship, tutoring, and tennis to teach teamwork, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Tanner's older brothers, Tate (Princeton University) and Cole (Brown University), started RFT in 2021 during their high school years, realizing they could fill a need for mentoring younger players by recruiting their friends to come together as volunteers for their local NJTL. To date, RFT has provided 46,000 hours of tennis instruction, 35,000 hours of academic support, and served 10,000 children. Very impressive! And some recent exciting news: Tanner was chosen as one of 20 regional honorees for the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award for 2026! You can read the press releae at 2026 ESPN Humanitarian Awards - BJK Youth Leadership. Rally for Tennis is continuing to grow. If you are interested in starting a chapter in your area, you can reach out to Tanner at tanner@rallyfortennis.com. If you are interested in partnering with RFT and/or making a donation, you can do so at https://rallyfortennis.com/contact-us/. To watch a recent news segment on RFT, go to WBZ MVP (CBS). As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CREDITS Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

    Rally for Tennis ft Tanner Oberg

  7. Jul 29

    Finding a Place for Tennis Parents ft Duey Evans

    Welcome to Season 15 Episode 30 of the ParentingAces Podcast! Coach Duey Evans is back to delve into the work he's been doing over the last year or so, observing player, parent, and coach behaviors in order to formulate a better way to develop junior players. Coach Duey has some insightful observations on the role of tennis parents and how they can recognize their "job" in their child's development. That role includes leaving the junior player to reflect and analyze after play without imposing the parent's thoughts on that process. In this way, parents can help their children learn to trust their inner voice which will, in turn, help them recognize and correct in the moment of a match. If you're interested in scheduling a consult with Duey, you can email him at duey@theperformancearchitect.com. You can also go to his website https://www.theperformancearchitect.com/ and/or call him at 469-955-3839. As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CREDITS Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

    Finding a Place for Tennis Parents ft Duey Evans

  8. Jul 22

    Building Confidence & Resilience in Jr Players ft Simone Spigner

    Welcome to Season 15 Episode 29 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week we hear from the Program Director of the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program (HJTEP), Simone Spigner. Simone, a graduate of HJTEP herself, is a head coach of entry-level programs for its youngest players. She is a PTR-certified teaching professional with more than 10 years of experience in coaching. She attended South Carolina State University on a 4-year tennis scholarship. Simone was promoted to Manager of Tennis Programming in 2021 and was named USTA Eastern's Woman of the Year in 2025. She works closely with former USTA Chair/President Katrina Adams to bring both tennis and education opportunities to school-age children in and around Harlem, New York. HJTEP accepts children ages 5-18 at any stage of tennis development. Its metrics for success in the tennis program include striving for 100% player retention while qualifying 36% of players for tournament play and at least 13% of HJTEP athletes competing at the national level. HJTEP's most advanced players will have also gained tournament experience at the international level with many going on to successful college tennis careers. For more information on HJTEP, visit its website at https://hjtep.org/. You can reach out to Simone directly via email at coachsimone@hjtep.org. If you are interested in making a donation of time or money to HJTEP, visit https://hjtep.org/ways-to-give/. To get information on NJTL programs in your community - or to start one! - visit https://www.usta.com/en/home/coach-organize/organization-facilities/national-junior-tennis-learning.html. As always, I am available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. CREDITS Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone

    Building Confidence & Resilience in Jr Players ft Simone Spigner
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4.9
out of 5
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About

Host Lisa Stone discusses the various aspects of developing a tennis player from beginner through the juniors to college and beyond. Her weekly guests include experts in coaching, parenting, mental toughness, fitness & nutrition, technology & equipment, and college recruiting. Stone provides invaluable information for parents, players, and coaches.

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