Practice Sets

There is a great post on CAtennis about called 500 Sets a Year.  This is a great piece explaining that you can't replicate the practice that comes from playing matches.
Clinic and private lessons are huge parts of training.  However, if you don't go apply the training in playing sets, then you are missing a giant piece of the picture.

Here is an excerpt from the article

The reason people hate to compete is because people hate dealing with uncertainty, the small chance that they put their pride on the line and lose.  Yes!  You need to be able to handle that kind of pressure consistently, never let your guard down.  Its an absolutely necessary skill.  

For the parents who protect their kids from playing people below them, your child will never reach its full potential.