Dominic Labelle is currently in charge of the “Under 12 and Under 10” tennis Program at the Academy Aliassime. He has coached at the university, provincial and national level across the country. He has also worked for Tennis Canada’s Under 10 camps.
When first thinking of pursuing a graduate degree, he states “while I was accepted into Sport Psychology at the University of Ottawa, I felt that the MHPCTL was more specific to my long-term goal to coach at the professional level. Furthermore, the MHPCTL helped me to finish the Advanced Coaching Diploma that is a requirement for the Coach 4 at Tennis Canada, which is the highest certification.”
He says the MHPCTL program has helped him with his planning and has made him more structured and precise in the preparation of his athletes. “I also have a better idea about which path to take in order for my players to reach the professional circuit. I’m also better able to assess the gaps between a good national junior player and an international one. I believe the degree has provided me with more credibility, as I don’t have a professional background in tennis, and it will most definitely accelerate my certification with Tennis Canada.”
Reflecting on his first two years of his online learning experience Dominic recalls “that he met many coaches from other fields across the country and having some great cross-fertilizing discussions. The last year of my studies was focused more on working solo on my final project, titled “The Effect of Break Point on the Serve Characteristics in Men’s Professional Tennis” – which is related to sport analytics and match statistics.
