Coach Bynum uses what I call a cooperative style of coaching. His teams possess individual and collective accountability. He accentuates a players strengths and negates weaknesses. He has a tremendous passion for competition, a desire to teach and a strong belief that sports afford basic living values through lessons taught. I am so lucky to have him on our team and to know him as a friend.

 

Jerry Smith, St Joseph Director of Athletics

I have been playing tennis for 14 years and have worked with many different pros. I can safely say that nobody has helped my game improve nearly as much as Coach Bynum has helped me. I have been taking lessons from him for nine years, both individually and in groups. He has an outstanding ability to identify what you are doing wrong and give a simple tip that can correct multiple problems with a stroke. I have enjoyed working with C oath Bynum not only because of his help with my physical game, but also my mental game. His coaching has helped me achieve every goal I have set for myself on the tennis court and I feel like I learn something valuable every lesson.

 

Ezra Klemow, Student

I belong to a club that has many members and a number of coaches. The pros are wonderful folks, and lots of them are terrific ball strikers. I watch them give lessons, encouraging students and feeding balls into the sweet spot. Rarely, if ever, do I see a pro challenging an adult student to get better. If you’re looking to have some fun on court, and have your game remain at the same level indefinitely, I’d suggest you seek out a tennis pro who fits this mold.
Bob Bynum most certainly does not. During the decade that we’ve been working together, I’ve fumed at Bob multiple times, gotten frustrated at my (temporary) inability to put together the different aspects necessary to build a fluid game, which he always seems to believe I’m capable of, and wondered why I put myself through such torture!
I’ve also gotten better and better each year. Despite my advanced age (62), I have a 4-0 record so far this season, playing against people much younger than me (my first opponent was a former college baseball player, a .400 hitter, 35 years my junior) and have gained an understanding of the physical, mental, and emotional components of the game that has allowed me to appreciate the talent the masters of our sport possess on a rich and deep level.
Bob has always been available to talk about a match on the phone, or to communicate by email after a tough loss or exciting win. His love of tennis, understanding of the game, and affection for the people he works with is palpable-but please don’t tell him I said that!

 

Gary Eskow, Adult Student

Bob Bynum is one of the best tennis pros out there. His knowledge of the game is second to none and his teaching methods are personalized to meet the needs of each of his students. Bob not only teaches the mechanics of tennis, he teaches the strategy of winning games. And he does all of this with a big smile on his face, humor in his manner, respect for the student, and a love of the game. Under Bob’s instruction, my daughter has achieved all of the tennis goals that she set for herself–USTA tournament winner, captain of her high school varsity tennis team–and she loved every minute of it.

Melanie Genkin, Parent

When thinking about Bob Bynum, his commitment to junior tennis players comes to mind. He’s traveled to New Haven, Boston, Wash.,D.C., Richmond, Va., New Orleans, Orlando, Fla., and Austin,Texas, to name just a few places. And, given the peripatetic nature of our sport, the unique aspect of these travels is Bob’s ability to connect with juniors on a more personal level. This connection goes beyond merely collecting a fee for services rendered; rather, it’s the molding of impressionable minds and preparing these youths for a life beyond the boundaries of a tennis court.
Having played the junior circuit more than a few years ago, Bob is able to bring his experience to bear when it comes to pre-tournament preparation and on-court strategy. No situation can arise that he’s not experienced before. From baseliner to net rusher, from alpha male to wallflower, Bob has coached and opposed them all. Bad calls on court? McEnroe-like tantrums? Been there, done that. Bob’s players are able to counter negative actions because they are, for the most part, polar opposites. They are taught and coached in the “old school” Dr. Robert Johnson (coach of Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson) way: always be on your best behavior, and give your opponent the benefit of the doubt when it comes to line calls.
As a junior, Bob opposed a future mayor of a major city in a local tournament. Line calls from Bob’s adversary were, shall we say, problematic? Rather than fight fire with fire, Bob used diplomacy to right the obvious infraction of the rules being perpetrated by the pugnacious politician. He proceeded to call any ball that was even a foot in…out. Message received. No more bad calls after that.
Surely, as a coach, an incident from ones antiquity could be used to illustrate to current juniors the importance of fair play in tennis and in life.
As a younger adult, Bob achieved multiple tournament victories, sectional rankings, and various tennis association accolades. But he might say his paramount achievement is influencing the young folks to reach high, keep your face up, and smash a winner.
Ron Haynes, Colleague