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Changing a Fixed Mindset

Posted on February 20, 2018 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports, Emotional Tennis, Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude In Sports NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

Frank Giampaolo

Changing a Fixed Mindset

Ideally, every time you hear your old, pessimistic, fixed mindset making excuses for you, acknowledge that just maybe your fixed mindset is mirroring your own false insecurities, stunting your growth and limiting your opportunities.

Having a growth mindset requires the willingness to try new solutions. Below are six common scenarios that play out in the minds of many athletes. Athletes have to replace their old pessimistic thoughts with new optimistic thoughts. When the fixed mindset states something negative, the newly improved growth mindset should answer with a positive solution to the problem.

Fixed-Mindset says, “Maybe I don’t have the talent. I shouldn’t waste my time training 100%.”

Growth-Mindset answers, “Even if lose a bit now, with a customized development plan and effort I can build the skills necessary to succeed.”

Fixed Mindset says, “Confrontation is so intimidating and frightening. It’s scary and unsettling.”

Growth Mindset answers, “High-performance sports are confrontational, but it’s not personal, it’s the nature of the environment.”

Fixed Mindset says, “What if I fail… I’ll be seen by peers, friends, and family as a failure.”

Growth Mindset answers, “Most successful athletes have failed hundreds of times throughout their career. Failure is a natural part of growth.”

Fixed Mindset says, “If I fake an injury or don’t try, I can protect my ego and keep my dignity.”

Growth Mindset answers, “Lying to myself is an automatic failure. Where’s the integrity in that?”

Fixed Mindset says “If I can’t be perfect, there’s no use in trying.”

Growth Mindset answers, “Champions in every sport are simply excellent not perfect. I’ll shoot for that. Perfectionism is toxic.”

Fixed Mindset says, “It’s not my fault. The coach doesn’t like me. My parents are pushing me…”

Growth Mindset answers, “Solutions stem from developing life skills like taking responsibility, persistence, resiliency and better organizational skills. What can I do to progress?”

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Solutions to Optimism in Athletes

Posted on February 17, 2018 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports, Emotional Tennis, Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude In Sports NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

ea-in-sports4a_final

Optimism, Mindsets and Life Skills

 

SOLUTION #2: Shift from Negative to Positive Development

In academia, there’s a movement called positive psychology – a commitment to building and improving one’s best qualities.  Instead of focusing exclusively on repairing your weaknesses, the positive psychology movement focuses also on improving your strengths. To succeed at the higher echelons of each sport, major strengths have to be nurtured. Though I am not implying that weakness doesn’t have to be strengthened, I am suggesting that major gains can also be made by improving an athlete’s strengths.

Research shows that life skills development is a byproduct of an athlete’s mindset. Without the proper mindset, improvement in all areas of life is a constant internal struggle. First, let’s clarify the difference between fixed and growth mindsets.

Fixed Mindset: The belief that talent and intelligence are inborn.

Growth Mindset: The belief that talent and intelligence can be developed throughout a lifetime.

With this concept in mind, let’s expose why a growth mindset is a necessity in high-performance sports.  Throughout this book, I’ll be illustrating both positive and negative developmental strategies by sharing an informal observational study of two of my students, Evan and Jarrod. The teens are identical twins from Southern California. While their genetics and upbringing are indistinguishable, the boys possess very different personality profiles and views of how this world works.

Let’s see how Evan and Jarrod answer the following developmental questions and how nurturing emotional aptitude actually changes one of the twin’s mindset …for the better.

Question: What’s your mindset and does it determine your behavior?

Evan: I think I have a growth mindset. I can’t imagine anyone thinking they already know it all…about everything.

Jarrod: Well, everyone tells me I’m super smart. So I guess I’m special. If you’re naturally smart and more athletic, sports are simple. So that must mean I have a fixed mindset, right?

 

Question: What motivates you to compete at a high level?

Evan: I enjoy the challenge of improving. Competing against the best demands I grow both as an athlete and a person. I see competition as an information gathering mission. I learn from losses.

Jarrod: I’m just naturally good at everything. I don’t have to work as hard as others, so I guess I am motivated to compete with the best to show them my awesome skills.

 

Question: In competition, what happens to you when you hit a major setback?

Evan: This is where my growth mindset kicks into gear. I love problem-solving. Those moments push me to grow.

Jarrod: My parents think I quit trying when things don’t go my way. They think I’m not motivated to fight. I hate to admit it, but when it seems like my opponent is going to win, I lose interest in competing and I emotionally quit. I guess it’s to protect my ego or something…

 

Question: Do you think feedback from coaches and parents is helpful?

Evan: Yes, I like it when they compliment me on my effort the most. But it interests me to hear all their observations. It helps me improve.

Jarrod: I typically don’t welcome feedback. I pretty much know why I won or lost. I don’t need their comments…I’m smart, remember?

By reading the initial Q & A from the twins, you can see how one’s mindset affects everything. It’s important to note that the individual’s fixed or growth mindset determines critical life development. The good news is that fixed mindsets don’t have to be permanent. Athletes are not chained to their old belief systems. In my 30 years of working with National Champions, I’ve found that winners are the ones who choose to master their sport. Mastery stems from devoting your heart and soul, which is emotional aptitude. The beauty is that developing a growth mindset improves not only the athlete’s career but their attitude, relationships, and health.

 

 

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Optimism, Mindsets and Life Skills

Posted on February 13, 2018 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports, Emotional Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude In Sports NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

Frank Giampaolo

Optimism, Mindsets and Life Skills

There is no other way to start this book than with a glance into one of the most important topics of my life: Choosing optimism versus pessimism. Optimism is an attitude of being hopeful about the future and choosing to seek the positive versus the negative in each situation. Whereas pessimism is an attitude of doom and gloom towards the future and choosing to see and/or anticipate only undesirable outcomes, results, conditions and problems.

Choosing optimism isn’t just a philosophy, it’s a life strategy.

This book identifies emotional problems in high-performance sports, but most importantly it will focus its energy on the solutions. Now, before you get all skeptical, let me say, I get it, being negative is far easier than being positive. Why? Since birth, we’re all nurtured to be on the lookout for the bad. From relatives to teachers to the media, were bombarded by the negative. The doom and gloom subject matters seem to be the reoccurring themes.  Ironically, no one was born with a negative mindset. The world put that toxic poison inside us.

Sure, bad things occasionally happen, but so do good things. Studies clearly show that obsessing about “what’s wrong” has very little solution-based value.  I find it a bit wacky that most people seem content to vent about their problems, yet are afraid to be grateful for their blessings. It’s almost as if we’re superstitious. If I talk about the “good stuff,” someone will take it away.

In my experience, optimism is the quickest path to greater achievements.
It’s the booster of the rocket ship.

The beauty of sports is that we “get” to participate…we don’t “have” to participate. The advantages of optimism is a popular college research topic.  Findings prove that optimistic athletes enjoy benefits that their negative counterparts miss out on. Examples include:

  • Happiness and Gratefulness
  • Physical and Mental Health
  • Inner Peace and Calmness
  • Confidence and Trust
  • Popularity (Sunny dispositions attract others…)
  • Complain and Worry Less
  • Hopefulness and Openness

 

SOLUTION # 1: Say Something Positive

Start and end each day saying something good. Make a great effort to start each conversation with a positive observation. Make it a habit to flip negative thoughts, feelings, and remarks into positive ones. Optimism is contagious, so take the tidbits you learn from this book and empower others, inspire others and be the optimistic voice everyone respects.

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Emotional Aptitude In Sports

Posted on February 10, 2018 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports, Emotional Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude In Sports NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

ea-in-sports4a_final

 

Competitive athletes are found in almost every corner of the globe. It is common to see National Championships in every age division from 9 years old to 90 years young and in almost every sport imaginable. In today’s competitive athletic arena, emotional aptitude is essential.  Most players enter the game intently focused on improving technical (fundamentals), mental (strategic) and athletic components. Unfortunately, emotional control supersedes athletic, mental and fundamental development during competition.  Under-developed emotional skill sets debilitate an athlete’s developed strengths- just when they are needed the most…  Remember the quote?

 

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
                                                     Mark Twain

 

My bet is that Mark Twain was referring to emotional aptitude. Emotional Aptitude in Sports delves into why athletes with seemingly solid games continue to lose … and lose often as a result of choking and/or panicking under stress. My fascination with this common athletic obstacle led me to research the science of emotional intelligence. It was the work of Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer in 1980’s that inspired NY Times writer Daniel Goleman to write the groundbreaking book, Emotional Intelligence. Goleman collaborated with David McClelland, who was among a group of Harvard researchers interested in cognitive intelligence versus emotional intelligence. Goleman argued that it was not cognitive intelligence that guaranteed business success but emotional intelligence.

Given the importance of emotional intelligence in business success, I began to see the similarity emotional intelligence had on athletes- separating the successful athlete from the unsuccessful athletes. I found that unsuccessful athletes don’t necessarily lack technique, but lack emotional aptitude- which often holds them hostage. Decades of observation has proven to me that strong emotional aptitude is far more important than perfect form in athletic competition. At the higher levels of sports, every athlete has solid fundamentals. Despite being incredibly talented individuals, in the heat of battle, tremendous athletic assets abandon those that lack developed emotional skill sets.

In competitive sports, the parameters in which players are expected to perform are far different than repetitive non-stressful practice environments. Athletes expecting to perform identical series of movements/skills mastered in practice are often disappointed in actual competition.

Competition inherently involves uncontrollable variables that require the adjustment of form. Examples include:

  • The Athlete’s Physical, Mental or Emotional State on the Day of Competition
  • Different Speeds, Spins, Angles and Trajectories of Incoming Balls
  • Different Speeds, Spins, Angles and Trajectories of Outgoing Balls
  • The Athlete’s Body Language, Balance, and Stability
  • Different Strategic and Tactical Options Required
  • Varying Environmental Conditions
  • Playing Surface Variations
  • Movement Issues From Standing Still to the Dead Run
  • Time Management (Less Time/More Time Available)
  • Minute Body Link Variations and Adjustments
  • Opponent’s Styles, Position and Skill Sets

 

In most sports, adaptable techniques are repeatable sequences of expectations, anticipation, reaction, movement, spacing, coordination and balance followed
by biomechanically efficient fundamentals.

 

The pressure of competition increases the need for strong emotional aptitude. I believe a missing link in many players’ developmental routines is not understanding when to shift focus from “perfect form” to “solid form with adaptable technique” under the pressure of competition. Far too many intermediate athletes continue to devote 100% of their time and energy toward perfecting technique and ignoring emotional skill set training.  Failure to recognize the importance of performance under stress stunts an athlete’s growth.  How an athlete handles adapting to the variables of competition under stress requires strong emotional aptitude.

In my opinion, athletes, parents, and coaches obsessed with one-dimensional training are stuck in the slow lane to greatness… hoping for no roadblocks along the way. While those in the fast lane are developing the preset protocols to maneuver around those roadblocks which maximize player potential at the quickest rate.

 

Emotional Aptitude in Sports serves as a wakeup call for anyone who is tired of coming up short in competition and is ready to do something about it.  Welcome to a greater understanding of you!

 

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College Search Process

Posted on February 5, 2018 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

I have been fortunate to coach Cali Jankowski of Southern California throughout her junior development. Today, she is the SCTA’s #1 ranked junior as well as the #5 ranked junior, nationally. I am proud to share a College Administration Essay Cali was asked to write about the college admissions process. To help the younger generation of athletes and their parents, Cali has agreed to allow us to Blog her insightful piece. For more information about the college search process visit our website (www.maximizingtennispotential.com) and click on the ebook: How to Attract a College Athletic Scholarship.

Congratulations Cali- I am very proud of you!!!

KALI

 

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

 

As an athlete, my college admissions experience was incredibly different from the average teen. I was fortunate enough to receive multiple full scholarships offered to me by the best universities in the country. My college search started during my freshman year, as I began researching schools that had both a competitive tennis program and good business program.

To anyone who is starting the process, I recommend beginning the search process by creating a list of everything you want in a university. What kind of weather is most comfortable to you? Which majors are most appealing to you? Is a big city or a small college town more desirable to you? Are you more comfortable with a small or large school? Does the school have a strong football team which affords more money to other sports?  What kind of academic support do athletes receive?  Outlining your “dream school” makes it is easier to eliminate schools. The smaller your pool of schools, the less overwhelming it will be to find a good match.

Once I identified the schools that I was most interested in, I started sending out emails to express my interest in their school and hopefully get an idea if I was on their radar? (High-performance athletes often are known entities to college coaches.)  I carefully formulate an email that outlined my tennis and academic successes, what I was looking for in a school, and why I was interested in their school. Taking the time to create a thoughtful email shows a strong work ethic and responsibility- two crucial life skill sets college coaches look for in recruits. Be sure your email is written by you, the athlete, and not the parent. One final piece of advice in regards to sending out emails is to include a tie to the university if you have one.

Luckily, I did get some responses, and I was able to call a few schools to set up unofficial college visits. (Note: that a school cannot legally call you back if they miss your call until September 1st of your junior year.) A few months into my sophomore year, I took unofficial visits to two of my top schools Arizona State University (ASU) and the University of Arizona (U of A). I loved both schools.

Fast forward to my junior year; I received dozens of emails and letters from schools like UNC-Chapel Hill, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, Pepperdine, Virginia, Harvard, Yale, Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State, Georgia, Michigan and many others. My parents made it clear from the beginning that they could not afford to visit all the schools on my list and so I needed to narrow down my list. I started to nitpick schools and became more precise about what I wanted. I took the time to respond to all emails to let them know my level of interest. (Remember to be responsible: All offers need a response- positive or negative. Politely rejecting a college coach’s offer allows them to move on to the next recruit.) At this stage in the process, all signs pointed to Arizona, Arizona State, and Ohio State. I then arrange for an official visit all three schools.

I walked away from my first visit to U of A absolutely in love. Then, I visited ASU a week later and to my surprise, ASU topped U of A. I couldn’t make a final decision just yet, as I still had one more visit to Ohio State planned two months later. Despite having one more school to visit, I was feeling destined to be in Tempe, Arizona at ASU. So, I cancelled my visit to Ohio State. My parents encouraged me to take some time to think through my choice to make sure I wasn’t making a rash decision. So, I had been thinking about it for about a week, when my father received a call form a university coach questioning my interest? The coach told my father that I seemed distant… At this point, I decided it was time to pull the trigger and make my decision known.  My heart was set on ASU and I felt terrible stringing along the other schools. So that night I called the head coach of ASU, Sheila McInerney, and happily accepted the scholarship. I haven’t looked back since.

The college search process for an athlete is much easier when the athlete has taken the time before the college search process to develop their game and become an accomplished athlete- working hard for countless hours on-court and off-court refining their physical, mental, emotional and athletic skill sets.  College coaches are aware of accomplished athletes and their potential contribution to their team and school, making the search process much simpler for the elite athlete.

So to all the parents reading this: If you build a high IQ tennis player, the college coaches will come by the masses. I thank my parents for supporting my athletic dream and helping me maximize my potential in every aspect of the game, but, not demanding perfection. There should be no part of their game that can break down by counter punchers, cheaters or pushers- the “gate-keeper” of elite junior tennis development.

While the college search process is a stressful time, parents, coaches, and children alike should enjoy every second, as it is an unprecedented process that many families may never get the chance to experience. It’s not every day that universities throw scholarships at you!

Now, in the second semester of my senior year of high school, I can proudly say I was accepted to the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. I will be majoring in Sports and Media Studies with the hopes of becoming a sports agent or working on the marketing side of a professional sporting organization. I have no regrets as to how quickly I chose a college because it took a massive weight off my shoulders which then caused my tennis game to improve immensely. I cannot wait to begin my new journey of being a college athlete. Go Devils!

 

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Optimism, Mindsets and Life Skills

Posted on January 29, 2018 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports

The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude In Sports NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

 

ea-in-sports4a_final

Optimism, Mindsets and Life Skills

There is no other way to start this book than with a glance into one of the most important topics of my life: Choosing optimism versus pessimism. Optimism is an attitude of being hopeful about the future and choosing to seek the positive versus the negative in each situation. Whereas pessimism is an attitude of doom and gloom towards the future and choosing see and/or anticipate only undesirable outcomes, results, conditions and problems.

Choosing optimism isn’t just a philosophy, it’s a life strategy.

This book identifies emotional problems in high-performance sports, but most importantly it will focus its energy on the solutions. Now, before you get all skeptical, let me say, I get it, being negative is far easier than being positive. Why? Since birth, we’re all nurtured to be on the lookout for the bad. From relatives to teachers to the media, were bombarded by the negative. The doom and gloom subject matters seem to be the reoccurring themes.  Ironically, no one was born with a negative mindset. The world put that toxic poison inside us.

Sure, bad things occasionally happen, but so do good things. Studies clearly show that obsessing about “what’s wrong” has very little solution-based value.  I find it a bit wacky that most people seem content to vent about their problems, yet are afraid to be grateful for their blessings. It’s almost as if we’re superstitious. If I talk about the “good stuff,” someone will take it away.

In my experience, optimism is the quickest path to greater achievements. It’s the booster of the rocket ship.

The beauty of sports is that we “get” to participate…we don’t “have” to participate.

The advantages of optimism is a popular college research topic.  Findings prove that optimistic athletes enjoy benefits that their negative counterparts miss out on. Examples include:

  • Happiness and Gratefulness
  • Physical and Mental Health
  • Inner Peace and Calmness
  • Confidence and Trust
  • Popularity (Sunny dispositions attract others…)
  • Complain and Worry Less
  • Hopefulness and Openness

 

SOLUTION # 1: Say Something Positive

Start and end each day saying something good. Make a great effort to start each conversation with a positive observation. Make it a habit to flip negative thoughts, feelings, and remarks into positive ones. Optimism is contagious, so take the tidbits you learn from this book and empower others, inspire others and be the optimistic voice everyone respects.

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TEAMWORK

Posted on January 24, 2018 by in Raising Athletic Royalty

The following post is an excerpt from Raising Athletic Royalty NOW available through most online retailers!
Click Here to Order

Frank Giampaolo

 

TEAMWORK

LESSON:  The Superstar That Never Was

Possibly one of the greatest baseball players ever born into this world was Jonathan Miguel from Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Jonathan had the physical size, talent, drive, determination, and work ethic to be a zillionaire in Major League Baseball. His brain type and body type were tailor-made for the big leagues. His genetic predisposition was perfect. Unfortunately for him and the rest of the world, his parents weren’t willing to sacrifice and do what it took to raise athletic royalty.

Jonathan grew up witnessing less talented boys from his small Caribbean island make it to the big show. Sadly, this superstar never saw the bright lights of a big league baseball stadium. He never played in an official little league game.

Jonathan was born into a family with no interest in sports. His father said dreaming of a career in sports wasn’t practical. His mother wasn’t any better. Her reoccurring answer to his pleas was always the same. “Jonathan, no one from our family ever made it big at anything. We’re just simple people, nothing more.” Neither parent shared his dream.

Like most families from his island, they were dirt poor. Jonathan’s father drove a cab and worked at the local bakery. Each day his mom babysat the neighborhood children along with Jonathan and his three sisters. Jonathan now 28 years old drives a cab in Santo Domingo. His car radio is always glued to the local sports channel. He drives the city streets in a dreamlike state imagining what it would have been like to have gotten his shot at baseball. Most nights he can be found parked by one of the dozens of local little league baseball diamonds. He grabs a seat on the bleachers watching the privileged kids, as he waits for the call to his next destination.

Parents, without your commitment to becoming educated in the process, your little superstar doesn’t have a chance.

“COACHES AND TRAINERS WILL COME AND GO. THE FAMILY IS A ‘LIFELONG’ TEAM.”

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PERFECTIONISM

Posted on January 19, 2018 by in Raising Athletic Royalty

The following post is an excerpt from Raising Athletic Royalty NOW available through most online retailers!
Click Here to Order

 Frank Giampaolo

PERFECTIONISM

LESSON: The Fully Developed Human Brain

“It’s not my fault mom! My brains not fully developed…Google it…” is the go-to excuse applied by most of my students. In our seminars, we touch upon the common research regarding the limitations of a teenager’s brain. Parents, coaches, and athletes get a kick out of the neurological findings in regards to a teen’s inability to handle their emotions, planning, managing risks, and their inability to stay on task for hours through their teenage years.

Studies indicate that the human brain undergoes tremendous ‘pruning of the neurons and myelination’ (which translates to growth) through their late adolescence. While the scientific community banters over specifics, they agree that the human brain (both male and female) reaches full maturity in the early twenties.

The Institute for Highway Safety reports that teens are four times more likely to be involved in an auto accident and that’s due to their underdeveloped brains. The National Institute of Health suggests that the section of the brain that restrains risky behavior is not fully developed until the age of twenty-five. The bottom line with these interesting findings is that adolescent athletes are competing before the decision-making center of their brains are fully developed.

The moral of the story is: Cut your athletes some slack.  Don’t expect your teenager to perform perfectly because they have a pretty darn good excuse.  Instead, encourage excellence and don’t demand perfection.  Most full-grown adults I know don’t focus fully (100%) on their job while at work. They don’t put themselves on the line in national competition. They also don’t put their mind and bodies through such a rigorous growth process. Take a typical weekly schedule of a top junior athlete and my bet is that 95% of the parents couldn’t make it through the first week.

I suggest you put this book down for a moment and go give your child a hug. You are a very lucky parent!

 

“NEVER ASK FOR PERFECTION, PERFECTION IS AN ILLUSION.”

 

“Focus on the progress your child has made versus always complaining
about how far they have to go.”

 

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Pre-Game Rituals and Routines

Posted on January 17, 2018 by in Raising Athletic Royalty

 

The following post is an excerpt from Raising Athletic Royalty NOW available through most online retailers!
Click Here to Order

Frank Giampaolo

 

LESSON: Customized Pre-Game Rituals and Routines

Most clients attending my workshops have children with unbelievable physical talent. They come from all corners of the world with one common thread: they have failed to achieve the success they are truly capable of attaining.  Of course, the question they all want to be answered is; “Why?”

The answers are varied with the exception of one critical component. The athletes lacked a customized pre-game inflexible set of routines and rituals.

Top performers in every field share a terrific little secret. They have taken the time to develop their customized pre-game relaxation routines and rituals. Morphing a talented athlete into a competitive warrior demands the focused development of pre-match routines.

A player’s pre-game preparation demands proper periodization training, practicing in the manner in which they are expected to perform, stretching, nutrition/hydration, and positive visualization. It also requires the parents to commit to ONLY focusing on the words and actions that de-stress the player. A parental pre-game ‘de-stressing’ preparation strategy should include minimizing the importance of the event and focusing on performance goals and enjoying the moment.

 

“Great performances begin with great game day routines and rituals.”

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Is Your Athlete Organized?

Posted on January 14, 2018 by in Raising Athletic Royalty

The following post is an excerpt from Raising Athletic Royalty NOW available through most online retailers!
Click Here to Order

Frank Giampaolo

 

ORGANIZATION

LESSON: Israel Tennis Centers

While consulting in Israel, I had the opportunity to train sports psychologist, tennis coaches, players and parents at several beautiful Israel Tennis Centers.

I had the privilege of meeting one extremely insightful individual heading the programs in Kiryat Shemona, Israel, named Shaul Zohar.  Shaul is an excellent coach and mentor. His teachings go beyond tennis and nurture life skills like organization, time management, scheduling, perseverance, work ethic, punctuality, and optimism, to list a few.

I sat down with his 10-13-year-old high-performance group. I threw out typical questions and surprisingly they had all the answers and then some. I asked about their weekly components:

Q: “How many hours a week do you spend on off-court tennis specific training?”
A: “2.5 hours in the gym and 3 hours doing speed and agility work,” replied Moses.

Q: “How many hours do you spend developing your primary and secondary strokes?”
A: “Four hours on the primary, 3 hours on our secondary,” said Paul.

Match play versus pushers? Pattern repetition? Designing and rehearsing your between point rituals? Handling gamesmanship? …Whatever I threw at Shaul’s group, accurate and precise answers flowed from the mouths of these young players.

Typically, when I ask these very same questions to parents, players, and coaches at my workshops, seminars, and summits the answer is… “Aaahh …What’s that?”

Customizing your child’s developmental plan and systematically organizing it is the parent’s initial job. Dropping them off at a clinic or team practice isn’t going to produce Athletic Royalty.  Parents, you should plan on making the time to manage your child’s career unless you are paying a top coach like Shaul to manage it for you.

 

“A CUSTOMIZED ORGANIZATIONAL BLUE-PRINT IS YOUR CHILD’S NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM. IT MAXIMIZES POTENTIAL AT THE QUICKEST RATE.”

 

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