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Nick Saviano WTA Professional Coach

Posted on December 11, 2016 by in Tennis Professional Interviews, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

NICK SAVIANO WTA PROFESSIONAL COACH nick-quote-photo

Current WTA Coach of Sloane Stephens, Owner of Saviano High Performance Tennis and Author

 

Frank: What is your philosophy in regards to educating tennis parents?

Nick: First of all, there is no “one size fits all” approach to parenting an athlete or educating the parents. Tennis parent education greatly depends on factors such as age, gender, and travel requirements. There are so many roles of the tennis parent and too many variables to generalize but there are fundamental principles applicable across the board.

 

Frank: What do you feel is the primary role of the parents?

Nick: As there are developmental stages for players, there are maturation stages for parents throughout the child’s developmental process. The primary role is to use the game of tennis to teach life skills and values.

 

Frank: Can you share your thoughts on the parental-coach relationship?

Nick: The parents should plan on taking an active role in their child’s development. If you’re a tennis parent, there always has to be a healthy dose of skepticism along with trust in your child’s coach. The parents should verify the coaches’ actions by monitoring what’s going on and make sure that the coach is espousing the life principles that are consistent with the parents.

 

Frank: How important is the parent in the process?

Nick: In the early stages, besides the athlete, the parents are the most important members of the team. They are the most important people in the world to that child in most normal cases. Therefore they are a critical part of the developmental team. As such, the coach needs to be committed to be working with them for the benefit of the child.

 

Frank: What is your recommendation to coaches regarding the synergy of the player-parent-coach entourage?

Nick: A wise coach (unless there’s mitigating circumstances) would look to involve the parents so that everyone is on the same page. Parents should instill those fundamental life skills that need to be taught to the player in order for them to achieve the tennis skills at the highest level and at the healthiest levels.

 

Frank: What is the major factor in organizing a tennis parent’s level of involvement?

Nick: The ideal role of the tennis parent is predicated on the quality of the available coaches. There are so many variables regarding the coach that each individual situation is unique and therefore establishing the optimal developmental team will vary slightly depending on the situation.

 

Nick Saviano Email: nick@savianotennis.com www.savianotennis.com Academy: Saviano High Performance Tennis

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Part Two of College Coach Colin Foster

Posted on December 5, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

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Best Seller “Emotional Aptitude In Sports” eBook
is now available for only $0.99  on AMAZON through December 7, 2016

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The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers.   Click Here to Order

Part Two of College Coach Colin Foster’s Interview.  Thanks, Frank

 

COLIN FOSTER WOMEN’S HEAD COACH WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY

Wichita State University (Interview Conducted Summer 2014)

Frank: I’ve found that most juniors spent approximately 90% of their developmental time grooving fundamentals. When do you suggest they begin to add off-court tennis specific training, or begin to look deeper into the development of the mental or emotional components?

Colin: I think it’s so important for players to be developed in all areas of their game.  I often see players come to college and they have the fighting spirit but they don’t truly understand how to compete.  They have let-down’s or loose moments in “obvious” moments (i.e. up 5-3) or get angry and play 8-10 minutes of poor tennis when it could have been limited to a few points or a game.

Additionally they haven’t spent any time on “specialty” shots, the type of shots that come up maybe once or twice a match but can be momentum swing type points.  A low bouncing overhead that you need to duck down a bit and abbreviate the motion.  When to play (and how to play) effective drop shots…and how to reply against a good drop shot, etc.  Likewise, footwork needs to be addressed earlier.  Players are coming in at a good fitness level but it’s important to be proficient and efficient with their movement and that isn’t always the case for players as they progress through juniors.

 

Frank: Can you share your recruiting requirements? What are you personally looking for physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually with the athlete, and their parents?

Colin: Obviously I’m looking for players that are strong enough to make an immediate impact in our top 6.  We recruit a lot of players both domestically and internationally.  After assessing the level we are looking for players that want to get better and want to be a part of a team.  Occasionally we have had super-motivated individuals that may not buy into the “team” atmosphere at first, but if we have a team around them that does buy in that that individual also becomes a better team player and that often takes some pressure of them individually.  If a team has too many individuals it can become very fragmented and difficult to build chemistry and cohesiveness.

I make an effort to get to know the player and their family before we make a commitment.  Of course it’s hard to truly know someone from a few hours on the phone and a few meetings in person, but I mostly just need to trust my instincts when it comes to character.  We are fortunate to have a great team that supports each other and families back home that support their daughters without meddling.  It allows me to focus on their games rather than having to worry about other issues, which in turn helps our team maximize its potential and our girls enjoy their experience to the fullest.

 

Frank: When should a family, ideally, begin their college search process?

Colin: Families should begin the college search in freshman or sophomore year, but they shouldn’t feel any pressure to commit early.  They can do unofficial visits and start to make a list of programs they are interested in.  Then beginning in their junior year they can have more communication with coaches begin to narrow down their search.

 

Frank: What “homework” should parents & players do before contacting college coaches?

Colin: As I mentioned earlier, players (and parents) typically aim WAY too high and waste a lot of time contacting schools that are unrealistic.  With Universal Tennis and Tennis Recruiting there are tools available to help find a good fit.  A good rule of thumb that I’ve stolen from another coach is that your tennis recruiting ranking should more or less correspond to the team’s national ranking.

If a team has eight players that means two roster spots are turning over each year (on average), and about half of those spots are going to international so on average schools are taking about one American per year.  I realize some schools are primarily American and some are primarily international but it’s a good rule of thumb and starting point.  So if a player is 150+ on Tennis Recruiting it is unrealistic for them to be writing top 75 teams.  You want to go to a school where you can play and players and parents need to be realistic about where that is.

 

Frank: Where do you find your future prospects?

Colin: Most of our team is international (Europe).  We would be happy to take more American players, but we also want to maintain our position as a top 50 national team and the dominant team in our conference (we have won 69 consecutive matches against Missouri Valley teams dating back to 2009).

With that said, we work hard to find players that will not only fit in talent-wise, but that will be great ambassadors of our program and our university.  We have succeeded in finding players that are appreciative of the opportunity to study and play here, are happy and willing to give back to the tennis community and to the community as a whole, who do well in school, and add to the diversity of the university and perhaps teach their fellow (American and international) students something about the world.

 

Frank: What is the parental role in managing the developmental plan of a future NCAA star?

Colin: Parents play an important role in the tennis and overall development of a player.  I realize it must be very hard to strike that balance of manager/supporter without getting too caught up in the wins and losses and/or trying to “coach” their child (unless of course they are the coach).  But the parents that strike that balance give their kids the best chance to be prepared and successful at the next level, whatever that next level is…

 

Frank: What insights can you share with the readers?

Colin: “Enjoy the journey.”  Tennis is a lifetime sport and if you enjoy the journey and process of getting better then you will enjoy the sport forever.  If you get too focused on the destination (college tennis) then you may look past the end of your junior career and not enjoy that as much and you may have unrealistically high expectations for your college experience, which can lead to disappointment, burnout or quitting after college.  It is such a beautiful sport that you can play for life, if you truly enjoy it and enjoy competing every match and getting better every day then you will enjoy it for the rest of your life, and your life will be better off because of it 🙂

Colin Foster Contact Email: cfoster@goshockers.com

 

 

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College Tennis Coach Colin Foster

Posted on December 3, 2016 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

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Best Seller “Emotional Aptitude In Sports” eBook
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The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers.   Click Here to Order

Coach Foster’s interview is a bit long for a single blog post, so his interview will be posted in two posts.  Part one follows.  Thanks, Frank

 

COLIN FOSTER WOMEN’S HEAD COACH
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY

Wichita State University (Interview Conducted Summer 2014)

 

Frank: What’s new and exciting in the world of college tennis?

Colin: The biggest change this year is new leadership at the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association).  After a long and distinguished career, David Benjamin retired and new CEO Tim Russell has taken over and brought in a new team.  They have ambitious plans not only to help college tennis survive in the uncertain collegiate athletics atmosphere, but to help it thrive on campuses and in communities.

Additionally, the format change that was much debated has been passed.  Starting this year all Division 1 matches will begin with three doubles sets (to six), followed by six singles matches (best of three sets).  No-Ad scoring will be used for doubles and singles.  There were compelling arguments from those in favor of and opposed to this change, but the new leadership team at the ITA, and I agree, feel strongly this change makes our product more fan-friendly and will help create better opportunities for our sport to be most successful going forward.

 

Frank: What’s your opinion of the current state of US junior tennis versus ITF junior tennis?

Colin: I don’t buy into the notion that Americans are doing anything wrong to not churn out professionals at the rate we once did.  There are tournaments, facilities, coaches, and opportunities growing all over the world and it’s natural that the landscape at the top of the game would reflect that.  I certainly see that when I’m recruiting at the junior level.  There are many strong American juniors, young and old, boy and girl, playing some serious ball both at the ITF events and in the USTA events.

With online school becoming so prevalent it’s easier for these American juniors to play more internationally and gain that experience of “the grind” that is part of being a professional.  It will never be like the glory days of the 80s and 90s but it’s unrealistic to expect that and not fair to put that type of pressure on these juniors.  There is a lot of excitement over the upcoming batch of young male players just now turning pro.  With there being a strong group (at least six) showing serious promise these guys (and some girls that are working their way toward the top of the junior ranks) will be able to share a lot of the pressure and expectations and no one individual will feel “the weight of the (tennis) world” on their shoulders.

 

Frank: What are some of the key differences between the men’s & ladies scholarship requirements and experiences in regards to NCAA tennis?

Colin: Firstly the biggest difference is that, at the Division 1 level, men have a maximum of 4.5 scholarship (to be split amongst as many players as the coach decides) and the women have a maximum of 8 scholarships, to be given at full scholarships to 8 players (can’t be divided amongst more than 8 players.)

On the recruiting side this makes the men’s side much more complicated.  If a family is shopping around for the biggest scholarship they may find a weaker program where their son can play higher in the lineup, but this might not be the best experience for the player.  If they go to a team where they’ll start lower in the lineup they may be on less money (at least initially) but they may have a more rewarding experience on a more competitive team.  Good students can also look for academic scholarships to help.

On the women’s side it is a bit more straightforward, if a coach offers a player a scholarship that means he/she expects the player to be in their top 8 and compete for lineup spots.  Oftentimes players will choose the best (highest ranked) school they can get a scholarship at and sometimes that leads to riding the bench and a disappointing experience.  Men’s and women’s tennis often have the highest transfer rate in NCAA sports, much of this can be attributed to players not being realistic enough about their playing chances at a school and going to a program that is too strong for them…and not doing enough homework about what type of program the coach runs.

 

Frank: Can you briefly share your team’s weekly practice, training & match schedule as well as your annual schedule?

Colin: In season we are usually off on Monday after competition.  Players may see our athletic trainer to treat any injuries/soreness from the weekend.  Tuesday/Thursday we usually practice in smaller groups to give players more individual attention (with one of those days often having a heavy doubles emphasis).

On Wednesday we have team practice and use the group to push each other physically and mentally with a lot of consistency drills and competition (often finishing with at least one set).  Friday is also a team practice where we’ll play some doubles to stay sharp going into the weekend and then tailor the second half of practice to whatever each individual needs so that they are feeling their best going in to the weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday we usually have matches.  Workout-wise, we do some type of on-court fitness and agility almost every day (sprints, footwork ladder, med ball, etc.).  We do Pilates once or twice/week and lift once/week during the spring season.  In the fall when we aren’t competing as often we lift a bit more (twice/week) and do a bit more endurance training, sprint/bike intervals, swimming.  We try to vary our workouts to keep the season from becoming monotonous and we listen to our players to see what they like and don’t like.

Lastly, injury prevention is always our #1 priority.  If a player is uncomfortable with a drill/exercise/etc. from an injury standpoint we are very careful to make sure they are doing the correct technique and if they are still uncomfortable we find a different exercise for them to do.

Annually, we play 4-5 tournaments in the fall.  Some are “bracket” style, others are round robin.  Ideally our players get 12-15 singles matches (and a similar amount of doubles) in the fall season.  In the spring we play 22-25 dual matches, followed by our conference and NCAA tournaments.  Most of our competition is regional but we make sure to schedule some trips to different parts of the country as that is an important part of the college experience for our players.  We also schedule in such a way to give our team, and individuals on our team, opportunities to get ranked as high as possible.

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Tennis Parent Education Podcast

Posted on November 29, 2016 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

Tennis Parent Education

Listen to Podcast with Frank Giampaolo and Adam Blicher on “The Adam Blicher Show”

To Listen Click Here

(http://www.adamblicher.com/podcast/giampaolo/)

 

Emotional Aptitude In Sports
Stop Choking In Competition

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eBook Special from December 1- 7th, 2016

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To Contact: Adam Blicher of “The Adam Blicher Show”

http://www.adamblicher.com/contact/

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Interview with Tennis Legend JOHAN KRIEK

Posted on November 25, 2016 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

 

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

 

 JOHAN QUOTE PHOTO

JOHAN KRIEK TWO TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION

ATP 2-Time Grand Slam Champion, Coach and Owner of Johan Kriek Tennis Academy

 

Frank: You have a very successful tennis academy in Charlotte, North Carolina (USA) – Johan Kriek Tennis Academy.  What are the strong points of your academy?

Johan: I am personally on the court every day with my academy coaches and the clients. Each kid sees me every day and that is a rarity in America from someone with my credentials.

I also have created a great team of coaches that are very competent and we work in tandem as not to sow confusion when we coach privately with a kid and when the kid also trains in the academy. We have coaches on our staff from around the world and that gives the academy a very deep tennis base of knowledge to draw from.

Besides our great coaching staff, we fulfill all the necessary needs of each client whether it is coaching, changing a stroke or a grip, fitness needs, nutrition, mental training on court and in a classroom, tournament scheduling and the very important aspect of getting kids ready to apply for a college. Our connections in the college arena are very strong as college tennis is a very important aspect for most of our clients.

 

Frank: What would your advice be to parents of a hungry young talent?

Johan: Be supportive but not to the point that the kid feels this is becoming a “job” and their desire starts to disappear. If a kid is under ten years old, let him play other sports as well, soccer comes to mind as a great sport for fitness, endurance and footwork that complements tennis. Let the kid be a kid, not a tennis professional at age 10!

The more parents have fun with their child and avoids harping on results, at such a young age, the more the kid will want to stay in the game. The nationally ranked kid age 14 trains already perhaps 14 hours minimum a week with goals very different from a much younger child.

As a coach I need to be very aware of the expectations of parents, the child and the pressures that are “at play” in this journey. Unfortunately I see a lot of very good juniors with parents who are completely overbearing and pushing to the point it creates a very bad relationship and conflict rules the day. Even well-meaning parents that are not “sophisticated” enough in the knowledge of the sport and their child’s growth can derail a good talent easily…

It is my job to sit with the parents, sometimes many times during a year, especially after tournaments to discuss all the aspects I see that need to be addressed and “educate” the parents about the path forward.

 

Frank: What do you feel is the primary role of the tennis parent in today’s world?

Johan: The parent or parents have their child 20 hours of the day each day. In the academy I have the child for but a few hours. The role of the parent is vitally important to the tennis success of their child. It is tough enough to just be a parent but to be the parent of a budding tennis star is a whole different level of parenting. A child will always want to please the parents no matter the situation. So the parents must be the child’s support system in a very positive nurturing way. On this subject, “The Tennis Parent’s Bible” provides tremendous insight and information on how to deal with so many aspects of this issue. The book should be a must read for any parent or parents out there whether you are just starting out or have been “in the junior tennis world” for a while now.

 

Frank: How important is an “educated” parent in the developmental process?

Johan: This junior tennis journey is a very competitive world. Parents will see things happening on and off the court they never dreamed of seeing… Competition brings out a tremendous amount of joy when a kid wins but remember, there is but only one winner in a tournament! A kid will lose a lot, so get used to it. Disappointment and frustration is an everyday thing so how a parent deals with it and how a kid reacts to losing is where an “educated” parent has a huge impact on the mental well-being of their tennis prodigy.

It is so frustrating for me to see a well-meaning “uneducated” parent interrogate their kid right after they lost a match. The parent delves into the reasons why he or she lost and asking them they why did you not do this or that etc. …I see it all the time! The poor kid is already devastated from his loss and comes to the parent for support, but the parent makes it ten times worse. Parents should offer a safe haven for the child. There is a time and a place for everything. An educated tennis parent will know based on his or her child’s reaction after the loss whether they can talk about the match or whether they should just grab some lunch…

 

Frank: What’s your recommendation to coaches around the world regarding the synergy of the player- parent-coach entourage?

Johan: Coaches must understand that the parent is a very important part of this “triangle.” Ignoring this is a recipe for disaster. Without proper communication between the coach, parents and the player, sometimes together, unrealistic expectations may arise and lead to unnecessary conflict and stress for everybody involved. A smart coach will know parents and their child very well and this is the only way to continue on a healthy path through this rough and tumble world of junior tennis. And this applies to every sport, not just tennis!

Not a week goes by where I do not sit with a set of parents and discuss their child. Sometimes it requires face to face discussions but many times it is a phone call or an email. Communication is KEY!

 

Frank: Let’s go back to your junior years. What were the motivational forces that propelled you to stardom? Why couldn’t you just be another normal kid?

Johan: I guess I was normal or so I thought… Looking back, I was a very gifted athlete and exceptionally competitive by nature- I hated losing more than anything! Down deep I believed I could win. My internal drive to be “the best I could be” propelled me forward…

 

Frank: Back in the late 1970’s, which developmental components did you or did not focus on?

Johan:  I was always a very natural ball striker.  The technical components of my game were very sound, but I knew I needed the “exposure” to tougher opponents to expose and improve my weaknesses.  So at the age of 17, I went to Austria to improve my match competitiveness.  I trained on clay and played set after set and multiple tournaments. Although I got wiped most of the time, I was steadily improving.

 

Frank: If you had a “do-over”, what would you have developed differently?

Johan: Looking back, the element most lacking in my game was the mental component. Unfortunately, during my youth developmental phase, the mental components of tennis were not specialized. Most definitely, focusing on the mental application of tennis would be my “do-over” by far!

 

Frank: How did being South African effect your breakthrough at the International level?

Johan: Being from South-Africa was not easy. The South African political issues often blocked my participation in tournaments, but fortunately, I persevered and never let politics affect my desire to play tennis. I eventually took American citizenship which cleared my path to play wherever I wanted to play.

 

Frank: Can you share some incredible memories from the ATP days?

Johan: I have amazing memories from my days on the ATP tour. Some of the most memorable memories include: the first ATP tournament John McEnroe won was against me in Hartford CT., beating Stefan Edberg in 5 sets at Wimbledon, after being down 2 sets to love; winning my first ATP event in Sarasota Florida…But my most incredibly awesome memories are winning my first major in Australia in 1981 and then again in 1982! It was so farfetched that I still can’t believe that I won two Grand Slams back to back!

Even after my Grand Slam wins, unforgettable ATP memories continued. For instance beating John McEnroe, as he held the #1 player in the world ranking, a few weeks after my second Australian Open win was fantastic. My ATP career has left indelible memories- I could tell stories forever…

 

Frank: How did you recover after a tough loss on the ATP tour?

Johan: I once had Borg 2 sets to love in the semis of the ’80 US Open and McEnroe 2 sets to 1 in the quarters of “Wimby” and lost …it happens. I had my share of bad losses but I chose to not let them get me down for long periods of time. I actually took the negatives aspects of the losses and turned them into a positive driving force. This is because I knew I “had” the guy that I lost to and the loss forced me to work harder to beat him the next time.

After about 3 years on the tour, I rarely lost to a guy more than once in a row.

I believe growth comes from losses. One has to learn from losses and figure “stuff out” in order to improve.  Once the same “pressure points” or games arrive you’re more equipped to handle the situation.

 

Frank: How did you take such an emotional hit and recover so well?

Johan: I ended up winning two Aussie Opens after some tough losses. Tournament competition is a grind man… It’s not easy but once you have battled through a couple of very “tough” matches, you begin to become more familiar with the experience and learn to develop the proper protocol in handling the experience.

It is still hard, but once you have experienced hard fought matches, for months or years, they become easier to deal with and “accepted” as part of the game.

 

Johan Kriek Tennis Academy Website: www.johankriektennis.com Email:Johan@johankriektennis.com Twitter: @johankriek

 

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Interview with Stevie Johnson ATP Professional

Posted on November 20, 2016 by in Tennis Professional Interviews, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

 

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

 

STEVIE JOHNSON ATP PROFESSIONALStebie Johnson

Stevie Johnson was a top US National Junior, 2 Time Singles CIF Champion and 4 Time Team CIF Champion at D-I University of Southern California (USC) and currently a top 30 ATP Pro tour player.

 

Frank: What qualities should a parent look for when hiring a coach or academy?

Stevie: The coach has to truly care about the student and sincerely look for what’s best for the student in both tennis and life. I feel it’s important to seek a positive learning atmosphere where both tennis skills and character skills are continually emphasized.

 

Frank: Looking back on your illustrious junior career, what do you attribute your success?

Stevie: Even though I was #1 in the 12’s and 14’s, that style of game wouldn’t take me to the top in college or in the pros. I had to refocus my development in the 16’s and 18’s. I was a bit lazy with my off-court training early on and relied on my talent and strong competitive nature, but to continue to grow and improve, I had to make fitness a priority. Honestly, I don’t even remember my 12 and under trophies.

 

Frank: It sounds like focusing on improvement versus tournament wins and rankings is a theme of yours. Why?

Stevie: In the younger divisions you can win with a limited moonball game because the rest of the field isn’t fully developed. This winning tactic is not successful in the older divisions. I really don’t see pushers in the pros. The professional athletes attack. I believe it’s important for the parents and players to be “ok” losing while developing the whole game. Just being satisfied with a limited game that wins to at the lower levels will limit your career.  I recommend seeking weekly improvement versus having to always win.

 

Frank: When should parents, players and coaches begin to develop the mental and emotional components of the game?

Stevie: I think it’s a maturity level not a certain age. Different people allow their mood to affect their performance more than others. If they struggle with crazy emotional ups and downs, they should focus on improving their emotional stability. The key is to develop and continually improve every component so the player can stay engaged and competitive in every circumstance.

 

Frank: What’s the primary differences between playing national level juniors and D-1, NCAA ball?

Stevie: If you choose the right college coach and program, there’s a heightened level of dedication, developmental structure, and focused off-court training. Coaches, teammates and even the international opponents pushes each other to train harder.

 

Frank: What’s the primary differences between NCAA tennis and ATP pro ball?

Stevie: It’s not so much strokes but the addition of all the seemingly smaller intangibles. The mental and emotional components are better. They include longer-deeper focus and competitiveness. They don’t give away any free points and the athletes physical, mental and emotional endurance is stronger day in-day out.

 

Frank: I’ve known you and your folks forever but from your side, what makes your folks such great tennis parents?

Stevie: Balance! On court, my father was the coach. Off-court, he was just my dad. After matches, my dad didn’t banter for 30 minutes about the performance. My mom played tennis as well so she added great perspective.

 

Frank: Can you share a few words of wisdom for the parents, athletes and coaches reading this book?

Stevie: Have fun with the development of your game. Remember even though it feels like “life or death” at the moment, the wins-losses in the 10’s-14 don’t mean much. It’s a blessing to play so laugh and enjoy the process.

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Interview with USC Head Coach Peter Smith

Posted on November 13, 2016 by in Tennis Professional Interviews

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

 PETE QUOTE PHOTO

PETER SMITH MEN’S HEAD COACH UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

USC Men’s Tennis Head Coach and owner of Southern California Tennis Academy.

 

Peter Smith is the parent of a professional men’s Challenger Champion, National Champions, a National Champion himself and the award winning NCAA men’s tennis coach at USC. Let’s take a glimpse into his words of wisdom.

 

Frank: What is your take regarding all your tennis related success?

Peter: I approach tennis differently. I view tennis as a vehicle for life improvement. I would like juniors to view the sport as a life enriching opportunity.  It would be optimal for juniors to ask themselves, “How can tennis make my life better… as a person.”

I’ve met many professionals who are unhappy and yet the rest of the world deems them a success. Though I’d love to see one of my players win Wimbledon, I’d rather have my players become great people. Tennis is one of the toughest sports because athletes have to do so much on their own, but as a result, tremendous life lessons are learned through the sport.

 

Frank: What do you feel is the role of the tennis parent in the developmental process?

Peter: It is multifunctional. The tennis parent should be a leader but it’s difficult when they don’t know the path. Being a parent is much harder than being a college coach. Becoming educated about the tennis developmental process is the primary role of a tennis parent. But the key to successful player parent communication are parents with the right amount of patience.

I’ve got 29 years of experience working with parents of top athletes. Interestingly, the parents that I have had minimal contact with are the parents of the best players. Steve Johnson Sr. never called me once… I called him all the time and we had the best conversations.

 

Frank: What are some of the re-occurring blunders you see parents make?

Peter: The hard part of being a parent is watching their junior fail and allowing them to fail (In the right setting…) Learning through their failures is often the best lesson for the athlete but very tough for a parent.

 

Frank: Do you prefer a single coach or an entourage of coaches in developing a player?

Peter: It takes a village to raise a champion. I’ve got trusted pros who come in and snap my kids back in line.

 

Frank: Do you prefer athletes attend home school/independent study or regular school?

Peter: Isolation is just not good. Patrick Rafter is making all the Tennis Australia players go to school. Look who’s successful right now Querrey, Johnson, Isner, Sox. They all went to high school. Life starts at 18…so preparing for life is important.

 

Frank: What’s your recommendation to coaches regarding the synergy with players and parent?

Peter: It’s a tough one… Coaches have to make a living and their good decisions aren’t often popular. It’s a dance sometimes between doing what the parent wants versus doing what the athlete wants. Here’s a fact: What wins in the 12’s isn’t going to necessarily win in the 18’s… What wins in college won’t necessarily win in the pros…

I believe in teaching every kid the full tool box of strokes. Some kids are naturally passive and like/need to be pushed. Some are natural dare devils. Each player parent relationship is unique and dependent on the player’s goals.

 

Frank: How will high performance tennis help with their college placement?

Peter: High performance tennis can absolutely open doors for players. Tennis gives athletes access to great universities.  None of this year’s USC men team would have been accepted into such a prestigious school without tennis. Scholarships are a bonus.

 

Frank: Do you agree that it’s often better to get a partial or no scholarship at a school with a high IQ coach versus a full ride with a lesser coach?

Peter: Here’s what I tell my USC players, treat the tennis experience as a 3 hour a day class minimum. We’ve all had a teacher who made the class fun. The college coach is the most important part of the decision. It’s a marriage.

 

Frank: Do you have any special advice for incoming freshmen?

Peter: Ninety percent of the freshman who don’t play as a freshman… never get the opportunity to play. So it’s important to research the right school.

 

Frank: Should the athlete play US Nationals or ITF (International Tennis Federation) events?

Peter: I believe in playing both US and ITF tournaments, but first and foremost, every athlete should focus on their current stage of development. They should look to be successful in their city tournaments, then sectional, then regional, then nationals etc. – a stepping stones approach to development. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule.

 

Frank: Organizing a junior’s weekly schedule is part of the tennis parent job description. Can you share with the readers your USC weekly schedule?

Peter: At the start of the season, players wake up early for a 7:00 am off-court tennis specific training session, followed by a private lesson, 2 classes, lunch, then a full team practice, dinner, night class or study hall. The goal is to be done by 9:00 p.m. We try to make it enjoyable

 

Frank: When do you suggest juniors begin to develop their secondary strokes and their mental or even emotional components of the game?

Peter: As early as possible. Young children are able to absorb a lot of information. They need private lessons. I taught my children to volley first, knowing that they’ll be pounding a million ground strokes later. It’s challenging to teach a late teenager how to volley. The best players I have coached at USC came in their freshman year with a complete game.

 

Peter Smith- Southern California Tennis Academy Website: sctennisacademy.com

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The Game of Doubles

Posted on November 5, 2016 by in Doubles, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

 frank-at-melbourne

Doubles Question 8: My daughter doesn’t like to volley. Can she still win at doubles?

Frank: You bet…At least up to a certain level. Her first step in playing doubles without attacking the net is to choose a partner that’s ok with her tactics. Second, she’ll need to choose a system of doubles that exposes her strengths and hides her weaknesses.

The four common doubles systems seen on the WTA Pro Tour include:

  1. Both players rush the net
  2. One player plays up and one back
  3. Both players play “double back”
  4. “I” Formation

FUN FACT: The most vulnerable system in doubles is one-up- one-back. The most common system played around the world? One up one back!

 

Doubles Question 9: Our high school coach says don’t ever look back at your partner’s ground strokes, yet I see pro’s doing it. Which is right?

Frank: In my opinion, the player that uses their peripheral vision to quickly detect the quality of their partners shot has a huge advantage. Picking up visual and audible clues as soon as possible is a major part of the evolution of the game. Pros make their living by picking up these clues and moving before the opponent even makes contact with their shot. Anticipatory speed is a learned behavior.

FACT: Let’s say you are at the net, only looking forward. Your partner is in trouble hitting a vulnerable, lunging floater. Well, your partner knows your dead, both opponents know your dead…Guess who does not know you’re dead…You!

 

Doubles Question 10: My son and his partner serve 120 mph and can rip the ball. They are super aggressive, yet they lose in doubles to less talented players. What are they doing wrong?

Frank: Being aggressive in doubles is critical. Unfortunately, playing only offense is more than just hitting hard. Ask your son to look into the below forms of offense.

  • Time Management: Taking away time with aggressive court positioning.
  • Redirecting the Ball: Changing the angle of the ball versus just crushing it.
  • Applying Building Shots: Building shots are essential in forcing the opponent into vulnerable strike zones and court positions.

 

In review, ask your son’s coach to begin to focus on the art of applying offensive, neutral and defensive shot selections (spins and speeds) at the appropriate times.

 

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Skill Sets of Champions

Posted on October 31, 2016 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports, Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

 

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

 Frank Giampaolo

QUESTION: What are the hidden skill sets of champions?

Frank: Jarrod Wilson has the Babolat Pure Drive, strung with natural gut on the crosses and polly on the mains… just like the pros. He sports the latest “Nadal” Nike shirts, shorts and shoes. His 12-pack racquet bag even says “TOUR TEAM” on it. Man, he even goes to an $80,000 a year tennis academy. At first glance, he looks like a sure bet for the pros.

Now let’s look at Jarrod’s regiment a little deeper as it pertains to player accountability.  Jarrod loses early almost every event in an implosion of negative behavior. There is nothing more common than young, talented athletes that are weak competitors. This is a prime time example of player accountability. After reading the below Ten Essential Hidden Skills of a Champion ask yourself, are there any similarities between Jarrod and your little tennis phenom?

Ten Essential Hidden Skills of a Champion

1) Champions face their fears versus avoiding them.

If you ask Jarrod to play a practice set against a younger retriever he has 100 excuses why he can’t and won’t play.

2) Champions have swagger which is truly different than fake, empty confidence.

Jarrod willingly practices his primary stroke production and then routinely SKIPS his weekly regime of off-court training sessions, rehearsing closing out sets, match play video analysis and his required mental/emotional classroom sessions. His empty confidence shatters under the slightest bit of pressure

3) Champions are strong competitor’s not just good athletes.

Set up a great sparring session for Jarrod and he’ll tell you “No thanks…I’m good! …I already rallied with Kenny today.”

4) Champions do everything to prepare properly.

Jarrod often stays out late the night before a big event, leaves no time in the morning for a real breakfast, neglects to organize his tournament bag, hits for 10 minutes before the match and actually believes he is ready to compete.

5) Champions know that they will lose more than they will win.

Jarrod and his parents believe that he should win every match he plays.

6) Champions develop problem solving skills, confidence, perseverance, determination and work ethic.

Jarrod chooses to focus on stationary strokes, week in and week out.

7) Champions have self-belief and a positive outlook.

Jarrod wears his ball cap backwards and twirls his racquet confidently at the start of each tournament, until the umpire yells “2 minutes gentlemen.” Then like clockwork, he loses focus and morphs into an “Emotional Basket Case” every weekend. Jarrod only has one game style- hard hitting baseliner.

8) Champions develop several game plans, emotional solutions to common problems, agility and brain speed.

Jarrod is brain washed into believing that if he perfects his primary strokes every day, he will go pro.

9) Champions understand that controlling their adrenaline and concentration wins matches.

Jarrod believes that he is the one and only gifted, athlete out there and that should be enough to sky rocket him to success. When his opponents begin to challenge his game, he folds emotionally.

10) Champions spot tendencies and control the energy of the match.

simply hits the shots that feel good to him versus hitting the shots that feel uncomfortable to the opponent.

 

In conclusion, it’s important to understand that there is nothing more common than extremely athletic individuals with weak competitive skills. This is why, to the untrained eye, it appears that the better “looking” athlete should win. As you all know, it is often not the case. Although it is essential to develop solid fundamental, once fundamentals are developed, the art of winning stems from developing these hidden skill sets.

 

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Periodization Training

Posted on October 26, 2016 by in Customized Organizational Plan, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order Frank Giampaolo

 

PERIODIZATION TRAINING

When preparing for an upcoming tournament, inexperienced coaches and parents sabotage their athlete’s chances of reaching their peak performance level (at match time) due to a lack of periodization training. This systematic approach to training cycles the athlete on and off through various training aspects. A similar analogy would be to compare off-season, pre-season, in-season, and post-season phases as in other sports to match competition training.

The following are examples of both poor and intelligent pre-match preparations through periodization.

 

Poor Pre-Match Preparation:

  • Changing fundamental grips or strokes. Changing fundamental grips or strokes just before an event often leads to not having the old stroke any longer and not having the new stroke ready for match play.
  • Cramming for the event by overloading the practice schedule. This behavior often leads to drained, low batteries on match day.
  • Overdoing the off-court training. Overdoing the off-court training the days just before an event, often leads to soreness, fatigue and injuries come match day.
  • Adding unfamiliar components to routines. Adding unfamiliar components (such as exercises, practice routines, stroke preparation, meals, etc.) could lead to physical, mental and emotional confusion.
  • Seeking out only “Up” practice matches. Seeking out only “Up” practice matches breeds low self-esteem and zero confidence.
  • Warming up past the point of diminishing returns. Warming up the same strokes too long often leads to your mind playing tricks on you. A seemingly solid stroke may appear to be flawed by over analysis.
  • Exception to the Rule: Often players and/or parents do not want to get off the tournament trail due to the ranking race. In this situation, changes must be made to improve while on the tournament trail. Players/parents will have to accept the fact that losing a battle or two may be in order to win the war. In other words a player may have to lose a minor tournament or two in order to improve enough to be able to win major tournaments in the future.

 

Intelligent Pre-Match Preparation:

  • Train repetition of primary and secondary strokes. This grooves the athlete’s timing and increases their confidence in every tool in their tool belt.
  • Train repetition of proactive patterns. This leads to fast cognitive processing speed, no hesitation and faith in one’s patterns.
  • Perform tennis specific off-court training. This leads to the reduction of injuries and increased strength and stamina.
  • Preset mental protocols. Pre-planning how to beat the different styles of opponents leads to confidence and dependable problem-solving skills.
  • Preset emotional protocols. Pre-planning how to conquer performance anxieties leads to self-assurance and trust under stress.
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