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Pre-Match Visualization and Imagery

Posted on April 19, 2016 by in 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  black_ebook_design2

 

PRE-MATCH VISUALIZATION AND IMAGERY

Warming up doesn’t stop at the physical. Players need to build up their “wall of defenses” in preparation for the continuous onslaught of mental and emotional challenges that competitive tennis encompasses. What we think about often dictates what we create.

A mental, emotional no-no is to obsess about the next opponent’s past success, ranking or seeding. Winning tough matches begins with a winning mind set.

“A winning mind set is a performance based plan.”

In the nights leading up to a big event, a great way to preset a positive mindset is to re-live a past peak performance experiences. Set aside 15 minutes a night for three nights in a row to allow your athlete to re-experience the feelings of coming through under pressure. This is known to calm nervousness and quiet fears. It also has been linked to motor programming the skills of applying the appropriate responses with little or no cognitive processing. It has been proven to improve the player’s physical, mental and emotional performance on game day.

Positive visualization includes the athlete imagining their strokes working to perfection, their tactics and strategies working like clockwork and their emotional state of mind calm and relaxed.

Pre-match visualization topics are unlimited, but some of the best visualization exercises include the following:

1) Perfectly executed primary and secondary strokes.

2) Top seven favorite perfectly executed patterns.

3) The three pillars of between-point rituals.

4) Successful patterns of play against the three main styles of opponents.

5) Preset protocols for common emotional issues. (Gamesmanship)

Ask your athlete to begin their pre-match visualization by arriving on site early enough to set aside 20 minutes to mentally rehearse the performance goals they’ve been rehearsing on the practice court.

Start this self-hypnosis by seeking out a quiet area away from other competitors and distractions- with closed eyes, ask them to take several deep relaxing breaths. Then create a vivid mental image of numerous tasks being performed successfully. Let’s call this your positive movie.

To build confidence and reduce pre-match stress, ask them to mentally re-run the “movie” several times to reinforce the positive thoughts.

 

“Positive constructive visualization actually trains a player to perform the skills imagined calmly, without hesitation.”

 

CONTACT: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@eathlink.net

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Helping Your Player Through a Slump

Posted on April 12, 2016 by in 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 black_ebook_design2

 

QUESTION: My son is in a slump. How can we help him through this stage?

Frank: The best way to achieve improved results is by shifting your son’s developmental plan. A new plan will help motivate a new mind set which will intern cultivate new belief, actions and results. Below are ten focal points to address to ignite continued growth and maximum potential.

1) Focus on Improvement.

Ask your player and entourage to let go of winning and losing and focus their energy on improvement.

2) Accept that Rivalries Encourage Growth.

Understand that your child needs rivals. Begin with local, then regional, then national, and lead into international. Rivalries encourage growth.

3) Train Adrenaline Management.

On match day, managing the systematic building and calming of adrenaline is often the deciding factor that often pulls an athlete into the winners circle.

4) Choose a Supportive Like Minded Entourage.

Top athletes have an entourage. The entourage provides a “team effect” to an individual sport.  Their collaborative efforts help to inflate the athlete’s confidence and fight while supporting the athlete when they need to the most.

5) Role Play Against Various Styles of Opponents.

Parents, I’ve touched on this topic before, plan on paying slightly older better players to play sets weekly versus your child while role playing. (For instance, “Here’s $25.00, please play 3-sets versus my son …and be the most annoying pusher possible. My son’s going to rehearse the patterns used to pull a crafty retriever out of their comfort zone. Thank you.”)

6) Play Practice Matches.

Remind your athlete as well as their entourage that success in competition requires protocols that simply aren’t found in simply hitting back and forth.

7) Reinforce Playing Smart.

Regarding competition, educate your athlete that having the presence of mind that missing the shot the moment demands is ok. It’s those reckless, uncalled for shot selections that will make them early round losers.

8) Learn to Play Through Fear.

Elite competitors control their fears and ultimately their destiny. Intermediate athletes allow their fears to control their psychology and physiology as it steal any real chance of peak performance at crunch time.

9) Adopt a Warrior Mentality.

For some people, the competitive fire is innate, they flourish under stress. For others; they wilt under the very same environment. For these athletes, developing their fighting spirit is a learned behavior.

10) Use Competition as a Learning Tool.

Competition is the best facilitator for improvement. It’s the engine that awakens each athlete’s hidden reserve of effort which later is seen as “talent.”

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink,net

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Five STAR Book Review

Posted on April 6, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

CUSTOMER BOOK REVIEW
“5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book!!!”
By Amazon Customer on April 4, 2016black_ebook_design2

 

I cannot say enough great things about this book. I randomly found it on Amazon when I was looking for tennis specific fitness books.
I have three children who all play tennis competitively. They have been to several academies and have been taking lessons for a few years. I have been searching and asking for help with developing a plan to help my kids maximize their potential as tennis players. We didn’t have an organized plan towards their goals.
Frank systematically and thoughtfully reviews how to approach developing your child in this sport to maximize their potential. He lays out a plan with a breakdown of the hours your child will need to spend in the different areas of training in tennis depending on their goals. Most importantly, he stresses the importance of the parental role in this game.
I can’t even begin to cover in this brief review how detailed and carefully written this book is but it is a must read for any parent of a tennis player. I think this book reaches parents and families across all sports of young athletes. I really wish I would have found this book several years ago when my children started playing however I am so happy to have it now!
To purchase The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition Click Here
CONTACT:Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Managing Accelerated Learning

Posted on March 28, 2016 by in 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 Orderblack_ebook_design2

MANAGING ACCELERATED LEARNING

It’s our job as tennis coaches and parents to organize accelerated learning.

“Accelerated learning is the art and science of applying quality over quantity.”

Accelerated learning starts with you, the parent. The first step in managing the process is digesting the information presented in The Tennis Parent’s Bible. Once you have immersed yourself into the process of athletic development, you are better equipped to assist your coaches in prioritizing and accelerating your athlete’s learning curve.

A marvelous example of applying accelerated learning is recognizing when the athlete should stop focusing solely on block learning repetition and shift to the multi-tasking harmony of integrating each component together.  Accelerated learning starts with managing the development of consistent skill sets through flexible skills training.

Consistent skill set training is simply focusing on developing one component of the athlete’s game in isolation.  Examples include:

  • A motor programming sequences that needs to be followed to ensure a sound fundamental stroke.
  • A specific mental strategic-shot sequencing pattern designed to beat a retriever.
  • An emotional protocol rehearsed to help close out a 5-2 lead.
  • An athletic component such as agility around the tennis court.

Flexible skill set training is integrating the “games approach” to learning. High level tennis players have been taught to quickly quantify game situations, make multiple pre-set situational decisions and execute the correct responses. Cognitive processing skills need to be integrated early.

“A common mistake I witness around the globe is the obsession of focusing solely on acquiring perfect fundamental strokes in a block learning environment.”

I recommend introducing multi-tasking drills and problem solving situations as soon as possible. This is a form of stimuli overload. Examples include: Adding a stress related emotional element to a stroke production drill. Combine on-court quickness with a specific sequence of patterns. By overloading the athlete’s stimuli in practice, the uncomfortable becomes more comfortable. Being okay with feeling uncomfortable prepares the player for the integrated approach needed in match play.

Different sports require different brain functions and development. A world class figure skater or gymnast simply focuses on recreating the exact sequence. Their performance goal is to match their exact pre- determined routine. In their performance they only recreate, they don’t create. So, would they train with flexible-skill sets? Not likely.

Should a tennis player train flexible-skill sets? You bet! Playing sports like basketball, hockey, soccer or tennis are requires random split second decisions making skills. It’s about adaptation, creativity, spotting options and aborting missions. Flexibility and millisecond decision making “on the fly” are critical functions in flexible skill set dominate sports.

CONTRACT:
Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

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Rich Neher of Tennis Media Group Review of The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition

Posted on March 19, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible


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The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition Reviewed by Rich Neher of Tennis Media Group

Tennis Club Business had been reviewing the 1st Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible in September of 2014. Frank wrote, “Filled with real solutions for players, coaches, and parents, The Tennis Parent’s Bible will teach you everything you didn’t even know… you needed to know.” In the new edition he is expanding on the subject of synergy between the “hardware’ (strokes and game skills) and “software” (mental and emotional development) of juniors, aiming to provide deeper insights into the latter.

“The mission of The Tennis Parent’s Bible is to assist parents and coaches in developing world class young adults on and off the tennis court.”

Throughout the book Frank is repeating some of the most important mental and emotional factors. He writes, “In my opinion, this is just as important as stroke repetition.” He also adds little “pearls of widom” and affirmations throughout the book, like this one:

The Tennis Parent Mission Statement:

“I vow to create a positive experience for my child by providing optimistic emotional guidance, logistical, organizational & financial support, as I oversee my child’s entourage of coaches.”

The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition is divided into 8 main sections:

  1. World Class Tennis
  2. Maximizing Potential at the Quickest Rate
  3. The Mental and Emotional Tennis Components
  4. Common Questions & Solutions
  5. Parent and Player Reality Check
  6. Top 50 Tennis Parent Plunders & Cures
  7. Customized Player Evaluation
  8. Tennis Industry Interviews

“Remember, there is a significant difference between excellence and perfection. Excellent effort is controllable. Perfection is a lie.”

Within those chapters the book covers detailed situations and recommendations. Example: In Section 4 – Common Questions & Solutions – the author details Q+A regarding Practice Session Dramas and Competitive Drams: Internal Struggles. He also details accountability for both players and parents here.

“If a parent is unwilling to be a world class tennis parent, they can’t expect their child to be a world class athlete.”

MY TAKE

Frank Giampaolo doesn’t waste time and space with pretty pictures and important looking graphics. He goes down to the nitty gritty and offers his 30 years of experience in a book parents will find hard to put down. Just the chapter on The Tennis Parent’s Job Description (starting on page 69) alone is worth gold if a parent is really serious about helping develop a world class athlete. Frank assures the reader that “The parent is the architect of their child’s tennis career.” He classifies the parents with detailed explanations as follows:

  • The Under Involved Parent
  • The CEO Facilitator Parent
  • The Over Involved Parent

He writes that a family’s moral code and developmental climate has a lifelong effect on the athlete, whether the parents know it or not. “Because parents and coaches are so influential in shaping their young athletes, I urge you to take an optimistic approach to raising athletic royalty. It is my hopes that by reading this book you’ll fall into the CEO facilitator role of a world class tennis parent.”

What corroborates my positive experience with this book – despite the fact that I don’t have kids playing tennis – and cemented my opinion this is a 5 star read for any tennis parent, student or coach, is the huge number of great testimonials from experts like Jon Wertheim (Sports Illustrated), Johan Kriek (2-time Grand Slam Champion), Nick Saviano (WTA Coach), Peter Smith (USC Men’s Coach), Dick Gould (former Stanford Coach), Angel Lopez (USPTA Master Pro), Dave Fish (Harvard Men’s Coach), Craig Tiley (Australian Open Tournament Director) and many others. Very informative also his interview with Steve Johnson Sr., father of ATP star Stevie Johnson, who says, “Keep it fun. If your children are enjoying tennis, keep it up. I always say, Fun on the court – win in life!”

Johan Kriek spells it out in the Foreword of The Tennis Parent’s Bible – 2nd Edition. “Mastering the game of tennis is a process that demands technical, mental and emotional skills throughout a child’s development. The parents need to understand that competency requires in-depth knowledge. The highly competitive individuals that are not trained the appropriate mental and emotional IQ face incredible anguish for which they have no way of dealing.”

Johan Kriek:

“Frank Giampaolo is a rare guy to have addressed these issues by writing a number of books on developing athletes. I highly recommend this second edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible to any tennis coach or parent. Believe me, even if you think you are an expert tennis coach or parent, you need to read this book.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Finding the Right Teaching Professional

Posted on March 13, 2016 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition.
Thank you, Frank Giampaoloblack_ebook_design2

FINDING THE RIGHT TEACHING PROFESSIONAL

“When selecting a pro, you’re not just paying for the hour on court…but hopefully you’re paying for the thousands of hours of experience the coach has acquired solving similar issues.”

Initial instructors are usually chosen by proximity, cost and availability. Once your youngster moves into the competitive stage, it’s time to identify the styles and personalities of coaches that fit your child’s needs. Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to have more than one coach. In this day and age, top players have an entourage of technical teachers, hitters, mental and emotional experts, off-court athleticism experts and physical therapists.  The key to success is unity among the entourage.

A great example is ATP star Sam Querrey. When I worked with Sam in his early teens we focused on the mental/emotional side of his development. His parents Chris and Mike always employed a terrific team of hitters, coaches and clinics to provide world class instruction for their son.

Profiling a coach before a relationship begins is recommended. Most confident coaches will welcome you to simply sit and observe their lessons before committing to lessons. There are many factors to consider when seeking a new coach. The first is what personality and style best suites your athlete?

Facts to Consider When Selecting a Pro

Finding a Pro is easy. Finding the right Pro will require more thought and leg work. You may be using different types of Pros for different reasons. Below are a few insider tips to help you hire your entourage of coaches:

1) In every region, only a very small percentage of pros actually teach the top players. (There are very big differences between teachers and recruiters.)

2) Look for a coach who’s enjoying what they do, it’s contagious.

3) Seek out a Pro that is so busy, that they don’t need you.

4) The 10,000 hour rule applies! Being a master coach is a learned experience.

5) Seek out a Pro who understands your child’s unique Brain and Body Type (Genetic Predisposition).

6) Make sure the coach is asking questions, customizing and targeting their lessons.

7) Ask every player that beats your kid, “Great match…who is your coach? Where do you train?”

8) Ask a prospective coach, “We’ve heard great things about you, may we come and observe a few of your lessons?”

9) Pay the coach to chart a match and devise his game plan for improvement. Meet regarding his observations and suggestions.

10) Ask for a resume and who they trained under. (As a teacher- not as a player.)

11) Look for a coach that encourages independent thinking versus dependent thinking.

12) While there are exceptions, a former ATP or WTA challenger player does not always translate into a great teacher. The most successful tennis coaches were not the most successful tour players.

13) Be wary of a Pro that discourages you from hitting with other Pro’s, hitters or trainers!

SPECIAL NOTE: To avoid confusion, employ one coach per job at any given time. Two different coaches employed to fix a serve may prove to be extremely confusing for your child. Conflicting information and battling egos spells trouble!

 

“It often proves beneficial to secretly observe a coach or academies without the coaching staff knowing you are a future client.  This experience will provide you with an honest assessment of their program.”

 

CONTACT: FRANK GIAMPAOLO
FGSA@earthlink.net

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College Athletics

Posted on March 9, 2016 by in How To Attract A College Scholarship, 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 Orderblack_ebook_design2

 

 

THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS

As a tennis parent, the long term development and direction of your athlete is a natural concern. The serious tennis players will likely set their sights on playing college ball. So it is not surprising that week in and week out, one of the most frequent question parents ask me, is how to go about obtaining a college sports scholarship for their child?

First of all, college sports are not recreational activities to dabble in while attending college.  College athletics is a business and the school expects their college team to win.

There’s a major difference between participating in your preferred sport as a hobbyist versus training for college athletics (pursuing a college scholarship). The question athletes should ask themselves is, “Do I want to be a hobbyist athlete or do I want to be an elite athlete?” The truth of the matter is…you’ll have to pick one, because you can’t be both.

 

“Top college recruits are former National or ITF Junior standouts.”

 

Serious competitors are nurtured differently than social competitors. College athletics requires more than seasonal participation in high school ball. The following list three pillars that separate the college scholarship players from the hobbyist:

 

1) Junior champions are born into inspiring and supportive environments.

Parental support is essential for athletic excellence. Becoming educated in the process is your job. Great coaches and trainers are there to assist you in your mission to raise a champion. Examples of extremely lucky athletes who were born into the right FAMILY environment include: Mcllroy, Woods, Phelps, Evert, Agassi, Chang, Sampras, Hingis, Roddick, Williams, Murray, Nadal, Federer, Sharapova, Wosniacki, Djokovic and Bryans just to name a few.

 

2) The love for the game is encouraged and nurtured early and consistently.

Athletic royalty becomes royalty with the help of loving and supportive parents and coaches that guide and oversee their athlete’s passion from an early age. Achieving greatness comes with great sacrifice from parents, coaches and the athlete. As they all laugh and learn throughout the incredible journey.

 

3) Champions strive to improve.

Elite athletes continually improve each essential component. There are other athletes in every corner of the globe training harder and smarter each day.  Champions know they cannot be complacent with their game.  Weekly improvement is part of the champions’ mindset. Congratulations! By purchasing this book, it is obvious that you are taking the right steps toward improvement…

 

CONTACT FRANK GIAMPAOLO
FGSA@earthlink.net

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PLAYER COACH INITIAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE

Posted on March 6, 2016 by in 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

PLAYER COACH
INITIAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE

Most often, coaches begins their relationship with feeding balls and correcting fundamentals. I encourage coaches to begin their relationship by asking questions and truly listening to their students.  Maximizing player potential starts by uncovering the athlete’s personality, feelings, attitude and tennis IQ. This will aid in customizing the training regiments. Similar personality profiles shares common efficiency and deficiencies. Knowing the athlete’s personality profile will save hundreds of wasted hours in the developmental process. Encourage your athlete’s coach to engage in this type of information exchange. It will surely sets the tone for a positive relationship. Remember, all behavior is communicative so be aware of the nonverbal clues.

Nonverbal Clues Checklist:

  • Facial Expression
  • Body Language/Posture
  • Volume/Intonation
  • Choice of Words
  • Length of Thought Process
  • Length of Answers
  • Exact/Approximate Answers
  • Hand Gestures
  • Lower Body/Core Movement
  • Length of Focus

 

CONTACT: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

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Confronting Gamesmanship

Posted on March 3, 2016 by in Cheating, 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

QUESTION: What are the solutions to confronting gamesmanship?

Frank: First of all, let’s be honest; cheaters do exist.  But let’s look at the issue from a growth angle. Cheaters will stretch your child beyond their normal frustration tolerance levels and that’s emotional toughness. Your athlete needs emotional intelligence as much as a wicked topspin backhand. Handling those “creative line callers” is a necessary stepping stone to becoming a tennis champion. Share with your junior champs the below ten factors and they will be better equipped to handle the antics of a cheater.

 Ten Solutions to Conquering Gamesmanship:  3 More Solutions…

Solution Number 4: Learn from the past but stay in the present.

The opponent’s past dramas may have robbed your child from a crucial point but your child’s wandering mind robs them of present and future points. Being emotionally in the past is another cornerstone of why cheaters do often win. Focusing on the past “hook” is a sign of your athlete’s emotional weakness.

“Past or future thoughts interfere with the present task at hand.”

 

Solution Number 5: Project confidence.

Act like you’ve seen these antics a thousand times and the opponent is silly to think you’re going to fall for such a petty tactic. A player with a powerful presence acts like they own the place. Some players shy away from confrontation. Learning to handle intimidation and confrontation is a necessary protocol at the higher levels of tennis.

“Be courageous, there’s no room for the insecure at the top.”

 

Solution Number 6: Shift focus from how the opponent is cheating, to how the opponent is playing.

This takes the counterproductive thoughts of their personal assault out of the equation. By applying opponent profiling, your child is able to zero in on the opponent’s physical skills or lack thereof and avoid the drama.

 

CONTACT Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

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Second Edition Parent Testimonial

Posted on February 26, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an actual parent testimonial for the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Orderblack_ebook_design2

 

 

 

Frank,

I want to thank you for taking the time to put this book together.  It validates so many things as a tennis parent.  My husband played junior tennis and went on to play college at a division 1 school on a full scholarship.  I also was a college athlete.  We understand what it takes to play at a high level and how crucial it is as parents to be educated and foster what a coach is trying to instill in their students.  We just wish coaches would understand how crucial it is to have positive parents involved on a team.  Our daughter has big dreams, so we have implemented the best blueprint possible to ensure the best chance possible to achieve her goals.  Thank you again for publishing such a great book!!!! Can’t wait to read any future books you publish! 

Thanks Again, Kristen

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

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