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The Art & Science of Preparation

Posted on August 22, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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The Art & Science of Preparation

 

“Confidence under pressure stems from the individual’s proper preparation.”

Learning how to prepare for competition can be a challenge because it’s so individualized. Before tournament play, it is important to provide athletes with the physical, mental, and emotional skills needed to manage their performance. The depth of their game-day warm-up routine depends greatly on the quality of preparation leading up into the event. Catastrophe strikes when the athlete’s pre-event preparation is less than optimal, and their warm-up is minimal.

Sadly, I hear the following parental statement all too often, “My Jenny takes a half-hour private every 2-weeks, and I drive her all the way to the high school to hit in the hour-long clinic every Tuesday and Thursday. If she gets in the upcoming National, I think she should win the title!”

Of course, high-performance athletes train differently than Jenny. I’ll say it again, preparing for pressure includes: incorporating the perfect storm of strokes, court speed, endurance, proficient strategic patterns, tactics to oppose the various styles of opponents, and performance anxiety busters.

Readiness requires the continuous refining of each skill essential to competing under pressure.

Tournament Time Preparation

Posted on August 21, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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Tournament Time Preparation

 

“People who fear the unknown focus on what could go wrong. People who welcome the unknown focus on what could go right.”

For most people, unfamiliarity breeds stress. Preparing for the pressure of competition includes de-stressing conversations that flip the uncertainties into certainties. Anxiety is detectable through awareness in casual conversations. Once anxiety is recognized, strategies can be put into place to defuse the situation.

De-stressing conversational topics to discuss at tournament sites may include:

  • The Surroundings, Court Speeds, and Weather Conditions
  • The Athlete’s Health Concerns/Injuries
  • Performance Goals and Expectations
  • Self-Destruction Solutions
  • Refocus Strategies
  • Clear Performance Goals
  • Opponent Profiling (When possible)
  • Routines and Rituals
  • Nutrition and Hydration

 

 

Talk through solutions to anxieties to ease the athlete’s nerves.

Develop Comfortable Routines & Rituals

Posted on August 20, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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Develop Comfortable Routines & Rituals

“Preparing for pressure requires making the unknown …a little more known.”

Navy SEAL’s report that they spend approximately 85% of their time preparing for battle and about 15% of their time in combat situations. Their routines and rituals put them in the best possible position to handle extreme pressure. Routines and rituals are found in the four major components of our sport – the development and repetition of strokes, athleticism, mental, and emotional realms.

Simulating stressful scenarios in practice is a daily routine Navy SEAL’s and competitive tennis
players share.

Developing software skills is serious business. Under stress, athletes have to manipulate their software in order for their hardware to function correctly. For example, athletes must know how, when, and why they need to be able to calm down their nervous system to allow their fluid strokes to flow.

 

Poor emotional control can override the best mechanics and strategic intentions.

Managing Training Time

Posted on August 19, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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Managing Training Time

“Value isn’t directly correlated to volume.”

Quantity versus quality of training is an underrated affair. Each minute isn’t equal to the next. Effective time management is essential in a deliberate, customized developmental plan. In regards to maximizing a student’s potential at the quickest rate, training should be intensely focused on the individual’s unique needs.

If athletes aren’t getting the results they’re capable of; it may be the perfect time to design a new developmental plan.

I’ve witnessed expensive training sessions ranging from total time-wasting games to fun/socialization, to the development of skills and the repetition of those skills. While they all offer value, mastery of an individual sport requires a tailor-made, personalized plan.

 

Properly preparing for pressure requires evaluating the athlete’s competence and confidence.

Blame Shifting

Posted on August 16, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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BLAME SHIFTING

 

“Lack of results typically don’t stem from a lack of resources, but rather a lack of courageous effort.”

Intermediate athletes occasionally self-sabotage their confidence, preparation, and efforts through blame-shifting. “I don’t have enough time!” “My coach didn’t tell me!” “It’s too far away!” “There is nowhere to train!” Shifting accountability is dishonest, immature, and cowardly. These qualities aren’t found in champions.

Habitually shifting-blame results in a loss of self-respect, increased poor performances, and decreased confidence in abilities. Avoidance of taking responsibility becomes contagious and contaminates all aspects of one’s life. In an effort to console the athlete, it is very common for parents and coaches to comply with their athlete’s blame-shifting behaviors to lessen the burden.

Parents who blame shift after their child’s losses unknowingly teach them how to fail consistently and comfortably.

Parents and coaches need to stand firm and constructively call out blame-shifting and resist the temptation to augment the athlete’s excuses. It is critical to reinforce the learning experiences gained through proper training and competition and not condemn mistakes or failures. Athletes maximize potential with continued learning. Learning often comes from failures. Accountability is an essential life skill in successful individuals, and though some athletes may need to fail by first choosing the wrong path, it is incumbent that the coach and parents rein in poor behaviors sooner than later.

 

Blame shifting results in being ill-prepared for battle.

Cultivate Gratitude As A Daily Attitude

Posted on August 14, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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So what are the benefits of gratitude? The attitude of gratitude will benefit your athlete by providing:

  • An Optimistic Viewpoint of Every Situation
  • More Connections-Friendships/Partners/Networking Opportunities
  • The Ability to Focus on Fewer Physical Aches & Pains
  • The Need to Chase Less Toxic Emotions
  • The Ability to Handle Gamesmanship
  • Greater Self-Esteem/Confidence
  • Reduced Ranking Comparisons
  • Appreciating Versus Resenting Other’s Accomplishments
  • Reduced Fear, Stress, and Nervousness
  • Resiliency in Overcoming Hardships

 

Gratitude studies in sports psychology found significant links between gratitude and well-being. Mental and emotional strength is what every athlete seeks. Before bed, ask athletes to build their ‘gratitude muscle’ by completing a gratitude journal.

According to a study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being: Even after devastating losses, being grateful fosters the resiliency to bounce back quicker and stronger. Spend five minutes jotting down a few grateful sentiments before bed quiets the restless, unsatisfied mind. Nurturing gratitude is a daily gift one gives to oneself.

 

A grateful mindset better prepares the athlete to
handle pressure.

ATTITUDE IN BATTLE

Posted on August 12, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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ATTITUDE IN BATTLE

 

“It’s impossible to be grateful and angry simultaneously.”

Athletes who routinely choose to play grateful versus angry have a distinct advantage under pressure. A proactive attitude helps players perform in the flow state they desperately seek but unintentionally destroy.

Even with the best of attitudes, athletes need emotional preparation. Pushing your athlete past discomfort on the practice court is often a heated affair. It’s much more difficult than the typical snow job tennis lesson witnessed at the country club. (Snow job: An avoidance of the real issues as the coach simply flatters the student until their lesson time runs out).

Preparing for pressure consists of building the competitors emotional walls of defense. This competitive development includes both delivering big weapons as well as taking repeated hits. As the famous boxer, Mike Tyson says, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

 

“It ain’t how hard you hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” Rocky Balboa

Cultivate Gratitude As A Daily Attitude

Posted on August 9, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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Cultivate Gratitude As
A Daily Attitude

 

“Comfort stems from a grateful mind.”

Some athletes thrive in those pressure-packed moments. How? By simply loving being in those big moments. They want to play on court #1, center stage, in the finals with a packed house. These exceptional athletes prepare for pressure by applying gratitude daily.

Without getting too fluffy, preparing athletes for pressure demands nurturing gratitude life skills because grateful people are mentally and emotionally healthier individuals.

COGNITIVE CONTROL- PART 2

Posted on August 7, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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RANDOM FOCUS CHART:

PAST

  • Mistake
  • Confrontations
  • Ranking
  • Seeding
  • Successes
  • Failures

PRESENT

  • Global Strategy
  • Tactics
  • Opponent
  • Profiling
  • Rituals
  • Routines
  • Optimism

FUTURE

  • Next Opponent
  • Ranking
  • Trophy
  • Parents Views
  • Friends Views
  • Lunch
  • Homework

Match-time meltdowns typically start when an athlete fails to stay in the moment. Staying in the present, focusing on performance goals is a crucial asset for the mentally strong athlete. It’s important to note that even the top athletes lose focus. The difference is that the seasoned competitors recognize the mental drift and quickly return to their script.

Lucky for most junior players, losing focus for a moment won’t make them lose the match. What does cause serious trouble is being unable to refocus and get back on script. It’s safe to say that preparing for pressure includes eliminating mental interferences.

 

Performing well under pressure requires that the athlete recognize when their mind travels away from the task at hand.

COGNITIVE CONTROL

Posted on August 6, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

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COGNITIVE CONTROL

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“Great competitors don’t just control the ball…they control their wandering minds.”

Preparing for pressure requires the ability to avoid meltdowns. The athletes wandering mind is a precursor to the bad patches that are often present in match play. Just because the athlete is physically standing on court #6 in tournament competition, doesn’t mean his/her mind is present. In intermediate tennis, thoughts routinely drift from past to present to future sabotaging their performance.