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Essential Skills Champions Develop

Posted on February 2, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Primary and Secondary Strokes, Raising Athletic Royalty, Tennis Parent Education, Tennis Specific Training, The Tennis Parent's Bible

Ten Techniques Junior Tennis Championships Develop  0623P_5063

“A Junior Champion is much more than a gifted athlete”

By Frank Giampaolo

 

John Kolouski (The name has been changes to protect the guilty.) 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 8-pack racket bag even says “TOUR TEAM” on it. Man, he even goes to a $40,000 a year tennis academy. At first glance, he looks like a sure bet for the pros.

Now let’s look at Johns’ regiment a little deeper. John loses early every event in an implosion of negative behavior. Hummm… why?

There is nothing more common than young, talented athletes that are Weak Competitors. After reading the following Ten Essential Hidden Skills of a Champion, ask yourself if there are any similarities between John and your tennis phenom?

Ten Essential Hidden Skills of a Champion:

  1. Champions face their fears versus avoiding them. If you ask John 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. John willingly practices his primary stroke production and then routinely SKIPS his weekly regime of off-court training sessions, closing out set rehearsals, and secondary stroke practice. 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 John and he’ll tell you “No thanks…I’m good! …I already hit back and forth to a partner today.”
  4. Champions do everything to prepare properly. John often stays out late the night before a big event; he doesn’t make time for a real breakfast; he doesn’t organize his tournament bag; and he only hits for maybe 10 minutes before the match. And he believes he is ready.
  5. Champions know that they will lose more than they will win. John believes that he should win every match he plays.
  6. Champions develop problem solving confidence, perseverance, determination and work ethic. John just focuses on stationary strokes, week in, week out.
  7. Champions have self-belief and a positive outlook. John wears his ball cap backwards and twirls his racket confidently at the start of each tournament, until he begins to play. Then like clockwork, he loses focus, misses a few easy shots and then morphs into an “Emotional Basket Case” every weekend. John only has one game style- hard hitting baseliner.
  8. Champions develop several game plans, emotional solutions to common problems, agility and brain speed. John 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. John 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 and mentally.
  10. Champions spot tendencies and control the energy of the match. John 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 not the case.

Once solid fundamentals are developed, the art of winning stems from repetition of competition.  “Practice in the manner you’re expected to perform” is the motto champions follow. Training with competitive or simulated stress drills will improve match performance.

Thank you for visiting, Frank

Contact: Frank Giamapolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com

Between Point Rituals

Posted on February 1, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Tennis Parent Education, The Tennis Parent's Bible

Between Point Rituals are an essential skill of athletic royalty. For more information : The Tennis Parent’s Bible. Thanks, Frank GiampaoloFrank Giampaolo

 

BETWEEN POINT RITUALS 

The following YouTube post was filmed at the Australian International Coaches Convention in 2011. I look forward to returning to Australia this coming January 2012. Parental tennis education will be the focus of my presentation.

Patrick McEnroe, USTA Player Development, has been quoted as saying “Player development should be called parent management.”

The importance of the parent’s role is critical to the success of a junior tennis player- regardless of their desired level of play.

 

http://youtu.be/DBLeehW4l9k

 

Thank you for visiting, Frank

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential

Tame Negative Thoughts

Posted on January 30, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Raising Athletic Royalty, The Tennis Parent's Bible

Athletic royalty requires  a positive mind set.  It is essential players learn to tame negative thoughts to maximize potential. Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

To order Raising Athletic Royalty or The Tennis Parent’s Bible CLICK HERE

The Tennis Parent's Bible by Frank Giampaolo

 

SOLUTIONS TO “TAMING” NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Self-talk is an essential high performance tennis skill. The following are twelve solutions to over-coming negative thoughts:

  1. Say Something Good/Positive

On the practice court, ask your child to rehearse finding something they did well on each point. This will shift their energy and focus from the negative to positive. The thoughts you feed tend to multiply. Multiplying the positive is a learned behavior. This rule applies to parents as well as players! Here’s an example: I teach a 14 year old ranked junior that has a terrific 128 mph serve. As he was “nailing” his serve into the box, all his father could say was “ya, but look at his knee bend, it’s pitiful…etc.” Ouch

  1. Education is Not Completed in the Lesson.

The most important lessons are taught in tournament play. They are analyzed in match logs. Assist your child in completing a match log after each match. Match logs are great for deciphering the X’s and O’s of why your child is getting their results. Solutions are found in match logs. The poised even tempered players have pre-set solutions rehearsed and designed for their future on court problems. Match logs identify the reoccurring nightmares. In anger management, prevention is the best medicine.

  1. Rehearse Successful Performance Goals Versus “I Have to Win” Outcome Goals

Champions are performance orientated not outcome orientated. In a single match, professionals think about the same hand full of patterns a thousand times, irritated juniors think about a thousand different things in the same single match! After blowing a lead I ask our players “What were you thinking about when you went up 5-2?” The answer is almost always future outcome issues such as “what’s my ranking going to be after I beat this guy.”Parents need to be performance goal oriented as well. After a match parents need to replace “Did you win?” with “How did you perform?” In the 2009 Masters Doubles, one ATP team got 81% of their first serves in and capitalized on 3 out of 4 break points. By looking at the performance chart/goals only, guess who won easily? Now, that’s thinking like a champion.

  1. Tennis is Not Fair

There are so many reasons why this game is not fair. Understanding these issues will reduce the stress some juniors place on themselves. For instance, luck of the draw, court surfaces, match locations, elements like weather, wind, lucky let courts, miss-hit winners, creative line callers…Can you think of a few?

  1. Everyone Gets the Same 24 Hours in a Day

The difference is how they use it.  I suggested getting a daily planner and discuss time management with your child. Assist them in organizing their on-court and off-court weekly schedule. Avoiding anger on match day is earned on the practice court. Most often, players seeing red shouldn’t be mad at their match performance. They should be upset with their pre-match preparation. Poise, relaxed performers are confident with their skills because they deeply believe they are doing everything in their power to prepare properly. I’ve found that players that are breathing fire in matches know, deep down, that they are now paying the price for their lack of preparation.

  1. Managing Stress

In the heat of battle, experience tells us that if you are struggling take a moment to detach. Often appearing unflappable is the tool needed to send the opponent over the edge. The opponent will appear calm as long as you are the one throwing temper tantrums. If you are steamed, fake it until you make it! Simply pretend to be unruffled. Parent’s this applies to you as well. Detach during your child’s match by going for a brisk walk, read the paper, chart the match or listen to your ipod. This sends the message that you are not overly stressed about the results. Take a moment and talk to your child about time management as it pertains to controlling the pace of the match. Winners absolutely control the pace of the match. Think back, top seeds often take bathroom breaks at critical times in a match, don’t they? Controlling the energy flow of the match is a super way to control the fire!

  1. Champions Experience Failure

Discuss how most tennis champions have probably lost way more matches than your child has lost. Ambitious people experience many failures. California’s Vania King’s professional career single results- similar number of wins and loses. But she has also won 2 WTA GRAND SLAM Doubles titles and has earned over 3 million in prize money.   Great job Vania! (Champions learn from losses.)

  1. Never Outgrow Fun

You often see top professionals battle and still smile in the course of a match. The vintage Vic Braden slogan “Laugh & win” makes perfect sense! Stress and anger clutter your thought processes; pull you into the wrong side of your brain which destroys your problem solving ability; irritates, tightens and constricts muscle flow which decreases your swing speed as well as your on court movement and/or simply destroys your ability to perform.

  1. Tennis is a Gift Not a Right

Discuss how there are millions of great athletes the same age as your child that will never even get the opportunity to compete at this level. Tennis isn’t fair, right? But has your child thought about how lucky they are to be able to play tennis and have a family that wants to support their passion?

  1. If Good Judgment Comes From Experience Where Does Experience Come From?

The answer is Bad Judgment. It is far less painful to learn from others failures. After a tournament loss, don’t race home steaming mad. Instead, stay at the tournament site and observe a top seed. Replace focusing on the strokes with analyzing the easy going attitudes as well as the infuriated, angry behaviors. Remind your child that an unflappable, quiet opponent is far more difficult and annoying to compete against than a wild angry one.

  1. Rehearse Ignoring Their Negative Thoughts

Ask your child to allow you to video tape a few matches. As they watch them back, ask your child to count the times they had a negative thought, loss of concentration or an emotional breakdown on the court. Now, here’s the solution. Ask them to simply reduce that number by 25% in next week’s video match. If done properly, negative on-court behavior will be weeded out or reduced.

  1. The Door to Success is Always Marked “Push”

Ask your child if they are always pushing themselves to their fullest potential? Remind them that there are thousands of really good juniors. There are only a handful of great juniors. From a parents’ perspective, if you do not push gently everyday (or pay someone to do the daily pushing) your child does not have a shot!

Thanks, Frank Giampaolo

Contact:Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.com
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
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Champions Work Smart

Posted on January 29, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Tennis Parent Education, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt of Maximizing Tennis Potential. Thanks, Frank

0623P_4547

TENNIS CHAMPIONS WORK SMART

Every athlete wants to succeed. They all want the exact same outcome goal. So what separates the champions from the early round losers?

  • Is it cleaner strokes?
  • Sharper anticipatory speed, quicker foot speed?
  • Smarter shot selections?
  • Calmer frustration tolerance levels?
  • Longer focus?

The answer is that the best players begin working EARLY on all of these issues. Great coaches, however, have the ability to zero in on the players re-occurring issues (nightmares) years before the player or the parent actually even see it.

This is where Smart Work comes into play.

Let’s use an analogy. If a race car continually loses race after race due to its tires blowing out, is spending 4 hours a day polishing the fenders going to solve the problem? Not likely…  Hey but their working hard 4 hours a day!  Your child may be working hard 4 hours a day, heck, maybe even 6 hours but is it Smart Work?

Translation: “Are you spending your limited time and money wisely?”

In my last blog post,  Maximize Performance with Accountability,  I posed the below questions to a top 200 tournament level player. Now let’s look at the same question posed to a top 10 nationally ranked player.  The answers are dramatically different, except number 7.

  1. How long have you been playing? “4-5 years”.
  2. What does your weekly training schedule look like? “I train about 20 hours a week. My routine consists of off court training, hitters, stroke lessons, occasionally I go to an academy for sparring, sets, video analysis, tournaments”
  3. Ok, what has been your developmental focus? “Mainly strokes, that’s why I’m here! I need to beef up my mental and emotional sides.”
  4. Primary and secondary strokes? “Mostly primary?”
  5. What is your style of play? “I’m a hard hitting baseliner”
  6. Have you developed your B & C game plans? “Yes, I play sets weekly as a retriever and as a net rusher?”
  7. What type of players do you hate playing the most? “Moonballers, for sure pushers!!”
  8. All right, what patterns have you developed to beat those retrievers? “I can bring them in, and I have a solid moonball approach to swing volley pattern that usually works”
  9. Ok, last question, what are your goals in the upcoming year? “To improve my drop volley, kick serve, my frustration tolerance and get fit enough to reach the semi’s of most events”. I want to begin playing pro Challenger events this summer.

Champions, with very few exceptions, are the smartest workers. Why? Because their parents are the smartest “tennis” parents!

Parents of national champions are extremely involved. Usually, at least one parent is the “tennis” parent. Raising a world class athlete is a full time job.  Most champions require a team approach. (Check out Rafa’s new book to drive this point home.)

One of the initial ways to begin to develop a National Champion is to use the same developmental methodology used in school. Children study math, science, English, and history year in and year out. It’s a proven successful method of developing a well-balanced child. In tennis they need to apply the same principle. Trust me, it works!  Branch out and develop your child’s “other” sides!

The four sides in tennis development:

  1. Strokes (Primary & Secondary)
  2. Movement (Spacing, Speed, Stamina)
  3. Mental (Shot selection, Pattern selection, Spotting tendencies)
  4. Emotional skills (Choking /Over thinking and panic/Under thinking).

Working smarter yields numerous benefits:

  • Greater your self esteem
  • Increased confidence in your personal ability
  • Decrease the likeness to surrender when the going gets tough
  • Master more tools to problem solve on court

Thank you for visiting.  Frank Giampaolo

To order The Tennis Parent Bible or Raising Athletic Royalty CLICK HERE

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink,net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com

Maximize Performance with Accountability

Posted on January 28, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Raising Athletic Royalty, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible  Thank you for visiting, Frank

 

 

 

TENNIS TIME MANAGEMENT STARTS WITH ACCOUNTABILITY

Chances are you are wasting time and money if you are not being accountable. Whether your child’s goal is a professional tennis career, college tennis scholarship, or even high school or recreation tennis, it is critical you have a plan. Everyone gets the same 24 hours a day. It is what you do with it the counts. What’s your plan?

To begin, let’s look at an accountability question. But first, review a schedule breakdown of the hours in a week of a typical top 200 nationally ranked junior player:

  • There are 168 hours in a week.
  • Sleeping takes up roughly 56 hrs,
  • School/homework takes up roughly 60,
  • High performance tennis training takes up 15 hours,
  • Add on travel and meals and the average player is still left with approximately 25 hours unaccounted for?
  • That is an extra 100 hours a month!

Another side of accountability is based on the fact that National tournaments are often held over holiday breaks. Do you choose Thanksgiving at home with your family & friends or are you ok with spending Thanksgiving in a hotel out of state? Or remaining home so your child can prepare properly for the winter nationals or would you rather go skiing the week before the event?

The accountability factor I’m talking about here is yours- The Parents!

If you truly wish to witness your child’s success you need to be accountable. Your actions will teach meaningful time management and accountability lessons to your children.

On the first day upon arriving at our workshops I ask each student a few questions. Not only am I looking for their answers, but their knowledge of the game, their concerns, their communication skills, their tournament frustrations and how they are wired.

The conversation with a typical top 200 national player sounds like this:

  1. How long have you been playing? “4-5 years”
  2. What does your weekly training schedule look like? “I…ummm”
  3. Ok, what has been your developmental focus? ” I don’t know…strokes I guess “
  4. Primary and secondary strokes? “What’s that?”
  5. What’s your style of play? “I like hitting hard”
  6. Have you developed your B & C game plans? “My what?”
  7. What type of players do you hate playing the most? “Moonballers, for sure pushers!!”
  8. All right, what patterns have you developed to beat those retrievers? “Patterns?”
  9. Ok, last question, what are your goals in the upcoming year ? “To win and be #1!”

Tennis is full of inevitable trials especially without a plan. This is a wake-up call.  For more information, buy The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Contact:Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com

Building Confidence

Posted on January 26, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Tennis Specific Training, The Tennis Parent's Bible

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

Maximizing Tennis Potential with Frank Giampaolo

Confidence is Like Friendship 

A meaningful friendship is founded on time, energy and hard work.  The same components are found in true confidence.

Lack of confidence issues such as self-doubt and/or a negative self-image arise from how athletes view past experiences. Often, when asking an adolescent what happened during competition they reply “I don’t know, I’m horrible!”

Getting to the root of the issue is done by organizing tournament experiences using match logs. Champions have experienced losing hundreds of times more often than your junior player. The difference is how they view it.

So, how should your daughter view tournament competition? Junior tennis tournaments in general should be viewed as information gathering missions. Success lies in doubling your child’s level of competence every six months. They have to be twice as good as they were six months ago. Replace focusing on winning with focusing on improving every week.

Lack of confidence is a common issue. It sneaks into every athlete in every sport. Lack of confidence usually occurs when:

  • Not training or being trained improperly
  • Injured or illness
  • Returning to the game after an injury or illness
  • Underperformed in recent competition
  • Burnt out
  • Players in a slump may be under achieving in more than one of these issues simultaneously.

Rebuilding Confidence

Confidence is a progressive spiral of positive input which leads to positive attitude. True belief and trust is earned by doing everything in your power to be the best you can be. So let’s first look deeper at ten common stepping stones that will rekindle your child’s confidence:

  1. Re-commit to Getting Fit

Tennis specific speed, agility and stamina are key. Cross training is terrific.  Hit the gym, hit the track and get physically stronger!

  1. Clear the Mind

Re-focus on tennis! Teens can get derailed by numerous factors. School, parties, peer pressure, other sports, hobbies, shopping…etc.

  1. Proper Nutrition/Hydration

It takes just 1-2% dehydration and the body is impaired mentally and physically. This could take effect with blurred vision, mental confusion, headaches, cramping etc. As for proper nutrition, the body needs high quality protein and carbohydrates at the right time to function most efficiently.

  1. Customize the Instruction

“Practice in the manner in which you are expected to perform”. Build a game plan around exposing your child’s strengths while hiding her weaknesses. Customize her style to her brain and body type.

  1. Promote and Educate Independence

Independent problem solving promotes confidence on and off the court. Even though some parents think they are helping, it may be wise to slowly stop doing everything for your little phenom.

  1. Surround Them with Supportive People

Positive coaches, trainers and friends with character are key. Is her new boyfriend pulling her focus in a new direction? Do her new friends at school want to party and shop all the time? Is his coach pessimistic or negative?

  1. Help Others

Ask your daughter to assist the local food bank once a month and feed the homeless. Seeing the positive attitude of someone less fortunate reminds them of their terrific fortune.

  1. Avoid Negative Comments

This is any advice or stimuli that are perceived as unfavorable. The key word here is perceived. We find that derogatory comments, tone of voice, body language or even facial expressions can tear down a sensitive player’s confidence.

Examples: A friend telling your daughter “You play Amanda next? Oh no… Nobody ever beats her. She won two nationals and is ranked in the top 5!”

A coach saying ” You’re going to run 20 laps if you miss another backhand. Just do it right!”

A parent saying after a tournament loss “You always make so many errors, maybe you should quit!”

  1. Proper Warm Up and Pre Match Routines

Confidence comes from rituals. Warming up all the primary and secondary strokes. This includes swing volleys short angles, top spin lobs…etc. Proper nutrition, hydration, scouting, visualization, and going for a short run before you go on the court.

  1. Perfectionists Set the Bar Too High

Unrealistic expectations kill confidence. Parents, just because your son won last week’s tournament, don’t expect him to win every one from now on!

Players, a sure fire way to disable your confidence is to expect perfection. Even if you are in the zone for a while, it is a borrowed experience. No one owns the zone. No one stays in the zone and lives there year around.

Parents, ask your player to read through these ten common confidence busters. Do any of them apply to your child? If so, customize a plan to erase them from their preparation and performances!

Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
RaisingAThleticRoyalty.com

Solutions to Cheater’s Antics

Posted on January 25, 2015 by in Cheating, Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following  is an excerpt from  The Tennis Parent’s Bible. Share with your junior champs these six factors used to help defuse the antics of tennis cheaters and your player will be better equipped to deal with these unethical players. It is especially important your child learn to handle the antics of cheaters for two primary reasons:

  • Cheaters are the gatekeepers of junior tennis – forcing many talented players to leave the sport early because they are unwilling/unable to tolerate the cheater’s unethical behavior.
  • Cheaters remain in the game (cheating) until the highest level ( ATP and WTA Professional Tour) – when multiple lines judges call every point!Thanks for visiting, Frank

Handling Cheaters

  1. Pre-Match Speculations

Preconceived ideas of what might happen when playing a known cheater causes so much stress that it affects the immune system and often results in players actually get sick. Many lose sleep the night before the match. Do not let your child’s expectations of the possible trauma pull them away from focusing on their performance goals.

  1. Focus on What You Can Control

Expect about 5 bad line calls per match. This is not in your control. What is? How about the 30 unforced errors per set you commit? Limit your unforced errors to 10 per set and they can have the 5 hooks!

  1. Focus on Not Cheating Yourself

The truth is that most often we see players missing calls. That is, not calling out balls out! The average number of missed calls is six per match. Tighten up your own calls.

  1. Be Grateful

Cheaters cheat because they know down deep that their skills are no match for yours. Usually a cheater is able to win because their bad calls get you so emotional that you become distracted from your performance goals and the trap is set.

  1. Try the Standard Procedure for Handling Cheaters

First First question the bad call. When that does not work, get a line judge. When the line judge leaves after a game or two, you have two options: Be an “enabler” and let the “cheater” steal the match away from you; or take matters into your own hands and fight fire with fire.

  1. After a Confrontation Do Not Begin Play Right Away

Regain your composer first by taking a “legal” bathroom break. You will need time to get your head back into your performance goals. Remember to use your between point and change over rituals to stay focused on your game!

FUN FACT: We conducted a seminar with 26 young national level players. We asked the ten National Champions in attendance to sit in front of the class and share their insight. The first question from Joey, a 10 year old from Las Vegas was “Were you ever forced to cheat back to stop a “cheater” from trying to steal away a National title or ITF title. Guess how many champions answered yes, they were forced to take matters into their own hands and solve the problem? All ten!

Thank you for visiting.  By the way, if you think cheaters go away in college tennis, you would be mistaken! The sooner your child learns to deal with them the better.   Frank Giampaolo

Have you gotten your copy of  RAISING ATHLETIC ROYALTY? Limited Time Special Offer- $9.99

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
RaisingAthleticRoyalty.com

Training Zonal Tennis

Posted on January 23, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Tennis Specific Training, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Frank Giampaolo

Modern Zonal Tennis

Mastering Zonal Tennis is essential for the most successful tennis career, whether it is playing junior tennis, collegiate tennis, country club tennis or professional tennis, players that choose proper shot selection (laws of zonal tennis) advance at a quicker rate. The following questions and answers may help you understand the importance of zonal tennis.

Question: “I must have spent $10,000 on lessons, forehand, backhands, serves…all the strokes.   I look like a pro during lessons, but in real match play, I stink! I can’t even beat Mildred on the super senior squad. Why?”

Frank: The quick answer is that your loses are most likely due to poor shot selection and not stroke technique. There are four causes of unforced errors in match play: Stroke Mechanics, Shot Selection, Movement/Spacing and Emotional/Composure.  The most common cause of errors in match play is poor tactical choices or shot selection.

Another interesting tidbit is that the human brain can’t consciously fix stroke mechanics while playing in the zone. Try shifting focus away from your own back-swing and follow-through and onto zonal tennis. Hitting balls short into your opponents court  or continuing to hit a ball your opponent is hitting winners on is the equivalent of asking them to beat you.

Question: “Do retrievers have all the trophies due to their elegant strokes or their well-developed shot selection skill sets?”

Frank: The player with the smartest shot selection is usually the winner. Reduce your errors by applying Zonal Tennis: the use of proper air zone and court zone tactics. Note: Be aware that exceptions shadow every rule, so use your court sense in match play.

Air Zones

The Air Zones refer to the height at which the ball travels above the net. Your court position dictates the height your shot should be traveling above the net.

The Three Air Zone:

  1. Aim 2-3 feet above net when positioned inside the court.
  2. Aim 3-5 feet above the net when positioned on the baseline.
  3. Aim 8-10 feet above the nest when positioned ten feet behind the baseline.

Unforced errors and short balls multiply dramatically when players choose to ignore the laws of the air zones.  Thanks, Frank Giampaolo

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com

Anticipatory Speed

Posted on January 22, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

 

Assuming that Tennis Speed is ONLY Foot Speed is a Mistake 

Have you heard of anticipatory speed? 

Tennis specific speed-training requires a combination of foot speed and anticipatory speed. Heredity plays an important role in your child’s muscle type.  Simply put, some humans are born with more fast-twitch muscle fibers. Parents and coaches can’t improve the genetic predisposition of an athlete, but they can nurture both their foot speed and anticipatory speed. The path to better court coverage lies in avoiding hesitation and anticipating situations.

Anticipatory speed is greatly increased by understanding and rehearsing the art of vision control.  Here’s a sports myth “keep your eye on the ball.” I suggest shifting focus from narrow vision (watching an incoming ball) to broad vision. Broad vision is picking up visual clues as the ball travels toward the opponent.

Your child doesn’t have to be the fastest runner on the court if they develop their anticipatory skills.  Just ask one of my all- time favorites, former #1 Lindsey Davenport.

Court Zones

Divide your side of the court (39 feet) into three even zones. The zone (location) in which your opponent’s incoming ball lands will dictate your shot selection.  The high percentage players simply match their shots intentions with the landing zone.

The Three Court Zone choices are:

  1. The Grinding Zone is located from the baseline inwards 13’
  2. The Torment Zone is located from the Grinding Zone (13’ inside the court) to approximately 26’ from the baseline.
  3. The Obliterate Zone is located from the Torment zone (26’) to the net.

Note: Advanced players should apply the same zonal warfare on the opponent’s side. Simply put, the location your shot lands on the opponent’s side dictates their shot selection options. Playing Zonal Tennis greatly increases your anticipatory speed, court coverage and shot variations.

FUN FACT: Zonal tennis warfare has been applied successfully for decades. It was known in the 1970’s by: offensive, neutral, defense zones. In the 1980’s it was popular to call the zones: defend, attack, kill.  Last decades catch phrases were:  control, hurt, and finish zones.

In the spirit of evolution, let’s coin our own phrases: Grind, Torment, Obliterate Zones. Incorporate zonal tennis into your tactical play and you’ll have a house full of trophies.

Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
www.maximixingtennispotential.com

Solutions to Self Destructing on Court

Posted on January 21, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible. Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo0623P_0227

Self Destructing on-Court

Question: My daughter seems to self-destruct every tournament. Can you help?
Answer: Below I have outlined five solutions to eliminating self-destruction.

Choose a Solution + Rehearse the Solution = Eliminate  Self Destruction
Secrets to Eliminate Self Destruction

  1. When you are donating points with first or second strike errors, simply focus on hitting three balls clean straight down the center of the court. You’ll go from handing the opponent the trophy to making them earn a seven ball rally. Trust me, this really works.
  2. While being too eager to see your beautiful shot, you sneak a peek early, pull out of the strike zone and shank balls off the frame. A new twist on an age old tip is to simply say “bounce” when the incoming ball lands on your court and “turn” as you begin to uncoil the kinetic chain into the ball. Trick yourself into thinking that you can see the ball “hit” the strings of your racket. Wa-la! No more shanks.
  3. Future thoughts are a common enemy of high quality tennis. Thinking ahead to the award presentation, your new ranking or what your friends are going to say when you beat this seed is a sure fire path to Loserville. Focus on the present execution of your performance patterns versus the post- match outcome drama.
  4. Mistakes often lead to anger. Anger leads to increased ball speed. Increasing ball speed leads to more errors. To steady up, simply match the opponents ball speed until you get your game back to a controllable level. Yes, champions simply match the ball speed.
  5. Likewise, self-destruction leads to mindless, quick walking and reckless play. Re -commit to applying the three pillars of between point rituals. Truly get over the past points, stop for a few seconds and plan the next point’s pattern. Then apply your rehearsed relaxation rituals.

Accept the fact that sometimes your opponent will be playing in the zone and/or that you will be off your game- but this is the time you must re-focus on your training (your game). believe in your game and  apply your game strategies as best as you can. Win or loose-self-destructing on court is handing the opponent the match.  Maria Sharapova is a perfect role model for self-belief. She believes in her game and she never gives up until the last point is played! Be sure your child’s coach is training competition strategies to help eliminate on court self destruction.  Thanks, Frank Giampaolo

Contact Frank Giampoalo
FGSA@earthlink.net
www.MaximizingTennisPotential.com