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Tennis Top Ten Secret Skills Number 4

Posted on February 27, 2024 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Psychology of Tennis Parenting, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s upcoming Playbook Series.

Being Improvement Minded

“The trouble with not having clear improvement goals is that you can hit balls all day… every day and never achieve results.” Frank Giampaolo

It’s not enough to simply hit balls endlessly without deliberate direction. Champions understand that actual progress requires a clear focus on improvement—a hidden skill that propels them at a faster rate toward their outcome goals.

Successful athletes have a secret: they maintain a deliberate and customized developmental plan. They don’t just practice for the sake of hitting; they know precisely what they’re working on, why they’re doing it, and how it will help them achieve their goals.

To adopt this hidden skill, you’ll set clear, achievable weekly goals. These goals should be based on your tournament performances, where you objectively assess your strengths and weaknesses. After each event, list three target improvements you’ll focus on. Share these topics with your team of coaches.

The process doesn’t stop at setting goals. After planning these improvements, taking actionable steps to reach them is essential. Develop a blueprint for your improvement plan, detailing your strategies. Then, rigorously execute your plan, staying on target until you are satisfied with your progress.

This secret skill transforms practice into a more purposeful endeavor. It ensures that every moment you spend on the court is a step toward becoming a better player. It shifts your focus from quantity to quality, from mindless repetition to intentional progress.

With a clear focus on improvement, you can avoid hitting a plateau where your efforts yield diminishing returns. You may find yourself stuck in a cycle of frustration, endlessly repeating the same mental mistakes without understanding how to correct them.

Consider the journey of a tennis player as a series of milestones. Each improvement goal you set is a step that brings you closer to your ultimate destination. This approach separates those who merely hit balls from those who systematically build their skills.

You can accelerate your journey toward success by understanding the importance of setting clear goals and continuously working to improve. Improvement is not a destination but a perpetual process, and it’s a skill that anyone can cultivate with the right mindset and dedication.

Tennis Top Ten Secrets for Success Number 3

Posted on February 22, 2024 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Psychology of Tennis Parenting, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

COMING SOON: THE MENTAL GAME REVOLUTION

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s upcoming Playbook Series.

Optimism

“Optimism doesn’t mean you’re always happy or ignore problems; optimistic athletes believe in possibilities.” Frank Giampaolo

Optimism shines as the third hidden skill that distinguishes champions from the rest. Maintaining a positive outlook, even in the face of adversity, can be a game-changer, both on and off the court. Successful individuals from all walks of life choose positivity as a guiding principle. Tennis players who consistently perform at their best understand the value of optimism. It doesn’t mean they’re perpetually happy or that they ignore problems. Instead, they possess an unyielding belief in possibilities.

Optimists have a unique way of viewing the world. They see opportunities where others might see obstacles. When faced with a difficult opponent or challenging circumstances, they don’t dwell on what they lack; instead, they focus on what they can achieve with the resources at hand.

Gratitude and appreciation play a significant role in maintaining an optimistic mindset. Successful athletes often express gratitude for their abilities, their opportunities, and the people who support them. This gratitude fuels their determination and keeps them focused on their goals.

The trait of optimism is a mindset that is developed through consistent practice and self-awareness. It’s about training yourself to focus on solutions rather than problems. It’s maintaining a sense of hope when faced with challenges.

Optimism is a personal asset and a powerful tool for managing stress and pressure. In the heat of competition, remaining positive can boost your resilience and help you stay composed when the going gets tough. Optimism reminds you that setbacks are temporary and that every loss lights your path to improvement.

Many successful athletes, from tennis stars to Olympians, credit their optimistic outlook as a significant factor in their achievements. They understand that maintaining a positive mindset is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity for sustained success.

MANAGING NEGATIVE EMOTIONS

Posted on October 18, 2023 by in The Psychology of Tennis Parenting

Negative Emotions

Playing future matches and carting the baggage from your past isn’t in your best interest. Without self-awareness, you won’t be able to navigate pessimistic emotions. No matter how clean your strokes are, you won’t be able to overcome the negative baggage on board. Most winnable matches are derailed for reasons related to emotional competencies. This second chapter identifies how to reset toxic emotions holding you back.

“You don’t have to move into a new phase of your tennis journey with your old baggage. You can leave it behind.”

2.1 Managing Anger

Anger is an emotion that every tennis player encounters throughout their career. Whether it’s missed shots, a disputed call, or the feeling of not meeting expectations, anger can quickly consume your thoughts and hinder your performance on the court. You can’t calm the storms of competition, but you can calm the inner storms in competition.

2.2 Understanding Anger

Anger is often triggered by situations that challenge your outcome desires. Jealousy arises when you perceive someone else achieving success or recognition that you believe should be yours. Annoyance occurs when distractions interfere with your concentration.

2.2 Understanding Frustration

Frustration arises from the inability to achieve the desired outcome. Self-criticism involves harsh judgment toward your performance. Hurt emerges when you feel emotionally wounded by the actions of others.

2.3 The Positive Side of Anger

Yes, anger has its advantages in competition. After a challenging situation, you should use anger to fuel the fire. Example: After disputing a bad line call, turn your anger towards a hyper-focus mode raising your intensity of play. Controlled anger leads to positive action.

Let’s use fire as an analogy. Fire used wisely can heat your home and cook your meals. Fire, burning out of control, burns the house down. It’s your job to use your internal fire to your advantage.

2.4 Positive Verses Negative Anger 

Negative emotions hinder you both physically and mentally. It clouds your judgment causing reckless play. Controlled anger leads to positive actions like hyper-focus, intensity, increased footwork, and ball velocity.

2.5. Overcoming Frustrations

Following are six of our reoccurring solutions to help you reset to an acceptance and recommitment mindset:

  • Recognize and Acknowledge Your Emotions

The first step in managing negative emotions is awareness. Take time in-between points to pause and reflect on what you are feeling. Acknowledging your emotions can prevent them from overpowering your thoughts and actions.

  • Take A Deep Breath and Reset

Instead of dwelling on the feeling of annoyance toward your opponent’s successful play, embrace a growth mindset and view their achievements as motivation for your own improved play. Then apply your deep breathing, calming routine.

  • Reframe Your Perspective

Reframing your perspective involves finding the positive aspects of your performance and focusing on them. Reframing helps you shift focus from the catastrophe of possibly losing. This positive reframing induces the calm problem-solving mindset required to improve performance.

  • Focus On Controllable Factors

Instead of fixating on the opponent’s antics, shift attention to the future aspects within your control. This tactic involves letting go of the past and focusing on the present. Concentrate on your movement, strategy, and effort rather than letting outcome desires dictate your emotions.

  • Practice Positive Self Talk

Replace self-criticism with constructive inner dialogue. Remind yourself of your script of top plays to expose your strengths. Self-coaching encourages you to return to your positive mindset and enjoy the battle regardless of the outcome.

  • Seek A Mental Coach

If your negative emotions are getting the best of you, find a trusted mental coach to discuss your feelings. Open communication can help address misunderstandings, resolve conflicts, and provide emotional support during challenging times.

Managing your inner critic is essential for maintaining composure. By applying the above solutions, you will turn challenging matches around. Tennis is an emotional game, and your ability to navigate your feelings effectively sets you apart from all the solid ball strikers in every academy.

Tennis-The Secret of Pattern Recognition

Posted on June 12, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Psychology of Tennis Parenting

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The Secret of Pattern Recognition

Bill thinks he’s pretty good. He has the club pro feed him balls weekly, polishing up his strokes. He grooves with the other 3.5-level guys in the Thursday night men’s clinic and hits the gym a few times a week. Bill is now at a charity tennis event. He stands to receive serve against a world-class ATP Professional. Even though he’s been playing for decades, to him, returning a 130mph serve seems impossible. Decision-making abilities at that speed appear to be superhuman.

At the professional level, the receiver has milliseconds to decide how they will return a 130 mph serve. The truth is that experienced professional athletes have  an extensive database stored in their subconscious minds of past opponents’ specific types of deliveries. They’ve played thousands of points, and their brain picks up patterns of successful and unsuccessful choices.

Solution: What makes tennis professionals exceptional is that they’ve seen thousands of 130 mph serves, thousands of points, and hundreds upon hundreds of matches. After so much experience in live-ball point play, they can chunk patterns. Chunking is the term for seeing individual patterns, which are the opponent’s most likely stroke options and pattern probabilities.

The secret expertise that only comes from live-ball point play is recognition. Recognition leads to chunking data into the subconscious and later applied through intuition. It is the same in almost every field; past experiences lead to quicker recognition of high-percentage replies and options. So, if you’re looking to help your athlete improve their mental game, replace grooving strokes with live-ball decision-making exercises and match play.

Red Flags

Posted on May 15, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Psychology of Tennis Parenting

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Red Flags

A red flag is a signal that goes off when something’s not quite right. A commonality in sports is when the students’ words often don’t match their actions. Their words say, “I want to be a professional athlete,” and their actions say, “I don’t want to actually work for it.”

If your athlete brings internal drama and is unpleasant and frightening to be around on match days, the family is in for a world of uncommon hurt.

Solution: Here are a dozen red flags we do not see in the top competitors. Be honest as you read the list of common stumbling blocks. Do any sound too familiar?

  1. Inconsistency in effort
  2. Entitlement issues
  3. Inappropriate anger issues
  4. Lazy choices/poor decisions
  5. Avoids solo training
  6. Negative attitude
  7. Faulty nutrition habits
  8. Poor sleep habits
  9. Substandard time management
  10. Lack of gratitude
  11. Second-rate preparation
  12. Chooses mediocrity


An age-old saying provides insight: “There are contenders and pretenders.” Which do you have?

If you have a pretender, it may be in everyone’s best interest to put an end to the weekend drama’s and enjoy a normal life with a normal child.

Performance Anxiety

Posted on May 10, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Psychology of Tennis Parenting

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Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety affects every competitive athlete at one time or another. Without proper understanding, it crushes enjoyment, causes devastating losses, and destroys self-confidence. Your athlete’s anxiety symptoms may include a racing heart rate, rapid but shallow breathing, dry mouth, trembling hands, nausea, and blurred vision.

Reduce your athlete’s anxiety by helping them practice in the manner they’re expected to perform. Prepare them properly for long tournament days of pressure by reminding them to focus on what could go right.  As your athlete confronts their fears and learns ways to handle the below common stressors, they’ll develop resistance. Resiliency comes from facing fears.  As I’ve mentioned, they need exposure, not avoidance.

Solution: Discuss how managing common performance anxieties pays off. These common performance anxieties include:

  • Fear
  • Nervousness
  • Choking
  • Panicking
  • Tanking
  • Overcoming Lapses and Concentration
  • Self-Doubt
  • Self-Condemnation.


Start by asking your athlete to describe their description of these topics. Then ask them to Google any topic that relates to them. Next, ask them to YouTube those topics to better understand how common they are in sports and life. Lastly, ask them to write a brief paragraph describing the issue and their very own plan to conquer the anxiety.

Emotional Toughness

Posted on May 2, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Psychology of Tennis Parenting

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Where Attention Goes … Energy Flow

The mind creates deeply engrained pathways that instantaneously cultivate solutions or complications to similar situations. This law of attraction either hyper-focuses your athletes at crunch time or completely derails them when it matters most.

So, what mental habits are your athletes forming? Some athletes with a short fuse have trained themselves to default instantly to frustration first. Once behaviors become automatic routines, athletes perform those actions repeatedly without being mentally aware of the conduct. The acronym is ANTS (Automatic Negative Thoughts.)

So, how do we help our athletes recognize the hidden factors that influence their behavior?

Solution: If their negative energy is winning the power struggle, here are seven ways for them to lessen pessimism.

Decreasing ANTS by:

  1. Not Assuming the Worst Will Happen
  2. Avoiding the Words: Never and Always
  3. Recognizing Distorted Thoughts and Feelings
  4. Take a Bathroom Break to Reenergize
  5. Let Go of Past Mistakes
  6. Refocus on Exposing Your Strengths
  7. Flip Your Attitude to Gratitude

Kill the ants (Automatic Negative Thoughts) in their Brain.

Athletes often win or lose in their minds before they win or lose in reality. Where attention goes … energy flow is a tremendous mantra for any athlete struggling against themselves in the heat of battle.

Did You Win?

Posted on April 15, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Psychology of Tennis Parenting

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Did You Win?

It is incredible how much self-inflicted contamination is created daily by parents and junior tennis players. Here is a prime example: what is the worst question parents can ask after practice sets or a match? The answer was, “Did you win?” Now guess what the most common question parents ask after practice sets or a match is? You guessed it, “Did you win?”

Parents need to replace an outcome obsession with improvement questions like: “Did you perform well today?” Remind your athlete that their real competition is in their mirror, and the only person they have to beat is the person they were last week. Asking your athlete, “Did you win?” pulls them away from focusing on their daily improvement goals and towards outcome goals because of the need for your love and approval. Athletes stressed about proving their worth to their parents are not free to focus on improving their untrustworthy skills. Athletes in this “winning is everything.” mindset only applies the comfortable skills they already own, not to disappoint their parents. This behavior stunts the growth parents seek.

Solution: Exchange the “Did you win?” question with performance-based inquiries. Another typical tennis parent blunder is booking their athletes into practice sets with higher-ranked players and then being crazy upset when their child does not win. Practice sets are learning tools to strengthen your athlete’s match play skills and identify those skills that are not ready for prime time.

If the parent is constantly in need of wins and a shelf full of plastic trophies, schedule sets with lower-ranked individuals and only register your child into low-level event.

Tennis Thriving Versus Suffering

Posted on March 20, 2023 by in The Psychology of Tennis Parenting

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THE SUFFERING

“Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get with the work you didn’t do.”

Izzy is a tall, quintessential California girl. When she walks into a club, heads turn, looking like the real deal. At age 16, she appears to be a WTA superstar in the making. Her father is sure that she’ll be on tour soon. Her coaches shake their heads because she looks like she could be world-class, but they know, at this rate, she won’t.

Unfortunately, with her current mindset, she’s spiraling downward. You see, she wants the rankings without the hard work. The rewards and not the struggle. The prestige, not the process. Izzy’s in love with the fan fair, not the fight. To Izzy, suffering is felt as a personal defeat. Having to work hard is something naturally gifted athletes don’t have to do. Sadly, triumph doesn’t work that way.

Solution: Izzy will have a shot at greatness if she buys into hard work and discipline. A less physically gifted athlete with a better work ethic will outperform a more physically talented athlete with a weaker work ethic. For all athletes, including the physically gifted, properly handling the pain of training determines success. Who you are is defined by how hard you are willing to work.

The Argumentative Athlete Tennis

Posted on March 16, 2023 by in The Psychology of Tennis Parenting

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The following post is an excerpt from The Psychology of Tennis Parenting.

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The Argumentative Athlete

For most teens, argumentativeness is more a reflex than an angry choice. Typically, high-performance athletes believe their knowledge of their sport exceeds their parent’s knowledge. Hence, giving them a perceived advantage over their parents. Turning damaging arguments into healthy disagreements is an emotional strategy. The lesson learned is that everyone can get their concerns heard and considered. Parents can find these arguments puzzling. You’ll help athletes regulate their emotions and solve problems by teaching them how to respond better.

Solution: Nurture the ability to postpone and censor their responses to advice. This key self-awareness trait will serve your athletes well on and off the tennis courts. Here are some tricks to get them started:

  • Digest the substance of the request.
  • Recognize when emotions are running the show.
  • Take a break.
  • Avoid criticizing before responding.
  • Set the ego aside and choose your battles.
  • Formulate evidence before stating your case.
  • Offer solutions versus pointing out flaws.
  • Disallow the blame game.
  • Confront the subverting of the conversation.

 

Remember, even though your athlete’s tennis skills are mature, their emotional regulating skills are likely still under development.