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
