The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!
Let’s first look deeper into common stepping stones that will help rekindle an athlete’s confidence:
Re-Commit to Getting Fit
Start with being the best athlete they can be. Hit the gym and hit the track – gain strength and improve your stamina, speed, agility.
Clear the Mind: Re-Focus on Tennis
Teens can get derailed by numerous factors including: school, parties, peer pressure, other sports, hobbies, shopping, etc. Re-organize your weekly planner.
Customize the Instruction
Practice in the manner in which you are expected to perform. Build a game plan around exposing strengths while hiding weaknesses. Customize the athlete’s style to their brain and body type. Develop and rehearse the critical Top 7 Patterns of play.
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. (See: “Are You a Helicopter Parent”- found in Section IV Common Questions and Solutions: Parental Accountability)
Surround Them with Supportive People
Positive coaches, trainers and friends with good character are key. Is his new girlfriend pulling his focus in a new direction? Do her new friends at school want to party and shop all the time? Is her coach pessimistic?
Help Others
Ask your athlete to teach the under privileged kids for free at the park and rec or assist the local food bank once a month and feed the homeless. Seeing the positive attitude of someone less fortunate reminds them how fortunate they truly are…
Avoid Negative Comments
Derogatory comments, a negative tone of voice, offensive, threatening body language or even facial expressions can tear down a sensitive player’s confidence. Cut out the negative influences in their life. Pessimism is contagious and very toxic.
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’re in the zone for a while, it’s a borrowed experience. No one owns the zone. No one stays in the zone and lives there year around.
“Parents and coaches, it’s important to communicate to your athlete that they can’t go back and rewrite a better past…but they can start today and write a better future.”
