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
PLAYER COACH
INITIAL INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Most often, coaches begins their relationship with feeding balls and correcting fundamentals. I encourage coaches to begin their relationship by asking questions and truly listening to their students. Maximizing player potential starts by uncovering the athlete’s personality, feelings, attitude and tennis IQ. This will aid in customizing the training regiments. Similar personality profiles shares common efficiency and deficiencies. Knowing the athlete’s personality profile will save hundreds of wasted hours in the developmental process. Encourage your athlete’s coach to engage in this type of information exchange. It will surely sets the tone for a positive relationship. Remember, all behavior is communicative so be aware of the nonverbal clues.
Nonverbal Clues Checklist:
- Facial Expression
- Body Language/Posture
- Volume/Intonation
- Choice of Words
- Length of Thought Process
- Length of Answers
- Exact/Approximate Answers
- Hand Gestures
- Lower Body/Core Movement
- Length of Focus
CONTACT: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
