The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.
Click Here to Order through Amazon
Assisting the 4 SP Typographies
ESTP, ISTP, ISFP, ESFP
ESTP- Extrovert Sensate Thinker Perceiver
Challenge: ESTP’s are natural born entertainers and love to play on center court. To their detriment, they often choose to play to the spectators applying crowd-pleasing, low percentage, shot selections.
Solution: It’s important to allow ESTP’s the freedom to express themselves while keeping them in the match play modes of proper offense, neutral and defensive shot options. A critical game plan for thrill-seeking ESTP’s is only to hit the shot the moment demands.
Challenge: Focusing on the moment at hand is a task ESTP’s often struggle to sustain. These adaptable, outgoing individuals are usually physically gifted but are impulsive and get distracted from routinely sticking to high percentage plays.
Solution: Teach them to design and rehearse their script of customized percentage patterns of play. Educate them on the fact that if those patterns are winning 2 out of 3 points, there’s no need to interject change. Victories will pile up if you can get ESTP’s to hit the same old boring winners set after set.
Challenge: ESTP’s are not designed to stand in line and conform to the masses. They do not see the value in rigidly enforced nonessential rules. Lighten your sessions with laughter. This brain design doesn’t work well with excessively inflexible mentors. Due to their EP design, you can spot these unique individuals because they often choose flashy attire and beat to their drum.
Solution: Forget about extinguishing their unique flame. Focus on soft guidance versus ridged control. ESTP’s are flashy players who enjoy going for bold winners. Forcing them to stand 15 feet behind the baseline and grind week in- week out doesn’t fit their genetic design.
Challenge: ESTP’s often apply unnecessary risk in competition. They typically get bored without a challenge and occasionally go “off the boil” as our friends down under like to say.
Solution: Ask these athletes to apply a personal challenge when boredom creeps in. The mission is for the student to focus on routinely winning 3 points in a row. This mental drill forces them to eliminate their wandering mind as they zero in to win. Remind them of the WIN acronym: What’s Important Now!
