Tag Archives: Coach Frank Giampaolo

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.

Building Resilience Through Setbacks

Posted on September 26, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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COMING SOON- THE ENCYCLOPEPIA OF TENNIS

Building Resilience Through Setbacks

“Your emotional responses in matches are only the habits you’ve created. These emotions are the product of your memory of how you’ve handled your past experiences.”

Setbacks and failures are inevitable. It’s not the losses but your response to the emotions attached that shapes your ultimate success. View losses as temporary obstacles rather than permanent limitations.

6.1 Mindset Shifting

A mindset shift involves reframing the way you think about a situation. Shifting your mindset helps you identify areas that need improvement. A mindset shift worth discussing is that tournament setbacks are opportunities to organize a better developmental plan.

6.2 Thanking the Opponent

A quality opponent who finds the holes in your game is actually helping you organize your new customized development. Losses are not signs of inadequacy but growth opportunities. A mindset shift is thanking opponents for showing you what you need to work on.

6.3 Reframing Setbacks

Take a moment to think through the mindset shift needed to view those losses as valuable experiences. By reframing setbacks as stepping stones, you’ll embrace them to cultivate resilience.

6.4 Developing A Growth Mentality

A growth mindset is an inner belief that abilities and intelligence can be improved through dedication, effort, and learning. This mindset choice empowers you to persist, adapt, and learn from your experiences. This mindset enables you to bounce back stronger and more determined.

6.5 Cultivating Self-Compassion

In the face of failures, practicing self-compassion is crucial. Self-compassion is self-forgiveness. In competition, you’re going to suffer mistakes and misfortune. Accepting the drama and immediately letting go of negativity will reframe the loss as a learning opportunity.

6.6 Extracting Lessons

Failure provides valuable lessons that can shape your future success. Paying attention to the lesson learned should be applied after each tournament.

After matches:

  • Reflect on the experiences.
  • Analyze the facts.
  • Extract meaningful insights.
  • Refine your approach, and make the necessary adjustments to propel you forward before the next competition.

6.7 Embracing the Process

Competitive resilience is not developed through grooving strokes. It is fostered through consistent practice matches. Emotions arrive when you are “being judged.” Practicing in the manner you’re expected to perform is essential in developing your software skills. You build competitive skills by playing more practice matches.

“Setbacks do not define you; your response to them does.”

The Power of the Mind in Tennis

Posted on September 23, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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COMING SOON

THE TENNIS ENCYCLOPEDIA!

The Power of the Mind

“If thoughts can cause stress…then thoughts can cause comfort. It’s a choice.”

The game of tennis is a delicate dance between the physical and the mental. While athleticism and technical skills are undoubtedly crucial, the power of the mind truly sets apart the champions from the rest.

1.1 Understanding the Mind-Body Connection

Tennis requires synchronization between the mind and the body. Every physical movement and decision on the court is a product of the mind-body connection.

Emotions also trigger thoughts that positively or negatively impact an athlete’s coordination and biochemistry. Poor emotions hijack the mind under pressure leaving athletes stranded alone and unable to compete.

1.2 Exploring the Impact of Feelings, Thoughts, and Beliefs

Our thoughts and feelings are our way of dealing with pressure. These feelings can be true or false. It’s important to note that our feelings aren’t always real. Often these conditioned emotional responses are merely speculations. As a competitive athlete, your thoughts condition your habits, and your habits shape your beliefs.

1.3 False Assumptions

Your negative habits may include pessimistic self-talk, self-doubt, or unwanted limiting beliefs that stall progress and hold you back from playing at your peak potential. On the other hand, your positive thoughts, empowering beliefs, and a strong mental attitude can propel you past your fears and toward the skills we know you must master.

1.4 Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to reorganize old connections. So, with time and effort, you can reroute poor habits such as untrustworthy stroke techniques or how to respond to adversity.

1.5 Embracing Neuroplasticity

Embracing the concept of Neuroplasticity will involve walking away from old comfortable habits and trading them in for uncomfortable, superior choices.

1.6 Embracing Discomfort

You can rewire your neural pathways and reshape your thinking patterns through deliberate practice and mental conditioning. Discomfort is a catalyst for growth.

Neuroplasticity teaches us that age-old excuse of “I can’t” just got thrown out the window. You can make changes, and this book will teach you how.

1.7 Tackling Discomfort

I promise you, being uncomfortable is a normal and healthy part of progress. If you genuinely want to improve, it can’t be avoided. A better future isn’t created from what you’ve chosen to do in your past but from what you haven’t tried yet. Doing what is comfortable is typical. Doing what’s uncomfortable is where mastery lives.

“A better future isn’t created from what you’ve chosen to do in your past but from what you haven’t tried yet.”

Developing Your Competitive Persona

Posted on September 20, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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COMING SOON

THE TENNIS ENCYCLOPEDIA

Primary and Secondary Strokes

Well, Ella, here’s how I see your predicament. You’ve got two options. You can plan on 3-hour moonball rallies, pack a lunch for the match and try to out-steady the retrievers you’re losing to or develop the patterns to disrupt their style of play. Which sounds better?

Ella, you’re not super patient, and you win way more of the short points than the longer, grueling ones. Let’s develop the secondary strokes and patterns that enable you to play your game.

You’ll need to carefully consider why and, more importantly, how the primary and secondary strokes are used and how to apply them to your tactical advantage.

4.1 Primary Strokes

The primary strokes are the foundation of tennis. These include the serve, forehand, backhand, and volleys. Learning the proper technique for each stroke is crucial for consistency and staying injury free.

4.2 Holding Serve

The serve is the most crucial stroke in tennis and deserves your utmost attention. A strong serve helps you earn easy points and quickly puts the opponent on the defensive. The quality of your serve is often the difference between winning and losing a match.

4.3 Return of Serve

Sadly, the return is the most missed shot in the game and the least practiced. First, consider your tennis identity because it dictates your chosen court location to position you to play your game style. Second, choose the correct size backswing that coincides with your court position.

4.4 Net Play

Volleys are essential for taking away the opponent’s recovery and reaction time. Volleys are needed when you’ve got the opponent in a vulnerable position.

4.5 Secondary Strokes

The secondary strokes in tennis are essential building shots in specific situations. Your secondary strokes are often used to push the opponent into a defensive position.

4.6 The Secondary Tool Belt

  • Groundstrokes: Short-angle, High & heavy, Slice, Drop shots, and Lobs
  • Serve: Kick, Slice
  • Volley: Swing, Drop, Transition, Half-volleys
  • Overhead: Bounce, Backhand Smash, and Scissor-kick overhead
  • Lobs: Topspin and Slice

4.7 Repetition of Secondary Strokes

Secondary strokes add variety to your game and keep opponents off balance. Both stroke development and repetition are needed to make these weapons trustworthy and reliable.

The secret to your future success is your accountability. And to be accountable, you must manage and track your time. With consistent, deliberate practice, you’ll develop your primary and secondary strokes, combine them with pattern play, and transform into a proactive player.

Customizing Your Developmental Tennis Plan

Posted on September 15, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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Developing Your Competitive Persona

Jackie’s a hard-hitting baseliner. Her shot tolerance is 3-4 balls. Jackie is an intuitive player who likes to hit bold winners and can overtake most competitors with her huge serve and big forehands. However, her coach is from South America. The Spanish system nurtured him by being steady and retrieving balls with high-quality defense. He played that style. He understands that style and demands all his students to train within those guidelines. Is this the correct approach for Jackie?

Persona refers to our identity as competitive warriors. It relates to how we perceive and label ourselves in competitive events. It’s essential to be faithful to that which exists within.

2.1 Play Your Game

Parents and coaches often say, “Just go out there and play your game!” Do you know your game? Most players don’t honestly know. This section will help shape your tennis persona.

2.2 Developing Your Competitive Identity

Crucial to achieving long-term success is knowing your tennis identity. Do you know your best style of play in competition? What are your go-to patterns and best court positions? Do you have your offense, neutral, and defense protocols memorized?

2.3 Your Personal Brand

Your competitive identity is your personal brand on the tennis court, enabling you to do what you do best when it matters most. It’s handling adversity, problem-solving, and approaching your training and competition.

2.4 Developing Your Identity

Developing your tennis identity goes beyond fundamental strokes and natural talent. It also involves building resilience and developing decision-making skills. Tennis is an emotionally challenging sport, and your ability to handle pressure and maintain a positive mindset will significantly affect your success.

2.5 Inborn Talents

Inborn strengths and weaknesses mold your competitive identity. Recognizing and using your inborn talents will help to customize a game plan that plays to your strengths while minimizing your weaknesses.

2.6 Prioritizing Time

Balancing commitments requires developing strong organizational skills and learning to manage time effectively. The best competitors learn how to prioritize their commitments.

2.7 Optimal Habits

Optimal habits are the routines that help you to maximize your potential. An example of an optimal habit is setting weekly “stepping stone” goals, working to reach these goals, and then setting more goals the following week. The main goal is to strive for massive improvement. By doing so first, results appear.

Every choice you make either pulls you away from greatness or pushes you toward it. Applying your identity under pressure requires knowing who you are and what you do best. The best players customize their training versus the old-school, one size fits all approach.

Discovering Your Tennis Game

Posted on September 12, 2023 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

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The Psychology of Tennis

As you progress throughout your journey, you should focus on your physical abilities and cultivate a deep understanding of your psychological makeup. Competition is not just a battle of physical skills; it’s equally a mental game where emotions, decision-making, and personality traits come into play. Let’s explore the psychology of tennis and how personality traits significantly influence your style, approach, and overall decision-making on the court.

“Your awakening begins by looking inside.”

2.1 The Impact of Your Personality Profile

Identifying the traits of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) helps to uncover your approach to the game. It’s in your best interest to go online and take a free MBTI quiz. Different personality profiles see the game differently, and understanding your genetic predispositions is important. Personality preference is measured along four dichotomies: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. Combinations of these scales produce a four-letter acronym that reflects your dominant functions.

2.2 Examples of The Power of Profiling

Personality profiling assists parents, coaches, and athletes understand how individuals gather information and make decisions. Identifying your personality profile explains why you are naturally good at some things and uncomfortable with others. It is why you think the way you think, say what you say, and do what you do. Below are observations of the different profiles as they relate to tennis. You’ll uncover your personality profile by identifying the most appropriate profile in each of the four categories.

View the following typographies the same way you view right or left-handed players. Athletes have a dominant (preferred) system and an auxiliary system.

Introverts (I) versus Extroverts (E)

Introvert Athletes

1) Reserved, reflective thinkers.

2) Prefer concrete advice versus abstract thinking. 

3) Need quiet, alone time to recharge their batteries. 

4) Energy-conserving, private and quiet individuals.

Extrovert Athletes

1) Enjoy the energy of group clinics.

2) Enjoy the limelight, center court, and center stage. 

3) Easily bored with mundane repetition.

4) Work best in short attention span type drills.

“Introverts and extroverts and extroverts can introvert. We all have dominant and auxiliary brain functions.”

Sensate (S) versus Intuitive (N)

Sensate Athletes

1) Choose to make decisions after analyzing.

2) Often hesitate on-court due to overthinking.

3) Thrive on the coach’s facts versus opinions.

4) Success on-court is based on personal experience, not theory.

Intuitive Athletes

1) Trust their gut instinct and hunches over detailed facts.

2) In matches, often do first and then analyze second.

3) Apply and trust their imagination with creative shot selection.

4) Learn quicker by being shown versus lengthy verbal drill explanations.

“Working within one’s genetic guidelines is like swimming downstream. Working against one’s genetic predisposition is like swimming upstream.”

Thinkers (T) versus Feelers (F)

Thinker Athletes

1) Impersonalize tennis matches in a business fashion.

2) Thrive in private lessons versus group activities.

3) In competition, they are less influenced by emotions than other brain designs. 

4) Relate to technical skills training over mental or emotional skills training.

Feeler Athletes

1) Often put others’ needs ahead of their own.

2) Strong need for optimism and harmony on-court.

3) Struggle with opponent’s cheating and gamesmanship.

4) Usually outcome-oriented versus process-oriented.

“A gender stereotype myth is that females are feelers and males are thinkers.”

Judgers (J) versus Perceivers (P)

Judger Athletes

1) Prefer planned, orderly, structured lessons.

2) Often postpone competing because they’re not 100% ready.

3) Need closure with a task before moving on to the next drill.

4) Change is uncomfortable and is typically shunned.

Perceiver Athletes

1) Mentally found in the future, not the present.

2) Easily adapts to ever-changing match situations.

3) Open to discussing and applying new, unproven concepts.

4) Typically need goal dates and deadlines to work hard.

For example: if you chose extrovert, sensate, feeler, or perceiver, you’re an ESFP. Training within those guidelines will maximize your potential at a faster rate.

“Athletes who make the most significant gains have parents and coaches aware of each other’s inborn characteristics, which assist in organizing the athlete’s unique developmental pathways.”

(Excerpt from Frank Giampaolo’s Book: The Soft Science of Tennis)

We’ve explored the multifaceted psychology of tennis and its impact on your persona on the court. Understanding your personality trait is an eye-opening experience. As you become more attuned to your unique psychological makeup, you’ll unlock your full potential and design a playing style that aligns with your personality, paving the way for a successful and more fulfilling journey in competitive tennis.

Embracing Your Tennis Identity

Posted on September 11, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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Embracing Your Tennis Identity

Each individual brings a unique set of physical attributes, personality traits, and playing preferences to the court. As you progress in your journey, embrace your superpowers and tailor your performance style to align with your strengths and personality.

“Be smart enough to find yourself and brave enough to be yourself.”

3.1 Building Your Tennis Identity

Staying true to yourself emphasizes the importance of authenticity in developing a tennis identity. Training to play the systems that align with your personality profile maximizes potential. Embracing your personality on-court enhances enjoyment and fulfillment.

3.2 Exploring Different Styles of Play in Tennis

Your tennis identity begins with choosing the right style of play that fits your personality and body type. High-performance athletes develop their A-plan as well as a contingency plan. You’ll apply both nature and nurture to maximize your potential. So, who are you?

  1. Hard-hitting baseliners:

The characteristics of this style focus on leveraging baseline play to control rallies and set up strategic points. Ground stroke power is their weapon of choice. 

  • All-Court Players:

These individuals apply their versatility, adapting to various situations. These athletic individuals blend baseline play and net-rushing tactics to keep opponents guessing.

  • Retrievers:

These counterpunchers thrive on getting every ball back with their patience and incredible court speed. They’re happy to force errors and let their opponents self-destruct.

  • Net Rushers:

These powerful athletes are known for their aggressive net approach. They prefer short points as they pressure opponents and finish points at the net.

A typical battle cry from parents and coaches is, “Play Your Game!” Knowing your true tennis identity is your game. Practicing in the manner you’re expected to perform is “situational training.” Replace the typical grooving strokes with situational rehearsals that align with your game.

3.3 Developing Your Signature Shots and Strategies

Signature Shots and patterns are your go-to preferred plays. Exposing your strengths is a proactive approach. Everyone has signature shots; applying them on big points is a great strategic intention. Plan on spending a lot of time developing and strengthening your weapons.

3.4 Leveraging Innate Qualities

Identifying your strengths begins with reflecting on the four pillars of the game (strokes, athleticism, mental and emotional). Begin by deciding to capitalize on your strengths in the four pillars of the game. Addressing weaknesses starts with an honest assessment of the game’s four pillars. Work with your coaches to design targeted training programs to overcome those weaknesses.

3.5 The Impact of Mental and Emotional Alignment

Embracing the development of your software components is a key aspect of peak performance. Understanding strengths and weaknesses in your mental(thinking) and emotional (feeling) components is essential. Hire an experienced mental coach to help align your playing style with your personality leads to a more harmonious experience.

Chapter 3 has emphasized the significance of embracing individuality and tailoring a unique tennis style that aligns with your strengths, preferences, and personality traits. As you build your tennis identity, stay true to yourself. Nurture a style that brings joy and fulfillment to your game.

By combining individuality with strategic adaptability, you’ll create a distinctive playing style that sets you on the path to success in the world of high-performance tennis.

Tennis and the Foundation of Talent

Posted on September 8, 2023 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

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 The Foundation of Talent

Recognizing that a combination of factors shapes the path to greatness is essential. While grit, patience, and great coaching play a significant role, it is equally important to acknowledge the role of genetics in developing your talent. Let’s explore the science involved in shaping your tennis identity. The fascinating world of genetic predispositions lays the foundation of your inborn talents that you’ll apply in customizing your best style of play.

“You don’t have to suffer from what’s happening to you, but you do have to suffer to become what you choose to be.”

1.1 The Role of Genetics in Athletic Abilities

Genetics, the blueprint of life, holds information that dictates your physical, mental, and emotional attributes. As we look at renowned athletes across various sports, it becomes evident that certain genetic traits contribute to their success. In the realm of tennis, genetic factors significantly impact your performance.

1.3 Physical and Mental Attributes

From a physical standpoint, genetic factors like height, body composition, and muscle fiber type impact your style of play. Fast-twitch muscle fibers are applied to explosive movements and serve velocity. Genetics influence your hand-eye coordination, balance, and agility. From the mental side, there are genetic links to your cognitive abilities and decision-making skills on court. There’s also a connection between genetics and mental resilience during high-pressure situations. Your genetics play a role in your temperament and patience in tennis performance.

1.4 Identifying Genetic Traits

Recognizing traits relevant to tennis can provide valuable insights into your development. Athletes within the same peer group all possess different physical, mental, and emotional attributes. For example, Josh is extremely patient- a factor in his retriever persona. Rebecca’s natural quickness aids in her court coverage. Peter is impatient, so hit shot tolerance is low. Discovering your inborn talents is key to organizing development and tennis identity.

1.5 Inheriting Traits

Physical, mental, and emotional genetic characteristics often pass on from generation to generation. Heredity plays a role in your tennis “makeup.” Your genetic predisposition is an increased likelihood of developing particular strengths and weaknesses. For example: If Kelly’s father has ADHD, it’s likely that she may also possess inherited focus concerns in competition.

1.6 Nature’s Impact on Athleticism

Certain genetic predispositions shape your physical talents in competition. Genetics play a role in your height, coordination, and movement capabilities. It drives your unique metabolism, recovery speed and is responsible for your predisposition to injuries. There’s a fascinating relationship between your genetic traits and the synchronization of your brain-body connection.

1.7 Leveraging Your Genetic Advantage

Customization of your physical, mental, and emotional training is key. Research shows that matching one’s style of play with their genetic predisposition found three times better results than those with mismatched training plans. It’s obvious that the old-school, one size fits all approach to training is obsolete.

We’ve explored the foundational role of genetic predispositions in tennis. While genetics lays the groundwork for your potential, it’s essential to remember that genetic factors do not solely determine success in tennis. Hard work, determination, and the correct nurturing environment provided by coaches and family play an equally critical role. Recognize and leverage your genetic advantages. Train within your genetic blueprint. By combining nature and nurture, you’ll set the path to maximizing your potential.

Tennis- The Psychology of Listening

Posted on August 10, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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The Psychology of Listening

For a youngster to mentally process your message, the athlete must pay attention to the essence of the ideas. Most children never get past their parent’s tone of voice and nonverbal clues. Digesting the message isn’t easy for most junior athletes. Once the message is perceived as negative, they stop listening. So use a bit of reverse psychology and apply optimistic solutions instead of the laundry list of their problems. This method detaches the athlete from their ego.

Young athletes are typically lost in their judgmental thoughts, so the listener often distorts the message.

“One who understands what to say has knowledge; one who understands when to say it has wisdom.”

Magnifying the negative and forgetting the positive is a typical communication obstruction. Every athlete, parent, and coach have a unique communication style. There are four basic communication styles (passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and dominating). It’s important to understand that if your style isn’t working, change your communication system to fit your listener.

Solution: Understand your communication system. Try to downgrade your tone of voice to a calm, relaxed cadence to get your meaning heard. When choosing to discuss their failures, switch the problems with the solutions. Add player accountability to problem-solving using the “Ask, don’t tell.” teaching method. After all, top athletes are nurtured to solve their problems.

Try to focus on giving without expecting, argue less, stop comparing your child with their peers, avoid participating in gossip, eliminate judgment, and choose not to live vicariously through your child.

Tennis- Successful Parental Habits

Posted on July 30, 2023 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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Successful Parental Habits

Tennis parents rarely get the spotlight, but without their influence and leadership, most athletes wouldn’t even make their local high school squad. I chatted with the parents of my top nationally ranked juniors to find out what they had in common. These parents teach their children ownership of their tennis careers. Below are six commonalities found in the parents of top competitors.

Solutions:

  1. After each tennis lesson, these parents ask their athletes to teach them the concepts they’ve just learned. Learning by teaching solidifies their knowledge, which improves confidence. Communication skills enhance memorization.
  2. For each private lesson their athlete takes, they schedule a hitting session or a practice match utilizing those improvements. Solidifying stroke adjustments takes repetition. Memorizing new material in the form of plays and patterns takes time.
  3. Successful tennis parents have their athletes play sets with paid college hitters. The parent hires the hitter and instructs them to play the style their child has trouble with in competition.
  4. These parents ask them to rehearse their secondary tools, and contingency game plans in group training sessions. They know if their player doesn’t rehearse their plan B, it likely won’t hold up under pressure.
  5. If their child despises playing a retriever, they ask their coaches to stop simply grooving to each other in practice and develop the keep-away patterns used to pull retrievers out of their game.
  6. Successful tennis parents replace some of the hours of drilling with completing practice sets. Practicing in the manner, they’re expected to perform requires a different set of skills than most academy training. Software management stems from being judged, and that involves competition. Being a great competitor is different from being a great stationary ball striker.