Tag Archives: competitive tennis

PERFORMANCE ANXIETIES IN TENNIS-PART 1

Posted on August 4, 2022 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

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PERFORMANCE ANXIETIES

 

“Juniors need to understand that during matches, negative emotions come and go like flights landing and taking off from an airport. They can choose to hop on the looney flight or simply let it take off without them.”

 

During match play, negative emotions reveal fear and insecurity, while positive emotions reveal confidence and control. The ability to control one’s emotions is a critical high performance skill.  Emotional intelligence is a learned behavior.

 

“Emotional Development is just as important as stroke development.”

 

Below, I’ve listed four categories of common performance anxiety symptoms.  If you suspect that your child’s fear of competition, confrontation or adversity is affecting their performance, it may be time to gather the coaches for an emotional training session. Ask your child to check any below symptoms that they feel describes them on match day. Design a new action plan to overcome each issue.

 

Match Day Symptoms

Physical Symptoms:

  • Shallow, fast breathing
  • Increased muscle tension throughout the body
  • Increased perspiration
  • Feeling dizzy and weak in the knees
  • Feeling that your body is on the court but your mind is somewhere else

Mental Symptoms:

  • Inability to focus one point at a time
  • Over thinking (choking)
  • Under thinking (panicking)
  • Reoccurring thoughts of failure
  • Worrying about others opinions of their performance
  • Obsessing about others rankings & successes

Emotional Symptoms:

  • Self-doubt in strokes as seen in “pushing”
  • Self-doubt in stamina & strength as seen in reckless shot selection (to end points prematurely)
  • Nervousness, hesitation & fearful performance
  • Stressing about uncontrollable variables
  • Not taking the time to enjoy the moment

Behavioral Symptoms:

  • Not performing match day routines & rituals
  • Hurrying & fast pace walking
  • Having mini tantrums, racket cracking or mindless fast walking/play
  • Forgetting the basic ball striking functions
  • Allowing the opponent or situation to control your playing speeds

 

TEN SECRETS TO STOP SELF DESTRUCTION

Posted on July 30, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

 Click Here to Order

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TEN SECRETS TO STOP SELF DESTRUCTION

 

“Hi Frank, This is Mr. Patton. I’d like to talk to you about helping my daughter. Another tournament is over and once again we’ve witnesses the unthinkable. Samantha lost again to a weaker, lower level player. This happens all the time! Maybe she’s just not cut out for competition? I send her to an Academy. She hits almost every day. Why isn’t she winning? Is there anything my wife and I can do as parents to help? Please call me back. My number is …”

 

If you’re athlete suffers from losing to lesser players, relax there is a solution. As a matter of fact, there are ten solutions! This is a major factor in the mental skills department. Begin by reviewing the below list of self-destruction solutions with your player and entourage of coaches. Ask your athlete to circle their top 3 favorite solutions. Along with their coaches, schedule time to rehearse the repetition of the solutions.

 

Self-Destruction Solutions:

1) When you are donating points with first or second strike errors, simply focus on hitting three balls clean straight down the center of the court. You’ll go from handing the opponent the trophy to making them earn a seven ball rally. Trust me, this really works!

 

2) While being too eager to see your beautiful shot, you sneak a peek early, pull out of the strike zone and shank balls off the frame. A great tip is to simply say “plant” when the incoming ball lands on your court and “turn” as you begin to uncoil the kinetic chain into the ball.  Trick yourself into thinking that you can see the ball “hit” the strings of your racket. Wa-la! No more shanks!

 

3) Future thoughts are a common enemy of high quality tennis. Thinking ahead to the award presentation, their new ranking or what their friends are going to say when they beat this seed is a sure fire path to “Loserville.”  Focus on the present execution of your performance patterns versus the post-match outcome drama.

 

4) Mistakes often lead to anger. Anger leads to increased ball speed. Increasing ball speed leads to more errors.  To steady up, sometimes match the opponents ball speed until you get your game back to a controllable level. Yes, champions often simply match the ball speed.

 

5) Use the tactics found in applying the proper air zones and court zones. Understanding zonal tennis will greatly reduce the sheer numbers of unforced errors.

 

6) Another critical function of reducing the “avoidable” error is the proper use of offense, neutral and defensive choices.  Pro tour studies show that professionals hit on average 60% neutral, 20% offence, 20% defense.  Match play video analysis of intermediate juniors show an average of 80% offence, 15% neutral, 5% defense. Hum…no wonder the unforced error count is through the roof!

 

7) Most juniors use changeovers to watch the other matches, check out that cute chic or guy over by the fence, watch cars go by or even spot the American airlines jet overhead. Proper internal changeover rituals would be to simply think two games back, fix flaws and design proactive plans, then organize how they will be using the information during the next two games.

 

8) If you’re self-destructing and want to respond to adversity like a champ, copy Serena.  She reads her notes during matches to relax and stay focused. She’s earned a few bucks playing this game and seems to have a future.  Haha!  You should have your notes prepared and actually choose to pull them out and read them if needed.

 

9) As the “deer in the head light’ spaced out look comes across your face, remind yourself that you can break free of all this panicking by taking a few “swoosh” shadow swings. Be aware that one of the first fundamentals to shut down are your quick little steps. Move your feet and use verbal and physical triggers to re-gain composure.

 

10) On a parental note, often a large portion of the stress that inhibits your child’s peak performance is unknowing caused by you.  Stress causes poor brain function and tight muscle contractions. Are you successfully de-stressing your athlete on game day?

 

 

Training how to handle ADVERSITY is a major contributor to a champion’s success. I often remind intermediate athletes that they have to be comfortable…being uncomfortable. Spending a couple hours each week for the next month focusing on a few of their solutions may be the exact protocol your athlete needs to salvage a routine match that has gone south.

THE SCIENCE OF MATCH DAY PREPARATION

Posted on March 20, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

 Click Here to Order

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THE SCIENCE OF MATCH DAY PREPARATION

 

The expression, “success is found when proper preparation meets opportunity” would seem to have been written for tennis players.  Sadly, most unsuccessful junior competitors are ill-prepared to compete, yet blame their poor results on bad luck. Truth be told, growth and success on court, is a result of months of deliberate customized training and systematic game day routines and rituals. Success on and off the court doesn’t happen by chance…it happens by choice.

There is often a very fine line between competitive success and failure. A poor start, an initial lack of focus or a bout of wavering confidence can cause a seemingly winnable match to quickly slip away. The will to properly prepare for competition usually makes the difference. For players to achieve consistent positive match results, their preparation must include ritualistic, inflexible routines. A player who is ready to compete creates an impenetrable wall that keeps the human elements of fear at bay.

 

“Spectacular achievements are preceded by spectacular preparation.”

 

Players who disregard pre-match rituals often unknowingly start a downward spiral that inevitably results in a loss. Their lack of self-discipline leads to self-doubt, a condition that fuels nervousness and then causes a lack of confidence and low self-esteem. These negative forces have a way of fostering a lack of self-control on match day.

 

“Although not preparing properly for competition may provide short-term fun, it comes with long-term consequences.”

 

Getting geared up for a match involves a type of self-hypnosis. Top players use a series of internal processes to spur a metamorphosis in preparation for competition. This involves putting on their “game face” as they prepare their physical, mental, and emotional components for competition. Confidence is high and all energy is devoted to the task at hand. This section of the book contains information to help players of all levels find the state of readiness that enables players to transform from a normal person into a tennis warrior.

Morphing into a warrior isn’t reserved for athletes. Game day transformation is done by every world-class performer. Preparing physically, mentally and emotionally for their role is a mandatory learned behavior. To demonstrate this point, let’s look at an elite professional Broadway actor’s pre-show preparation.

 

Broadway Actor’s Pre-Show Preparation:

On a nightly basis, the actors transition through a metamorphosis. They go from being a normal person with their own issues, emotions and agendas to morphing into the characters they play on Broadway. Real life issues (car problems, relationship issues, dog ran away…) must be dismissed and their mindset must shift into character they play on stage. The actual metamorphism is specific to each actor, but generally the actors will review their lines, quietly mediate, rehearse their movements, etc. Once on stage, the curtain rises and great actors transform into their character- making the audience believe.

 

Socializing prior to matches often pulls competitors away from their pre-match routines and rituals. Remember, a transformation should take place before each match. Your athlete simply cannot transform from a normal person into a warrior if they are hanging out with friends or bantering with friends over texts.

 

“Physical, mental and emotional readiness is a skill set your athlete must master.”

 

Emotional Protocols- Part 1

Posted on March 12, 2021 by in Neuro Priming for Peak Performance

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Frank Giampaolo

AUDIO #2: Emotional Protocols

Design and list customized solutions for each of the emotional protocols. Athletes who mentally rehearse their pre-set contingency plans (emotional protocols) report cleaner performances and less match time drama consistently. (Sample Solutions: page 62)

 

My Between Point Rituals

External:

  • ________________________________________________________
  • ________________________________________________________

Internal:

  • _________________________________________________________
  • _________________________________________________________

 

My Changeover Rituals

External: _______________________________________________________

Internal: _______________________________________________________

 

Critical Times to Manage my Adrenaline

  • _________________________________________________________
  • _________________________________________________________

Competitive Tennis Dramas

Posted on January 23, 2021 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most online retailers!

 Click Here to Order

 

COMPETITIVE DRAMAS: INTERNAL STRUGGLESblack_ebook_design2

 

QUESTION: My child’s mind wanders off in matches, how can we fix that?

 

Frank: Lapses in concentration are so very common.

Focus is a key mental/emotional skill set. Without it, even the most gifted ball strikers are usually early-round losers. Focus requires the athlete to understand that their mind is like a muscle that needs to be continually tightened and toned. Remember from the previous section, an un-toned brain can easily slip back and forth between its under-arousal state of mind, to its optimal emotional conduct state of mind to its over-arousal state of mind.

Let’s look once again into the thought process of these three different “headspaces.”

In the under-arousal state, the athlete often begins to detach and slip into past or future thought scenarios. After the mind wanders off, athletes often report that they choked.

In the ideal performance state, the athlete stays deeply entrenched in their calm, happy, confident script of patterns. This mental, emotional state of readiness lasts throughout the match. The athlete often reports that they’re in the zone.

In the over-arousal state of mind, the athlete slips into the over hitting, rushing, and reckless style of play. The athlete often reports that they were trying to play better than they actually needed and simply panicked.

The initial key to solving this issue is to ask the athlete to begin to notice where their thoughts are at certain stages of the match. (This is best done through match play video analysis.)

 

Remember, triggers are used to get an athlete back into their script of patterns. Triggers are both verbal and physical.  Triggers serve the athlete in two very positive ways: it inflates their energy while deflating their opponent’s energy and by sending the message that they’re in it … to win it.

Conflict Resolution

Posted on June 28, 2019 by in Preparing for Pressure

Discuss Conflict Resolution and Fear of Confrontation

“Solving problems begins by confronting problems.”
sarah

When athletes are expected to be the competitor, the score-keeper, the linesman, and the umpire conflicts will exist. “Being judged” can bring out the best and worst in all of us. Often opponents who believe that they don’t have the physical tools to win employ gamesmanship to sabotage their opponent’s level of play. There are many gamesmanship situations that athletes need to be aware of, and it is the job description of the coaching staff to address these scenarios. It is also important to teach them to look systematically beyond the incident.

Often, it is not the specific opponent’s gamesmanship tactic but your player’s response to the drama that causes the emotional break the opponent seeks. Preparing for pressure includes how an athlete responds to confrontational situations and whether or not they can remain focused on their performance goals and avoid unraveling.

Covert gamesmanship in tournament play is also applied when the crafty opponent spots the nonverbal clues found in our athletes’ fear of confrontation. If your athletes have a fear of confrontation, address why standing up for themselves versus enabling the “bully” is in their best interest. Nurturing timid athletes to stand up for themselves improves their confidence as they learn to solve problems.

In the intermediate levels, emotionally weak competitors assume that confrontation is bad. If they disagree, the opponent won’t like them and therefore not want to play with them in the future. This is a false assumption. In tennis, the opposite holds true. Opponents that can easily bully and beat your athlete don’t return their calls. Athletes that stand up to gamesmanship and triumph, not only earn respect, they also benefit by getting to choose their future practice match opponents and doubles partners.

Confidence is earned by standing up to conflicts.

COMMON PERFORMANCE ANXIETIES – Part Four

Posted on April 13, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

Common Performance Anxieties -Continued.

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10) Common Anxiety: “I focus the whole match on perfect form. That’s Correct …right?”

“Athletes nurtured to focus on mechanics in match play seldom
perform in the flow state.”

I recommend that athletes save most of the detailed analysis of strokes for the improvement phase which takes place on the practice court. Bio- mechanical analysis surely has its place; it’s just not in the midst of competition. Focusing too much on “bend your knees,” “close the racket face 30-degrees and brush up,” and  “tuck the left hand in on the serve to block the third link of the kinetic chain” pulls athletes out of the flow state and into their editing, analytical brain.

The week leading into an important event I recommend trading in the need for stroke perfection and replace it with practicing picking up relevant cues like proficient pattern play, score management, and opponent profiling. This prepares the athlete for pressure by allowing their judgmental ego to slip away. Performing in the zone requires relaxed contentment, which can’t be found if you’re focused on fixing every micro-flaw.

Preparing for pressure requires the athlete to focus on the art of competing.

 

 

11) Common Anxiety: “Yeah, I know I should practice more, but I’m so busy.”

“It’s not the most gifted athletes who typically succeed; it’s
the most organized and disciplined.”

Preparing athletes for pressure include pointing them in the right direction. One of my assessment tools is the 168 Hour Rule. We all get 24 hours a day seven days a week. That equals 168 hours.

I ask junior athletes to begin with 168 hours a week and then deduct their hours for sleep, school, homework, and other serious interests. Most often, the very same athletes who claim that they’re too busy realizes that they have 60-70 free, unaccountable hours weekly! This exercise is very eye-opening for both the parents and the athletes. After we identify the athlete’s free time, we re-design their weekly developmental plan. Together we assess the quality of the hours they’re dedicating to their long-term goals.

Example conversation after reviewing time assessment, “Joey since you just revealed that you have 60 unaccountable hours weekly; would it be possible for you to increase your deliberate customized tennis training to 20 hours a week? That’ll still leave you with 40 hours a week to hang out with friends, socialize, and play

Preparing for Pressure

Posted on March 4, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

Preparing athletes for pressure is a form of preventative medicine. I will soon be releasing Preparing for Pressure. This book came to light organically. It began as a Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) Tennis Pro Magazine instructional article and quickly ballooned into a full-blown book.

The purpose of Preparing for Pressure is to provide solutions to assist those athletes that are able to thrive on the practice court only to wilt under game-day pressure. Many athletes have the will to compete but they often fail to find the will to prepare.  I’ve found that performing well under pressure begins with preparing the athlete’s software for the heaviness of competition.

The US Navy Seal’s motto best describes insight into the solution to performing under pressure:

“We don’t rise to the occasion…we sink to the level of our training.”

The often debilitating scenario athlete’s face during competition is remedied with deliberate mental and emotional training. Very few athletes are born competitive tennis experts. Performing their best when they need it the most is nurtured.

What is Competitive Pressure?

“Competitive pressure is the lousy partner of great opportunity.”

Pressure is created in the minds of our athletes and/or their sphere of influence. Managing pressure starts by spotting the cause. In amateur sports, the pressure is either self-imposed or nurtured by unaware parents or coaches. Pressure manifests when we imagine what might happen if we don’t achieve the outcome we desire or what others expect.

The following scenario depicts an athlete failing to train in the manner he is expected to perform.

Brian’s frustration begins like clockwork each tournament match. This solid athlete can’t understand why he’s not able to duplicate his practice level in tournament competition. Friday on the practice court, Brian grooves his fundamental groundstrokes for hours.

Essentially playing “catch” back and forth. In this setting, Brian thinks: “Tennis is easy! Forget juniors…Man, I’m going pro!”

Fast forward to Saturday morning. Brian’s internal and external stressors ramp up because the practice court environment of catch is nowhere to be found. The friendly face on the other side of the net is now replaced by an intimidating, confrontational warrior whose hell bent on torturing poor Brian.

Come game day, that cozy, cooperative game of “catch” turns into a violent struggle of “keep away”. Brian would be wise to practice in the manner he’s truly expected to perform.

Preparing for pressure # 1 rule: Practice in the manner you’re expected to perform

What Causes Pressure in Competition?

 
“Performance anxiety is the habit of worrying.”

Pressure begins with the arrival of the athlete’s inner critic. That little “Devil on their shoulder” appears like clockwork when the match doesn’t go as planned.

Some athletes stress about every minute detail while others confront setbacks in warrior mode. Because no two athletes are exactly alike, preparing for pressure begins with an assessment of the athlete’s and their entourage’s stress level as it pertains to the reality of tournament competition.

Competitive Pressure Triggers Include:
  • The Games Scoring System
  • The Opponents Style Of Tactical Play
  • Gamesmanship
  • The Draw/Seeding
  • Spectators
  • The Environment/Conditions
  • The Court Surface
  • Current Fitness/Energy Levels
  • Untrustworthy Strokes
  • Outcome Anxieties
I’ve found that taking an inventory and talking through their tennis stressors is a great start to overcoming issues and developing confident solutions.

Every athlete feels pressure; it is how they’ve been nurtured to deal with it that counts.

Preparing athletes for pressure is a form of preventative medicine. It inoculates athletes with solutions for common performance anxieties. The solutions vaccinate the athlete, coaches, and parents against the onslaught of emotional toxins found in competition.