Frank Giampaolo's Maximizing Tennis Potential

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

CULTIVATING LIFE LESSONS THROUGH TENNIS

Choosing to embark on this journey has lifelong benefits. It is widely known that the participation in the game of tennis cultivates life lessons. Tennis is an individual, elite sport that breed leaders.

“Congratulations for developing leadership qualities in your child.”

Communicating the important life lessons gained through tennis is a critical part of the tennis parent’s job description.

The Game of Tennis Inspires the Following Leadership Skills:

1. Time management
2. Adaptability and flexibility skills
3. Ability to handle adversity
4. Ability to handle stress
5. Courage
6. Positive work ethic
7. Perseverance
8. Setting priorities
9. Goal setting
10. Sticking to commitments
11. Determination
12. Problem solving skills
13. Spotting patterns and tendencies
14. Discipline
15. Understanding of fair play and sportsmanship
16. Development of focus
17. Persistence
18. Preparation skills
19. Dedication and self-control
20. Positive self-image

Without these important character skills, success on and off the court, simply won’t happen.  You see, achieving results requires thousands of hours of deliberate customized practice.  Without the above life skills, a deliberate developmental plan doesn’t happen.

Life skills à Process à Results

My favorite life lesson of the top 20 is persistence. As a coach, to see a talented player without persistence or the willingness to sacrifice and work hard is my worst nightmare! That is why at the junior levels it is often the slightly less talented who are willing to pay the price with smart work that earn all the trophies.

“Nothing is more common than unsuccessful tennis players with tons of physical talent.”

Finding a way through a tough opponent even though you’re having a bad day is persistence. Staying in the correct side of your brain even when things are clearly not going well is persistence. Staying engaged until the very last point is persistence. Now you know my favorite life lesson. What’s yours?

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

Preparing an organizational blue print will save you thousands of dollars annually.
It will also save your child thousands of wasted, unproductive hours, sweat and tears.

Your child was born with a unique genetic predisposition and is pre-wired with a specific brain and body type. Consider it carefully as you and your athlete’s coaches (your entourage) nurture your child’s talent and identify their genetic predisposition.  Individual brain and body type play a very influential role at all levels of the game (not to mention the lifelong benefits as well.)  Let’s have some fun right off the bat and jump into applying personality profiling.

So, what’s the key to maximizing success in the shortest period of time? Is it to purchase the latest equipment? Maybe it’s hiring a great local pro? What if I said… neither.

“The first and most important tool you will ever apply is discovering your child’s personality and brain design.”

Let’s look at the typical old school tennis teaching scenario. The local pro Jose Gonzales came to the United States from Chile. He was a terrific collegiate player earning a full scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth. Jose even played a few ATP pro challenger events. He found success by being extremely patient. He had a natural gift with his quick feet and he enjoyed running. He took delight in being a steady counter puncher 15 feet behind the baseline. Jose’s shot tolerance was a 20-ball rally!

As a teaching professional, he demands that each of his students abide by his playing style, disciplines and logic. Your thinking, boy that guy sounds pretty experienced, let’s hire him as our child’s coach. So, is this the right mentor for your child?

The answer is, not likely. Why? Because Jose demands that each student plays his style. The style of tennis that your child needs in order to thrive is based on his or hers own unique design. (AKA: brain and body type.)

“Asking your child to play tennis in a style that opposes their skill sets, beliefs and temperament is a recipe for disaster.
This is especially true at the beginning levels of player development and is a major factor as towhy so many of them leave this great game.”

One of the quickest ways to ensure that your child will quit the sport is to demand that they play a style that opposes their brain and body type. Understanding brain and body types is one of the first steps to becoming a world class parent and/or coach. Hold on tight because I am about to rock your world.