Tag Archives: tennis

Opponent Profiling: Spotting Stroke Strengths and Weaknesses

Posted on April 17, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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Danny: “In the warm-up, I feed balls deep right at their body. It speaks volumes if they run around their backhand to hit forehands.”

You need to be able to identify if a swing is bio-mechanically flawed. This is done by analyzing anomalies (what’s present but shouldn’t be and what should be there but isn’t) in their stroke mechanics. Any faulty technique can and should be exploited. Let’s explore the process of spotting stroke strengths and weaknesses and how this knowledge can be used to formulate winning game plans and exploit those vulnerabilities.

1 The Significance of Stroke Analysis

By recognizing stroke strengths and weaknesses, you can apply strategies to avoid strengths and attack weaknesses. Rehearse how spotting these aspects should influence your shot selection and tactical approaches.

2 Shot Selections

Identify their preferred tendencies in different situations, such as their choices and habits in their offensive, neutral and defensive play. Stay alert for changes throughout the stages of the match. It’s your job to identify predictable shot patterns and disrupt their decision making.

3 Effective Strokes

Keep in mind that elegant strokes are sometimes not that effective, and unorthodox strokes can sometimes be very effective. Observe their grip; for example, various forehand grips are used on the tournament trail. They all have their advantages and disadvantages.

4 Exploiting Strike Zones

Identify weaknesses in your opponent’s sock level and shoulder level strike zones. Spot inconsistency, lack of power, or difficulty with different strike zones. Be willing and able to exploit situations that force them to rely on their weaker strike zones.

5 Countering Strengths

Develop strategies to counter their stroke strengths and minimize their impact. Learn techniques such as changing pace, varying spin, or using different trajectories to neutralize their strongest strokes.

You will gain a competitive edge in mental warfare by dissecting their stroke strengths and weaknesses. Enjoy the complexities of dissecting opponents. At the higher levels, you don’t miraculously rise to the occasion-you sink to the level of your training.

Opponent Profiling

Posted on April 13, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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Reading the Opponent

Max: “As soon as I stretch someone wide and spot them slicing, I know they’re vulnerable, so I move inside the court to steal a volley off their weak reply.”

The skill of opponent profiling is analyzing your adversary’s game to gain a strategic advantage. Let’s explore the profound benefits of reading the opponent and how it can enhance your decision-making skills and overall strategic performance in competition.

1.1 Understanding the Advantages

Understanding their skill sets enables you to exploit weaknesses and capitalize on opportunities. Knowing how to disrupt their game and not allowing them to play their favorite patterns easily is something to consider.

1.2 Connecting the Dots

Once athletes connect the dots between identifying their opponent’s patterns and plays and learning to counteract them with appropriate shot selections, the match slides in your favor easier. By reading the opponent, you anticipate their moves, hesitate less and cover the court quicker.

1.3 Analyzing Matches

Staying at the tournament site after losses to rehearse profiling the top seeds improves your software skills—plan on charting the other top players. A wide variety of charts are available to assist you in discovering why they’re still in the event and you’re spectating. See THE MATCH CHART COLLECTION by Frank Giampaolo on Amazon.

1.4 Exploiting Tendencies On Big Points

Identifying their preferred shots enables you to anticipate them in big points. Smart opponents do what they do best in game-point moments. By predicting their go-to patterns, you’ll have a much better chance of shutting them down and making the opponent beat you without their primary weapons.

1.5 Psychological Advantage

Psychological warfare impacts the emotions of both you and your opponent. Opponent profiling helps disrupt your adversary’s focus, inner belief, and confidence. It’s your job to destroy their hope in battle.

1.6 Adaptability and Flexibility

The ability to profile opponents allows you to adapt and counter to your opponent’s changing tactics and styles of play and adjust your game plan based on your observations of the situation.

This chapter has explored many benefits of reading the opponent in tennis. Opponent profiling enhances your ability to adapt, strategize, and exploit weaknesses effectively. As we progress through this book, we will delve deeper into the techniques and strategies that will enable you to become a master at profiling your opponents.

What Types of Scholarships Are Offered?

Posted on April 10, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

Updated Edition of How to Attract A College Athletic Scholarship – Click Here

Sooner or later, every tennis parent asks: Is my child good enough to obtain a college scholarship?

To answer that question, let’s take a more in-depth look at the world of college sports.

“First, college athletics are not recreational activities to dabble in while attending college. College athletics is a business, and the business is winning.”

 Frank Giampaolo

The recruiting process begins with recruiting proven winners. Secondly, the athletes should ask themselves what college ball level they are interested in playing. There are various levels, from intermediate to elite skill level status. As you know, not all universities offer athletic scholarships.

There are five divisions of college tennis. They include:

  • NCAA Division I
  • NCAA Division II
  • NCAA Division III
  • NAIA
  • Junior College (NJCAA)

Reality Check:

Scholarships are offered based on pre-college results. Elite college tennis coaches require years of competitive experience before athletes are accepted to contribute to their squad. Many part-time athletes and their parents think attending a weekly Academy or playing high school tennis merits a college scholarship. The reality is that top college recruits are former junior national and international standouts.

“In the tennis world, approximately 5% of high school tennis players receive an athletic scholarship.”

Survey Conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations, 2019

Training inefficiently or beginning the process too late often negates any real chance of receiving an athletic scholarship or playing at the most elite school of choice. Earning a position on a top college tennis squad begins much earlier than most realize. A dream becomes a reality only after you devise and follow a deliberate customized developmental plan.

“Top College Recruits are Former Junior National and International Standouts”

Frank Giampaolo

The NCAA is not the only system granting athletic scholarships, but it is by far the largest and most influential in the college sporting world. Much of the following information is based on NCAA regulations. Be advised that rules, regulations, and guidelines are updated periodically.

The NCAA dictates the number of athletic scholarships (financial aid) available in Division I and II school sports- with Division I schools receiving more scholarship funds than Division II schools. The NCAA does not allow sports scholarships to be given in Division III schools, which are typically smaller private colleges.

A. THE SCHOLARSHIP BREAKDOWN: HEAD-COUNT SCHOLARSHIPS VERSUS EQUIVALENCY SCHOLARSHIPS

The NCAA has limits on the total financial aid each Division I and II School may award in each sport that the school sponsors. The NCAA divides sponsored sports into “Head-Count” Sports and “Equivalency” Sports.

“Head-Count” Sports: The NCAA limits the number of individuals that can receive athletic scholarships, and each individual will receive a full scholarship- no dividing or sharing of scholarships. (Full Ride Scholarships)

“Equivalency” Sports: The NCAA limits the total financial aid that a school can offer in a given sport to the equivalent of a set number of full scholarships. Scholarship funds may be divided among individuals. A limitation on the number of athletes receiving scholarships or financial aid may or may not apply, depending on the sport. (Partial Scholarships)

It is crucial that you understand the type of scholarships offered by your future college team. Knowing whether your sport is a full-ride scholarship sport (head-count sport) or partial scholarship (equivalency sport) may help guide your search process.

D-1 Full Ride Sports Include:

  1. DI Men’s Football
  2. DI Woman’s and Men’s Basketball
  3. DI Women’s Gymnastics
  4. DI Women’s Volleyball
  5. DI Women’s Tennis

All other sports are classified as Equivalencies Sports, meaning the athletic director or coach can slice and dice the scholarships they see fit to fill the team’s annual roster.

B.MEN VERSUS WOMEN SCHOLARSHIPS

Regarding college sports scholarships, men’s football has the greatest number of scholarships. Primarily because of football’s large player roster and huge profit-generating potential for the school. Besides men’s basketball, lose money for the school. So, with football scholarships aside, women’s sports represent a large number of athletic scholarships. Below is an example of the breakdown of the NCAA DI and II Scholarships.

C.SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

Scholarships may be granted for one year or multiple years. Generally, a full scholarship covers tuition and fees, room and board, and required course-related books. Partial scholarships vary from tuition reduction, books, food, etc. Individual negotiation of the scholarship terms will dictate the scholarship package. In other words, scholarships are negotiable.

Scholarships Available Per Team:  DI and DII Men (M) and Women (W)

1) Football: DI- 85 M, 0 W; DII- 39 M, 0 W

2) Basketball: DI- 13 M, 15 W; DII- 10 M, 10 W

3) Gymnastics: DI- 6.3 M, 12 W; DII- 5.4 M, 6 W

4) Volleyball: DI- 4.5 M, 12 W; DII- 4.5 M, 8 W

5) Tennis: DI- 4.5 M, 8 W; DII- 4.5 M, 6 W

College athletic teams are very demanding. Most college athletes dedicate much of their time to their sport during their college attendance. An example can be seen in the following NCAA survey:

  • College football players spend approximately 43.3 hours a week on their sport.
  • College baseball players spend approximately 42.1 hours a week on their sport.
  • College basketball players spend approximately 39.1 hours a week on their sport.

“Athletes should view their scholarship funding not as a free ride but as a full-time job.”

Frank Giampaolo

College Scholarship: What Questions Should We Ask?

Posted on April 8, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

Updated Edition of How to Attract A College Athletic Scholarship – Click Here

First, look at the questions the athletes should ask themselves. What are my needs and wants regarding academics, campus life, and athletic services offered? What are the hidden costs to consider?

ACADEMICS AND CAMPUS LIFE

  • Does the size and location of the campus appeal to you?
  • Are the programs and majors offered of interest to you?
  • What is the graduation rate of student-athletes?
  • Inquire about the dorms, dorm size, the number of roommates, and the location of the athletic facility, gym, cafeteria, and library.
  • What’s the cost of student/athlete housing?
  • What is the cost of off-campus housing?
  • Do the students/athletes have to live on campus all four years?
  • Research the weather and Geography of the region. Is it appealing?
  • Do you desire to live in a small town or a big city?
  • What is the average class size?
  • Who teaches first-year classes? Professors or teaching aids?
  • Are guidance counselors or advisors assigned and accessible to you?
  • Are tutors assigned to you for a certain number of hours weekly for all four years? (This is common for top athletes).
  • What are the special programs available to student-athletes?
  • What are the social activities available on or around the campus?
  • Explore campus life. How’s the food in the cafeteria? How old is the equipment in the gym or the database in the library?
  • Is Food & Beverage covered?
  • How many cafeteria and fueling stations are available on campus?
  • Does the athletic department pay for summer school courses?
  • Does the athletic department pay for 9th/10th semester courses if necessary?
  • Are there internships and job placement opportunities the school provides upon graduation?
  • Are there alumni services and networking opportunities?

ATHLETIC SUPPORT AND SERVICES

  • Does the college provide full time, on-site physical therapy to injured athletes?
  • Does the college provide a medical staff on call for student-athletes?
  • What is the University’s procedure if you decide to leave school before graduation to turn professional; can you return at a later time to complete your degree at no charge?
  • Are you allowed to join a sorority or fraternity? Are you allowed to ski or partake in risky endeavors that may cause injury?
  • Is the athletic facility state of the art? How many in-door and out-door courts? How are the locker rooms?
  • Understand the style and philosophy of both the head coach and the assistant coach. How many private training sessions will you be receiving a week?
  • Ask about the equipment manager, racket stringing, off-court trainers, and sport-specific staff.
  • How long has the coach been at that school? Is he/she happy there?
  • Who sponsors the athletic programs? Nike? Adidas? Do you receive free clothes, shoes, equipment, bags?
  • Print out the schedule of home matches and away matches, tournaments, or special events, how much travel is scheduled? What’s the weekly on-court practice schedule? What’s the off-court training schedule? Does it fit your ability and needs?
  • Research the teammates. Are they Americans or foreigners? What language do they speak? What are their goals? Investigate their background and how they interact with each other. Do they respect the coaching staff?
  • Do they shower daily? Are they optimistic or pessimistic about the program?
  • Research the team’s strength in relation to the league. What would your position be on the squad? Keep in mind that coaches recruit with hopes to replace the better players. Next year, if a new Phenom joins the team, where will you fit? Is the coach planning on playing you in the starting lineup or as a practice partner?

It is more detailed than you thought. Figure on emailing about ten universities. Then, plan on running through these questions with a minimum of 5-6 schools. I then recommend visiting at least three schools before deciding. Consider arranging an overnight stay with one of the current athletes in their dorm room or apartment. Ask these questions again (to the current player) and see if the answers are still the same.

Remember that finding the right fit academically and athletically takes time and lots of it! From the start of your athlete’s freshman year of high school, parents should plan on devoting a few hours each week to their child’s college search.

NOTE: Official rules and regulations of the NCAA and individual schools must be acknowledged and complied with throughout the college search process.

ADDITIONAL HIDDEN COST:

  1. Inquire about the details of the scholarship/grants. What exactly do they include and not include?
  • Tuition
  • Books
  • Tutoring
  • Laptops and supplies
  • Food & beverage
  • Dorms costs
  • Off-campus housing
  • Personal Expenses
  • Personal travel to and from home?
  • Will the athlete need a car at school?
  • Will the athlete need a bike?
  • Entertainment allowance/additional F&B/social clubs?
  • Wardrobe (New environmental necessities?)
  • Additional customized private tennis training?

Additional costs multiply quickly, so consider these when choosing the right University.

In the next section, we will be diving into the details of college divisions, types of scholarships offered, and associations you will want to get acquainted with during your search. Grab a cup of coffee because we will be covering everything you didn’t even know … you needed to know about your college search process.

TOP GRAND SLAM COACHES CONFERENCE SPEAKER- FRANK GIAMPAOLO

Posted on April 5, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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Just a shout-out of CONGRATULATIONS to Frank for being one of Tennis Australia’s January 2025 Virtual Grand Slam Coaches Conference TOP Contributors!

It was honor and a privilege for Frank to be a participant in this year’s event. Frank’s session ranked among the most viewed- demonstrating a high level of interest in his expertise. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

He welcomed the opportunity to share his passion!

What Do Top Tennis Coaches Seek?

Posted on April 2, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

Updated Edition of How to Attract A College Athletic Scholarship – Click Here

The following post is an excerpt from the newly updated How to Attract a College Athletic Scholarship.

What Do Top Coaches Seek?

Let’s start this section with the opinion of an award-winning multi-NCAA D-1 National Champion men’s college coach. The following are a dozen of his tips for those in the college search process.

Suggestions Include:

  1. Research and recruit the colleges that fit your child’s needs and wants.
  2. Don’t wait for coaches to recruit your child. It is the job of the athlete and their parents to contact the coaches.
  3. Don’t confuse a smooth recruiter with a good coach. Next year, they’ll heavily recruit someone else instead of coaching your child.
  4. Please start the process of researching colleges by their freshman year. Begin by itemizing a list of their top 10 collegiate choices.
  5. Coaches don’t want to hear about ten and under rankings. Develop a full game.
  6. Although the high school competition level may be a consideration, most college coaches do not view high school results as important.
  7. Coaches are very interested in the athlete’s entourage. The parents’ moral code and the primary coach’s tennis IQ speak volumes to a recruiter.
  8. When organizing the email letter, include a video link of your child performing in a competitive situation. Coaches want to see the athlete in action before they read pages of information.
  9. Begin pursuing your college prospects by sending emails and making unofficial school visits around the start of your sophomore year.
  10. Assure your emails are short and to the point. In a resume, include your GPA, SAT, and other test scores and criteria requested by the school, along with athletic achievements, such as Sectional, National, and International UTR and ITF rankings.
  11. Be prepared to resend the email 2-3 times before you get a response.
  12. Remember, coaches have rules to follow; recruits don’t! You can approach us, but we can’t approach you.

Frank’s guide will assist in prioritizing your top picks. Once your top 10 list is set, familiarize yourself with your preferred universities’ GPA & exam requirements. The academic and athletic scholarship requirements will be specific for each university. Knowing the particular criteria of your chosen schools will help you organize your academic schedule leading into your child’s junior and senior year of high school.

“Athletes are often held to an academic standard different than non-athletic students.”

Frank Giampaolo

Here are a few fun facts for the detailed parent: An estimated 400,000 student-athletes are among the 15,000,000 students attending college. There are approximately 12,000 college athletic programs and 35,000 college coaches. Over 150,000 of those student-athletes earn $2.4 billion in athletic scholarships annually. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) D-1 universities have an additional “Student Assistant Fund” of approximately $75 million to help athletes with other incidental expenses.

Before you become overwhelmed by the numbers, I recommend choosing your top ten schools. Part Four will guide you through the beginning phases of your college search process.

Unveiling Common Stressors

Posted on March 7, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

Wiring Your Inner Dialog

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Volume 2 Coming Soon! Wiring Your Inner Dialog

Unveiling Common Stressors

In competition, where pressure abound, stressors are a natural part of the landscape. Stressors are the triggers that evoke emotional and psychological responses within us, often affecting our inner dialog and subsequently influencing our performance on the court. Recognizing and understanding these stressors is a pivotal step in rewiring your inner dialog for success.

Identifying Stressors in Tennis

Stressors can emerge from various sources ranging from the pressure to perform in high-stakes matches to the expectations you place on yourself. Identifying these stressors is crucial, as it allows you to proactively address them and change their impact on your mindset. Let’s dive into these common blunders:

1. Perfectionism: One Mistake And I’ve Failed: This a common personality trait associated with striving to be flawless and often involves being critical of imperfections. Playing bold requires athletes to allow some mistakes. There’s a big difference between a good error (going for the correct shot and not executing) versus attempting the wrong shot for that same situation. 

2. Catastrophizing: Blowing Things Out of Proportion: Catastrophizing involves magnifying the potential consequences of a situation to an extreme degree. It’s the voice that whispers that a missed shot or a lost set will lead to disastrous outcomes. By identifying catastrophizing patterns, you can bring a more realistic perspective to your thought process and prevent unnecessary anxiety.

3. Magnifying: Amplifying Negativity: The magnifying stressor involves blowing up minor issues into major problems, magnifying the negative aspects of a situation while downplaying the positive. This skewed perception can hinder your ability to focus on the task at hand and derail your performance.

4. Polarizing: Black-and-White Thinking: Polarizing stressors manifest  when situations are seen as either all good or all bad, with no middle ground. This type of thinking can be particularly detrimental in tennis, as it leads to an inability to adapt to changes and see the positives even when you lose the point.

Harnessing Stressors: Understand that you can’t avoid stress in competition. It’s a natural byproduct of being judged. It’s your job to accept the situation with maturity and manage the moment. As soon as you feel outcome pressure, return to your between point relaxation response. The physiological change helps lower your heart rate, calms your breathing and allows you to stop and reset.

By dismantling these stressors, you’ll break their hold on your inner dialog. This sets the stage for a powerful transformation – one that paves the way for rewiring your mental landscape. 

The Power of Rewiring Your Inner Dialogue

Posted on March 1, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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The Power of Rewiring Your Inner Dialogue

It’s time to buy into a comprehensive approach that encompasses the mental, emotional, and psychological dimensions of the game. At the core of this approach lies the power of rewiring your inner dialogue – a process that can ignite a cascade of positive changes, both on and off the court.

1 Challenge Negative Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviors

Thoughts, feelings and behaviors are all intertwine. These all impact each other. Every top athlete has unproductive moments. Their secret of success lies in their quick resetting routine. Top players don’t let their emotion get in the way of their performance.

2 Record Yourself to Better Understand Your Self-Talk

Typically, evidence is skewed when you know you’re being recorded. But even so, record yourself in practice matches with your cell phone by the back fence. Record conversations with your team of coaches and parents. By listening to your approach, it brings awareness to your dialogue. 

3 Refrain from Comparisons

Our insecurities arise when we view our peers rising above us in the UTR ratings and tournament victories. The reality is that comparing yourself to others doesn’t increase your status just your anxiety. It’s wise to only compare yourself to the athlete you were last week. Week in-week out, be better that person…and you’ll be just fine.

4 Habit Shifting and Habit Stacking

Habit shifting is the ability to identify problematic habits and make the appropriate changes. Once you stop negativity, and begin to adopt better choices, habit stacking works well because it builds new habits onto your new, current habits. An example: After a productive lesson, stay at the site for an additional 30 minutes and hit a basket of serves.

Everyone has an internal dialogue that runs all the time. The top-level athletes are more experienced at manipulating it. Most of us tend to focus on the past (‘What should have been’) and the future (‘What if?‘). By shifting your thoughts to present time awareness, you’ll be back in controlling what you can control.

The Impact of Inner Dialogue

Posted on February 22, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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The Impact of Inner Dialogue

There exists a dimension of the game that extends beyond physical ability. The thoughts that swirl within your minds holds the power to shape your performance, influence your responses to challenges, and ultimately define you as high-performance tennis players.

1. Understanding the Inner Dialogue

Inner dialogue is the ongoing conversation we have with ourselves. It’s a continuous stream of thoughts, beliefs and speculations. Self-talk permeates every aspect of your life. 

2. The Performance Lens 

In the context of tennis, it’s the voice that speaks as we face a challenging opponent, or recover from a missed shot. These thoughts aren’t mere background noise; they are the lens through which we perceive our experiences, make decisions, and respond to the pressures of competition.

3. How Inner Dialog Affects Tennis Performance

Imagine stepping onto the court with two different inner dialogues. In one scenario, your inner dialog is filled with doubt, self-criticism, and anxiety. 

You might dwell on past mistakes, worry about the outcome, and question your abilities. In the other scenario, your inner dialogue is confident, positive, and focused. You embrace challenges, believe in your skills, and stay present in the moment.

4. It’s Time to Choose 

Which scenario do you think will yield better results? It’s evident that the quality of your inner dialogue significantly impacts your performance. Negative self-talk can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies, hindering your abilities and eroding your confidence. Positive and constructive self-talk, on the other hand, fuels determination, sharpens focus, and enhances resilience.

5 Shaping Your Mindset 

The journey to becoming a high-performance tennis player doesn’t solely involve refining physical techniques. It demands a deliberate effort to shape your inner dialogue. This process fosters a mental landscape that empowers you to navigate the complexities of competition with confidence and poise.

Rewiring your inner dialogue can positively impact your tennis career, your relationships and every aspect of your life. Prepare to embark on a transformative journey that goes beyond the boundaries of the court and into the realm of your mind – a journey that will equip you with the tools to rewrite the script of your tennis success.

Tennis: Unleashing the Warrior 

Posted on February 7, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

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THE ART OF EXCEEDING: VOLUME 2 RELEASING

Unleashing the Warrior 

“Athletes who conquers their inner demons are the mightiest warriors.”

The warrior within is like fire. Controlled fire can heat your home and cook your meals. However, uncontrolled fire can burn the house down. Trust the warrior within and  turn that fight into a force that serves you rather than destroying you.

1 Recognizing the Warrior 

The warrior within represents the innate desire to compete, the hunger for victory, and the fighting spirit within you. It’s the fuel that drives you to push through uncomfortable moments. However, if left unchecked, the warrior can become uncontrolled leading to impulsive decision making and erratic performance.

2 Embracing Controlled Aggression

Aggression is a double-edged sword in tennis. On one hand, controlled aggression can be a potent weapon, allowing you to take charge of the match, dictate play, and dominate opponents. On the other hand, uncontrolled aggression can lead to unforced errors, loss of focus, and emotional volatility. Learning to embrace and channel controlled aggression requires a delicate balance of intensity and composure.

3 Breath and Focus

Proper breathing is a powerful tool for centering and calming the warrior. Deep, intentional breathing helps maintain a state of focus and presence, allowing you to perform freely. By practicing mindful breathing techniques, you’ll find a sense of calm amid the storm of competition and make more clear headed decisions.

4 Playing to Strengths 

Understanding your strengths and applying them is a crucial aspect of channeling the warrior within. Identifying and capitalizing on your natural abilities, allows you to leverage those strengths and gain a competitive edge.

5 Embracing Challenges

Instead of shying away from difficult opponents or tough situations, the warrior embraces them as fun challenges and opportunities for improvement. Facing adversity head-on strengthens the warrior and cultivates mental resilience.

6 Finding Flow 

Flow is a state of optimal performance where you’re fully immersed in the match. Your actions effortlessly flowing and your minds completely absorbed in the present moment. Finding the flow state and not sabotaging it requires dancing with the angels not the devils. 

The devil wants to steal your peace of mind. A brave athlete looks the devil in the eye and tells him “NOT TODAY”. By knowing that no one you know works harder than you, you can stand your ground when the Devil’s at your door and not let them in.