The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s updated release: How to Attract a College Athletic Scholarship.
College standout Steve Johnson provides his view on college tennis. Special e-Book price is $1.99
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Tennis Anxiety Issues- Part 5
The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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“Sectionals ARE next week. My coach wants me to change my forehand?”
“Before competition gain confidence in your existing skills.”
Proper preparation begins weeks leading into the event. During this prep phase, avoid significant mechanical changes or adding brand new concepts. Why? It takes approximately 4-6 weeks for a new motor program to override an old one. If a stroke is dismantled at the wrong time (right before competition) the athlete’s old motor program is shattered, and their new one isn’t developed yet.
Remember when getting grooved used to be called muscle memory? Be careful using the term “Muscle Memory” because nowadays even the 10 & under crowd know that memory isn’t stored in their muscles.
The bottom line is that the days leading into an event are not the correct time to introduce a new skill. Starting a new routine may cause the athlete to become confused, sore, or injured, and the required recovery time is not available. Many coaches and parents are unknowingly guilty of poor periodization.
Five customized phases of development are recovery, analysis, general training, competitive training, and competition.
Tennis Anxiety Value- Part 4
The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click Here To Order through Amazon
“Everyone says, ‘JUST PLAY YOUR GAME,’ but I don’t know what my game is?”
“Top contenders have defined their global style & most proficient patterns of play.”
Upon arrival at a coaching gig in Spain, I noticed the coaches on all the red clay courts running the same drill. Player A hits a high & heavy ball deep to player B’s backhand. Player B retreats, contacting the ball above his/her shoulders, and produces a short reply. Player A moves into no-man’s land and screeches “AHH …HEEE” and drives a winner into the open court. I asked the famous director, “What’s the drill they’re all working on?” He laughed and said, we call it, “How to beat the Americans.”
Athletes should start each match with their global style of play. Whether they’re in Miami or Moscow, in the first round or finals, on hard or clay courts, starting matches by doing what they do best is an intelligent formula. Their global system is their most proficient style of play (not necessarily their favorite style). Styles include hard-hitting baseliners, counterpunchers, retrievers, and net rushers.
The athlete’s global system also includes their repeatable strategic plan – which is their most proficient patterns of play. These patterns need to be designed and developed. They include: serving and return patterns, rally patterns (like the above Spanish group), short ball options, and net rushing plays.
In competition, each athlete has to know what they do best and must routinely apply their global plan and hitting the same old, boring winners over and over.
Every player should know and have had rehearsed their strongest, repeatable patterns of play.
Then, choose to play those patterns in matches.
Tennis Anxiety Issues- Part 3
The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click Here To Order through Amazon
“I hit for 10 minutes … I’m ready!”
“Prepare both hardware & software components for battle!”
Preparing for pressure demands more than merely warming up one’s fundamental strokes. The week leading up to the event is a terrific time for the athlete to organize their clothes, equipment, and nutrition and hydration requirements. For example, early preparation allows leeway if the athlete unknowingly is out of his favorite strings or their lucky shorts are in the wash.
Come game day, I recommend athletes prepare their mental and emotional components by reviewing their pre-recorded audio tapes the morning of the match. Complete a dynamic stretch and warm-up their primary and secondary strokes with multitasking movement. (Hitting on the move instead of just standing still.) Prior to checking in, hydrate and go for a short run to reduce anxiety and warm-up the body.
Preparing for pressure requires the confidence that comes from complete preparation.
Tennis Anxiety Issues- Part 2
The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click Here To Order through Amazon
“I don’t want to play, what if I lose?”
“Devalue the event to deflate the anxiety.”
A common outcome-oriented mindset is that each tournament is a life or death crisis. This negative frame of mind is counterproductive and incredibly stressful. It would be wise to educate the athlete and their entourage that tournament play is only an information-gathering mission. Each match should be analyzed to determine why they won points or lost points as a result of their competitive decisions. The objective is simple, quantify the data and learn from it.
Competition should be seen as a fun challenge, not intensely difficult or dangerous.
Destress the situation by decompressing the athlete.
Tennis Anxiety Issues- Part 1
The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click Here To Order through Amazon
PERFORMANCE ANXIETIES
Most athletes experience performance anxiety. It’s only natural when being judged. Performance Anxieties Insights were written as a guide to problem-solving real-life fears through exposure versus avoidance. Exposing an athlete in practice to match-day stressors helps to desensitize the athlete to their anxieties.
Each player’s genetic predisposition and upbringing play critical roles in the amount of stress they choose to suffer.
Often at tournaments, I witness role models (parents and coaches) who are far too focused on the outcome. When this occurs, the athlete is sure to follow with timid play, which is a sign of an outcome-oriented athlete on the verge of self-destruction.
On a deeper level, we as parents and coaches want our athletes to experience consistent, daily satisfaction. This type of long term happiness doesn’t come from winning tennis trophies. Instead, it stems from constant, daily growth. Confidence skyrockets only when the athlete’s effort and parental praise is placed on improvement versus winning. By focusing on the effort versus the outcome, performance anxieties are diminished. Let’s look at a few common performance anxieties.
Tennis Training Should Be Enjoyed
The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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Encourage Smiling, Laughing, and Having Fun
“Adding ranking pressure is sure to add the exact performance anxieties, great coaches
work hard to avoid.”
Parents, if you make the junior ranking race too important, you’ll quickly see your athlete’s performance diminish. When rankings are seen as more important than fun, athletes suffer. Preparing for pressure involves creating a culture of gratitude and enjoyment. Athletes who perform at their peak level in competition are first and foremost having fun. Enjoyment is the secret ingredient that assists the athlete when they need it the most.
De-stressing the athlete comes from promoting growth and weekly progress over the outcomes of events. After events, routinely discuss 3 successful aspects of your athlete’s performance and 3 improvement goals. Win or lose, celebrate the performance goals hit, and then get to work on the development of the athlete. According to brain function analysis in sports, performing calm when it matters the most is a creative, right-brain dominant affair. Athletes pulled into their editing left-brain typically suffer due to overthinking under pressure.
Parents, coaches, or athletes who make a match too important witness the athlete’s ability disappear. When the outcome overshadows the enjoyment,
catastrophe strikes.
Strive for Tennis Improvement
The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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True Happiness Stems From Progress
“Seek daily progress versus daily perfection.”
As crazy as it sounds, true happiness doesn’t always come from winning. It comes from performing at one’s peak potential under pressure.
Did you ever win a match against a player whose ability was levels below yours? It wasn’t truly satisfying, was it? Did you ever compete against a player whose ability was several levels above yours and you played amazingly, only to lose in a tightly contested battle? Remember walking away proud of your performance?
Choosing to feel passionate about performance as opposed to the outcome opens the doors to progress. Only with constant progress is consistent victory insight.
Let’s do a comparative analysis: 32 girls play a weekend soccer match and 16 players go home losers, and 16 go home winners. The same weekend 32 girls play a junior tennis tournament and one player wins, and 31 go home losers.
Tennis families that are only happy if they win the whole event are not likely enjoying the journey.
Teaching Tennis Life Skills
The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click Here To Order through Amazon
Teach the Value of Keeping Promises with Yourself
“False promises are a form of self-sabotage.”
Confidence is built when athletes know they can rely on themselves. The top contenders that I’ve had the privilege of working with routinely matched their intentions and their actions on a daily basis. Procrastination and excuses are left to the weaker players. The fragile athletes avoid keeping promises.
Improvement typically stems from changing behavior. And changing behavior requires a commitment to training. Athletes choosing not to keep their commitments with themselves are destined to suffer when the pressure begins.
Athletes who have problems with matching their words with their actions would be wise to commit to a simple 30-day challenge. The task is to complete a 5-minute nightly journal. Listing five of their tennis related daily accomplishments that will significantly assist them in staying on track.
Often junior players say, I want to be a top player. But their actions say I want to be a normal kid. It is important to remind athletes that they cannot be a Champion and a normal kid. They have to pick one because the pathway to becoming a Champion is far different than the path for normal kids.
Keeping promises makes the athlete … Breaking promises breaks the athlete.
