Tag Archives: tennis

Managing Fear and Risk Part 1

Posted on August 5, 2018 by in The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis. Click Here to Order

Soft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

 

I’ve been a high-performance tennis coach for over 30 years. I thrived comfortably in relative obscurity, enjoying the Southern California sun working with nationally ranked junior tennis players and coaching coaches. For 20 of those years, I secretly dreamt of writing my own tennis instructional books to positively impact the coaching industry while traveling the world.

Procrastination dominated those 20 years. I wasn’t willing to take the chance. I lacked the courage to risk leaving my base and losing my successful coaching business if I were to begin traveling. It seemed too dangerous. What if I failed?  What if the books bombed?  What if I wasn’t as smart as I thought?

My internal dialog was telling me that even though I had something special to share, I shouldn’t risk a good thing. I didn’t have professional speaking experience. Why did I think I could write books?

I intuitively knew that I had to risk leaving relative comfort behind and put my old career in jeopardy in order to attract a larger audience and share my experiences and tennis developmental theories. I researched the fear and risk management process and began writing The Tennis Parents Bible. My goal was simply to complete it and if it helped a single parent or coach along their journey that would be a bonus.

 

Back then, no one could have told me I would go on to write four, #1 bestsellers, coach the ITF coaches and speak at the largest conferences and grand slams around the world.

Athletes respond to risk and fear differently. In my experience, while most athletes are initially overly cautious, some are overly adventurous. Success and failure in competition greatly depend on how the athlete responds to fear and risk. Results, both positive and negative, stem from repeated behavior. An athlete’s behavior is created by their attitude. Therefore, understanding and managing our athlete’s attitude toward fear and risk is worth exploring.

A great place to start when managing an athlete’s attitude is establishing a baseline of their thoughts and behaviors concerning the following common stumbling blocks. Begin by answering the following question:

  • Do they have an adversity towards fear and risk? Is it extreme or mild?
  • Are they tolerant towards fear and risk?
  • Do they seek out fearful or risky endeavors? Is it extreme or mild?

Athletes possess different degrees of fear and risk depending on the conditions. For example, in competition, one athlete may exhibit extreme tolerance and grit while playing tennis behind the baseline and extreme adversity and fear when attacking the net. Other athletes may excel on the practice court displaying almost flawless stroke production only to shut down, choke or panic in competition. At the other end of the spectrum, some athletes possess no fear and live for the thrill of competition.

 

“Some extreme athletes hold only mild fear as they seek canoeing over Niagara Falls or bungee jumping over the Bhote Kosi River.”

 

Most coaches hope that their athlete’s strokes and athleticism have authority and command over their performance, but I believe it’s their emotional aptitude that actually runs the show.

When working with players who have issues with fear and risk, begin by asking yourself the following six questions to identify the athlete’s level of emotional awareness.

  • What is their cognitive design? Do they understand their brain preferences?
  • How do they view the feared situation?
  • Do they appreciate the opportunity to be able to compete?
  • Are there past bias or experiences they need to let go?
  • Will they accept a strategic, proactive plan to attack their issues?
  • Are they willing to train correctly for the mission at hand?

 

Developing Confidence and Self Esteem

Posted on August 3, 2018 by in The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis. Click Here to Order

Soft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

Developing Confidence and Self Esteem
Bill is a 6 foot lanky 14-year-old who is top 15 in Southern California. Tennis has come very easy to Bill. He is naturally athletic and much taller than his peers. Bill and his folks are convinced he’s on track to becoming an ATP Professional. He attends a local Tennis Academy, where he hits for 4 hours a day on the practice court, playing “catch” back and forth. He is also one of the best juniors at the academy.
Bill’s fundamental strokes are dynamite. He walks on-court cocky, smiling, and confident. During tournaments, however, when matches flip 180 degrees to a game of “keep away” Bill misses a few shots, begins to panic and turns into a completely different person. His verbal outbursts are self-belittling, and his body language and facial expressions are borderline crazy as tear roll down his cheeks.

After reviewing with Bill one of his so-called catastrophic losses, I asked him, “What are your thoughts about your performance?” Bill stated, “I played awful! I am so confused because I beat everyone in practice games, but in real tournament matches, if I miss an easy shot, I freak out and lose all belief. Man, I have no confidence in tough matches. Sometimes I get so upset that I can’t even find my strings and I turn into shank-zilla.  What is wrong with me?”

If strokes and athleticism are the muscles and bones of the athlete, confidence and self-esteem are the heart and soul. Let’s go back in time and review the origins of the words: confidence and esteem. In Latin, the word confidence means to trust. Self-confidence refers to the athlete’s inner-emotional ability. It’s their opinion of their aptitude to engage and compete successfully. A self-confident person is eager to take on challenges and seeks new opportunities.

In Latin, the word esteem means to appraise. Self-esteem refers to the athlete’s inner emotional view of their self-worth. Athletes with high self-esteem feel secure, confident, and worthwhile.

Nurtured self-confidence and self-esteem typically precede any real athletic accomplishments. Without these soft science skills, athletes often hold themselves back by inaction due to fear and uncertainties. The majorities of athletes do not include emotional training in their tennis development and are not nurtured how to believe in themselves. As a result, emotionally weak competitors often view competition as a high-risk activity instead of an opportunity. Some players have tremendous athletic skills but just don’t trust their abilities.

Performing at one’s peak potential in practice is easy because the athletes are not keeping real score so they are aren’t being judged. In tournament competition, judgment is inherent. Once the umpire calls out “LETS PLAY,” mental and emotional fear-based interferences come into view.

Do you ever wonder why some athletes stand up and fight at crunch time, routinely seizing the moment, while others wilt due to self-doubt and lack of courage? The difference lies in their inner belief, confidence, self-trust, and self-esteem.
The following is a list of open-ended questions that will assist in assessing the underlying confidence and self-esteem within your athlete.

  • Can peak performance coexist with having fun?
  • If you’re focusing exclusively on your shortcomings, how does it help? Could it hurt?
  • If you focused on solutions, how could that help?
  • What is confidence?
  • What does self-esteem have to do with your inner dialog?
  • Why does practice in the manner you’re expected to perform make sense?
  • What is needed to compete more confidently and comfortably?
  • Are you willing to be uncomfortable in practice in order to be comfortable in matches?
  • In competition, what is uncomfortable to you?
  • Are you ready to push past your walls and test your limits?
  • Where does mediocre training lead?
  • What poor, unproductive choices can you turn down?
  • Gamesmanship requires confrontation. How are you prepared to conquer your inner demons and then fight for your rights?
  • How do you accept feeling fearful but focus and stay on script anyway?
  • Why does healthy self-confidence lead to successful experiences?
  • How do successful experiences lead to increased confidence?

Memories are Malleable
Over time, the mental images of an event shape one’s view of the situation and memories are created. We choose which “past movie” runs in our minds. With events like weddings, we forget the bad (Aunt Martha got up and sang “Feelings” with the band) and recall the good (Dad cried through the entire ceremony.)
In regards to athletic competition, we tend to do the polar opposite. We forget the good and magnify the bad. Frequently, over-zealous parents go to great lengths to document detailed laundry lists of their athlete’s match performance shortcomings and then proceed to review their findings with their athlete right after the match, which of course, disheartens the athlete. With persistent criticism, the athlete begins to build a subconscious, un-penetrable wall of memory recounting their failures. Confidence or lack thereof is malleable like our memory.
Reinforcing the behaviors you seek versus pointing out failures is in the athlete’s best interest. If your athletes can benefit from increased confidence, check out the following five solutions.

Second Annual Frank Giampaolo Tennis Tournament

Posted on August 2, 2018 by in Frank Giampaolo Tennis Tournament

In honor of Frank Giampaolo- Mount Vernon, Ohio held the Second Annual Frank Giampaolo Tennis Tournament!IMG_080_R_WHITE

KVCTA Hosts Tennis Tournament
MOUNT VERNON — The second annual Frank Giampaolo USTA Single Day Showdown was played at the Ramser Tennis Courts at Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Saturday.
Hosted by the Kokosing Valley Community Tennis Association, the tournament featured players ages 14-18 from all around Ohio. Players all competed in three matches, in eight-game, pro sets with a tie-break playoff if necessary.
Mount Vernon’s Kristyn Conrad won two of her matches in the girls’ 18 singles division. She defeated fellow Yellow Jacket Sarah Lord, 8-6, before falling to Faith Triplett of Pataskala, 8- 7 (7). Conrad finished by defeating Sydney Winslow of London, 8-3. Hannah Baldwin dropped her first match in the division to Triplett, 8-4, then handed Winslow the same score in an 8-4 victory. Baldwin then beat fellow Mount Vernon player, Michelle Sant, 8-0. Sarah Lord had one win, an 8-0 victory over Sant in her second match after falling to Winslow, 8-5. Sant lost 8-6 to Conrad, and 8-2 to Triplett.
In the girls 16 singles, Kayle Burke lost her first match to Lakshmy Arakoni of Broadview Heights, 8-1, but earned wins in her next two matches. She defeated Alissa Wilms of Marysville, 8-2, and Mount Vernon’s Jessie Gourley, 8-0. Gourley fell in all three matches, including 8-1 to Wilms and 8-0 to Arakoni.
Wil Kauffman of Butler played in the boys 18 singles division and took down all three competitors. He beat Georgetown’s Koby Hyde, 8-4, before winning by the same score over Riley Woods of Plain City. Kauffman then defeated Hayes Houseworth of Hilliard, 8-2.
The tournament is named for Frank Giampaolo, a former Mount Vernon resident and a graduate of Mount Vernon High School, who is a world-renowned coach and author. He has presented workshops at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

The Importance of Nurturing- Part 2

Posted on July 30, 2018 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis. Click Here to OrderSoft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

 

Developmental Psychology

“It is not nature versus nurture; it is nature and nurture.”

Today there’s a movement called Developmental Psychology. These experts research the intertwining relationship between genetic and environmental influences. In regards to the athletes’ environmental influences, the two most important influences I’ve witnessed are their parents and coaches. Teachers and older siblings come in a close second. We influence why athletes think the way they think, why they say what they say and why they do what they do. We are the environmental influences that mold their talents and temperaments.

Developmental Psychology researchers use the word plasticity as they discover deeper implications to how humans respond to nurturing. Following are two negative pre-match preparation pep talks given to an athlete’s by his parents. Although both messages lack positive support, it is the way in which the athlete chooses to respond that is interesting.

 

Toxic Pre Match Parental Pep Talk

“Joseph, if you blow it again this weekend, your mother and I are considering pulling the plug on your tennis. I’ll be taking notes and listing all your shortcomings on my iPad. Don’t blow it! Love, Dad.”

Uninvolved Parent Pre Match Dialog

“Joey, honey… Mommy’s driving into the city to Nordstrom’s half-yearly sale. I have to drop you off at 7:00 a.m. I put lunch money in your bag. Enjoy your little game. I’ll pick you up between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Mommy.”

 

Although the first pep talk is clearly negative and soul-wrenching to read let alone experience, the second pep talk is just as negative. A parent that takes no interest in their child’s passion is showing a lack of support and encouragement. Remember, it’s how the athlete chooses to respond that’s critical. Some athletes work hard to prove their parents right. Some fight all their lives to prove their parents wrong. Which of the following responses would you choose?

Response A-The Athletes folds as they feel the lack of parental confidence, love, and support and shortly quit the game. Proving the parents right.

Response B– The athlete applies plasticity as they use their parent’s horrendous pre-match pep talks to motivate better performance. Proving the parents wrong.

 

Self-Nurturing

I believe that high-performance athletes determined to be the best they can be, have to take nurturing to another level. I call it self-nurturing, and I believe it to be the most important life skill. Self-nurturing is choosing to apply persistence and resiliency in the face of poor outside influences. I’ve witnessed athletes with incredible coaching and parenting who choose to fail, as well as, athletes with absolutely pitiful coaching and parenting who choose to succeed.

If success is in the athlete’s blood, I suggest motivating them to think of the negative people and their words as fuel. Proving someone wrong who doesn’t believe in them is powerful motivation. It’s self-nurturing at its finest. These individuals make the athlete work smarter, harder and longer …all for the reward of proving them wrong. Revenge is funny that way.

Improving self-nurturing skills requires us to put aside our ego and listen to others. I’m not suggesting that you agree with 100% of what they’re saying, but rather consider the context of their words and take a look in the mirror and decide if there’s any truth to their comments. Every one of us has aspects of our life that we can improve.

Coaches, parents, and athletes with a little self-reflection, we can all challenge ourselves in the realm of self-nurturing. To me, self-nurturing is a daily self-educating process. Every industry leader I admire is obsessed with self-improvement. They research relentlessly, attend conferences, read, write books, and take online courses to continue to learn and improve. They expose their deficiencies and make them efficiencies.

 

“The great self-nurturers of our time are growth mindset individuals who see futuristically, something greater that is currently present.”

The Importance of Nurturing- Part 1

Posted on July 26, 2018 by in The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis. Click Here to OrderSoft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

 

A family from Georgia called to book a 3-day customized evaluation session with me in California. Steven, the dad, was a former nationally ranked junior and top college player. Eddy, his 14-year-old son, is a junior competitor. As we began our tennis evaluation, within minutes, I noticed some glaring red flags. Halfway through the morning session, I could tell that Steven wanted Eddy to be a tennis star much more than Eddy.

A lack of athleticism wasn’t the cause of Eddy’s failings in tournament competition. I realized rather quickly what was keeping Eddy from attaining the results he was capable of achieving. Although Eddy was a talented ball striker, he needed a customized development plan to develop the skills essential to becoming an elite athlete.

In our afternoon session, after we bonded a bit, I asked Eddy, “Bro, What are your tennis goals? Where do you see yourself in four years?” Eddy responded, “I don’t know. I mean, I’ll give it a try…if it works out then great. Fed’s life doesn’t look too shabby. I guess I could be a pro like Roger.”

Eddy’s common lackadaisical approach showed interest in the game but lacked commitment, and there’s a big difference between interest and commitment. Athletes merely interested in the sport, train when they feel like it. They train when it conveniently fits into their social calendar. I asked Eddy what was holding him back.  Eddy said, “I don’t know…I just don’t always feel like training.” I added that’s fair because you’ve got to commit to it, to believe in it.” The seed was planted. I simply needed to let it blossom within.

At lunch, I asked Steven if he thought Eddy was committed to excellence. He hesitated and then said, “No but that’s why I brought him cross-country to you. I hear that you’re great at motivating excellence and nurturing that commitment.”

While evaluating Eddy’s hardware (strokes and athleticism) with on-court drills, I began the positive brainwashing process of nurturing his commitment. I reminded Eddy that he had mentioned that his buddy’s at home were all top 20 in his section. “Yeah, and I’m tired of losing early every tournament and being their stupid cheerleader,” I asked him if he thought he was doing all he could to be the best tennis player possible. He responded, “No, probably not…”

All too often naive athletes want the rewards to materialize before the hard work takes place. I mentioned to Eddy several times throughout our three-day evaluation that being committed to excellence means that if he wanted to join his buddies in the top 20, he would have to prioritize his tennis above his social life. Athletes have to train like a world class athlete for years before they ever reach world-class status. I then threw out a couple of goofy life analogies: “You’ve got to chop the wood and build a fire before you feel the heat, right? You’ve got to prepare the soil, plant the seed and work the fields before you can harvest the crop”, right?” Before I could throw out another annoying analogy, Eddy interrupted.

“Yeah, yeah I get it. There are two approaches: Commitment to excellence or acceptance of mediocrity.” “Right! And either way, you’ve got to live with your decision.” I replied.  At that moment, I sensed that the light bulb went off in his head. I’ve got an idea, “Let’s work through it together and commit for 3-months. After 3-months, if it isn’t working for you, then you’re free to chill and play the sport as a hobby. Give the 100% commitment a shot. I bet that if you put in the effort and stick to your customized developmental plan week in and week out, you’ll transform into a top 20 player by year’s end!”

Six weeks later I got a text from Eddy with a photo of him holding up his first USTA trophy. All it said was, “I just had to climb the mountain…then I was able to see the view. Thanks, Coach!”

 

Why Character Building Matters

Posted on July 19, 2018 by in The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis. Click Here Soft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

 

Why Character Building Matters

 Jenny’s a full-time student at the First Strike Tennis Academy in Southern California and has been for nine years. In her own words: “I’m stuck, I’m SCTA ranked in the upper 80’s and going nowhere fast.” Jenny’s father is also frustrated with her tennis because he knows Jenny is a gifted athlete and he feels her academy is letting her down, despite the incredible amount of money he shells out to them each month. Jenny and her father both believe she is capable of achieving better results. 

The coaching staff at First Strike had convinced Jenny that she was doing everything she was supposed to do and to be patient and she would see results soon. Jenny confided in me that her motivation was gone and she was ready to hang up her rackets. She then broke down in tears as she revealed that although she’s good in practice, in competition her competitive grit, patience, and effort have abandoned her. She looked down and sobbed, “I’m just so tired of being average.” Jenny’s father interrupted and confessed, booking this session with you was our last resort.”

It didn’t take long to uncover the White Elephant on the court, which was the fact that Jenny has been training inefficiently for almost a decade.

Our initial conversation began with me asking Jenny some fundamental tennis developmental questions. “Since you’re telling me you know all too well how to be average, let me ask you an opposing question: Can you tell me how not to be average?” Jenny said, “Um…to do more training than my peers?” I smiled and said, “What’s even more important than the quantity of training?” “I don’t know… the quality of the training?” she responded. I agreed wholeheartedly. I then asked Jenny what she thought the difference was between group drilling and a customized developmental plan. “Well,” she said. “I guess a customized developmental plan focuses on individual needs versus group activities. I said, “Right again sister!”

I asked Jenny about her tennis goals. She perked up and said, “It used to be to play D-1 Tennis at Stanford but …” “Ok, great!”  I jumped in. “Now what is your customized weekly plan to make it a reality? What are you doing week-in and week -out that is setting you far apart from your peers?” … (Crickets) “Let me ask you another way, has your only training been in the academy format? …More silence. I gave it the dramatic one minute pause, which to her must have felt like an hour.

I sat back, took a deep breath, and said, “I see the problem. Jenny, you don’t have a customized plan. A goal without a customized plan isn’t a goal at all …it’s simply a dream.” I explained to Jenny that everyone has dreams, but a dream isn’t going to come true without a specific weekly customized developmental plan. Jenny’s eye’s brightened, and I saw her beautiful smile for the first time.

“I believe you owe it to yourself to attack your tennis development from a new perspective. Let’s hit a few balls so I can see your strokes and movement.”

So we hit a few baskets of balls as I identified her strengths and weaknesses in her primary and secondary strokes. We then sat down and went to work designing her customized weekly planner based on her efficiencies and deficiencies within her four main components: strokes, athleticism, mental and emotional. Our evaluation session was a mind-blowing revelation to Jenny and her Dad. No one had ever actually dissected Jenny’s game, let alone provided customized solutions for improvement. Our first day together went by quickly as we evaluated and improved her tennis IQ, her emotional aptitude, her organizational skills and we made adjustments in her deficient coaching entourage.

Jenny didn’t need to groove her stationary strokes or to run more laps around the track. She needed to apply life skills, positive character traits and a renewed belief in herself. Throughout our few days together, I identified the direction of training required and simply motivated her to be accountable for organizing her very own training regimen. She applied solid character traits such as the determination to devise an innovative, customized weekly blueprint. She was open-minded and humble throughout our sessions. Strong character traits are needed to champion tennis and life.

Within six months of completely modifying her training regimen, life skills, and positive character traits Jenny achieved a top 10 SCTA ranking and went on to play D-1 College ball. (The names have been changed to protect the guilty).

Building character in young athletes is essential to the success of the athlete on and off the court. Positive character not only assists the athletes on the court but guides them as they make the world a better place. An excellent character is a secret precursor of winning. It drives performance, which accelerates results. It’s the heartbeat of The Soft Science of Tennis. Sadly, in today’s generation, many parents assume that the coaches are teaching positive character traits and critical life skills, while coaches believe that it’s the parents who are educating these essential skills and sadly it’s a missing link in developing athletes.

“Excellent character is the secret precursor of winning. It drives consistent training which accelerates results.”

 

Character counts, so what is character? It’s a combination of the athlete’s emotional qualities, beliefs, and values. Great character isn’t a genetic predisposition. Humans aren’t born with great character. Good character is a learned skill set with well nurtured emotional enhancements. One’s character, good or bad shines in all its glory when the athlete competes and under duress. Developing character molds the athlete’s inner dialog, which either pumps them up or tears them down on a daily basis.

 

“The underlining effectiveness of a parent or coach lies in their ability to develop positive character skills.”

 

The Power of Choice

Posted on July 19, 2018 by in The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis. Click Here 

Soft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

 

The Power of Choice

Positive character motivates the athlete to forge ahead. Negative character allows the athlete to give up. A critical question in our sport is “How do we teach our athletes to handle losses?”

A modern term used in sports psychology is Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). Psychologists apply the term PTG to describe a positive psychological change that can result from a traumatic experience, such as athletic failure. Though losing may not seem like a tragic event to some, to others competitive losses can be mentally and emotionally crippling.  PTG methodologies help clients through difficult situations by encouraging them to take responsibility with the power of choice.

The athlete can choose to fight or retreat. Tennis champions actually lose and lose often throughout their career. The athletes who choose to use their scar tissue as motivation to fight and endure the athletic pressure persevere and reach the top. Admirable character opens up the athlete to forge ahead instead of shutting down and giving up.

 

“You need to develop a thick skin” is a common mantra for strong character building. It’s an effective defense to the critics. Trust me, the most common way you know you’re rising above the crowd is when others begin to trash-talk and criticize you solely because of their petty jealousy. If athletes aren’t able to take criticism, they should stay home, lie on the couch and stop improving immediately!”

 

In regards to character, actions speak louder than words. Parents and coaches need to remember that they are modeling character and that their actions have a more significant impact than their words. It is the role of parents and coaches to create a positive environment for ideal character building. Build character and lead by example:

  • It’s cool to be kind so choose kindness.
  • Vulnerability is a courageous character trait and not a weakness. So embrace vulnerability.
  • Share successes and failures. Share your story as a learning tool.
  • Laugh and joke as you apply humor to your daily training sessions.
  • Give credit to others for your success.
  • Compliment others daily on everything and anything.

 

“Invest more time and energy in your positive character building, and you’ll witness your athletes
modeling positive behavior.”

 

Character Traits

Character and a solid moral compass are part of the athlete’s foundation, which dictates behavior and facilitates success. The same is true for a successful coaching business; the character traits found in a champion are the same character traits that provide the foundation of a sustainable business.

20 Essential Character Traits Worth Educating

Print the following 20 Essential Character Traits and review with your athlete. Discuss how each trait affects their personal tennis development.

  • Motivation: The reason or reasons for attaining your goals.
  • Trustworthiness: The ability to be relied on as honest or truthful.
  • Gratitude: The appreciation of actions and benefits bestowed upon you.
  • Accountability: The condition of being responsible for your actions.
  • Commitment: The position of being dedicated to your cause.
  • Respectfulness: A curious regard for others feelings or situation.
  • Grit: Strength of character; courage and resolve.
  • Integrity: Having a strong moral compass and principles.
  • Innovative: Applying creative problem solving and advanced thinking.
  • Competency: The ability to perform efficiently and successfully.
  • Honesty: Acting with fairness and righteous conduct.
  • Loyalty: A strong feeling of support or allegiance to your supporters.
  • Ethics: The morals and principles that govern your behavior.
  • Patience: The capacity to tolerate delay or suffering without getting upset.
  • Desire: A deep feeling of acquiring something or wishing for it to happen.
  • Effort: The amount of energy put into an attempt.
  • Sincerity: The quality of being free from pretense and deceit.
  • Open-Mindedness: The willingness to consider new ideas without prejudice.
  • Unselfishness: The desire to accept the needs of others before your own.
  • Humble: Showing a modest estimate of your importance.

 

So does the participation in sports help build praiseworthy character traits? Yes, but an athlete’s character must be first introduced, nurtured, and developed by parents and coaches. The essential character traits demonstrated on-court in competition were first gained off-court. These traits were nurtured by choice …not by chance.

The Soft Science of Tennis Testimonials

Posted on July 16, 2018 by in The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from
Frank’s newest book,

THE SOFT SCIENCE OF TENNIS 

Click Here to ORDER!  

Soft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

“This is an absolute must read book for all coaches and professionals. Frank really knows his stuff!”

Allistair McCaw, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, World renowned sports performance and mindset coach, speaker, and author.

 

“The Soft Science of Tennis is filled with golden nuggets of wisdom that can be implemented to achieve peak performance on and off the court. As a high-performance coach, I am fascinated and downright obsessed with helping players, parents, and coaches. This book is a game changer! Frank has done a masterful job of going deep into the how communication, self-talk, and understanding personality types impact performance. I strongly recommend The Soft Science of Tennis to anyone interested in going to the next level.”

Jeff Salzenstein, Denver Colorado, Founder of Tennis Evolution, Former Top 100 ATP Singles And Doubles Player, Stanford All-American, USTA High-Performance Coach, and co-creator of The Connection Game

 

“I recommend that every USPTA and PTR professional should read this book. It will help them be more successful in their business and personal life. I am going to have all my pros read it. Thanks, Frank for making our industry grow!”

Doug Cash, Seymour, Indiana Cashflowtennis

 

“Frank Giampaolo’s ability to share his real-world tennis experience provides coaches and parents a toolbox for Effective Communication! The Soft Science of Tennis provides a practical Game Plan to help our athletes. Problems are identified; their causes isolated and specific Action Steps recommended. Who could ask for more?”

Dr. Bryce Young, Hilton Head South Carolina co-author of The Courtside Coach: A Personal Mental Trainer for Tennis Players and Mental Coach for 300 university teams

 

“Frank is in front of his time as a coach. By writing a book dedicated to the soft skills of being a tennis coach, Frank demonstrates his enormous experience and understanding of what it truly takes to be an extraordinary coach. The soft skills are without a doubt a neglected area of coaching that is essential to the effectiveness of coaching. In this book, Frank dissects the area and provides an easy to understand framework of how you can better your soft skills.”

Adam Blicher, Odense, Denmark, Sports Psychology Consultant, Awarded Coach of the year, Danish National coach, Host of the highest rated Tennis Coaches Podcast on iTunes.

 

How the Brain Affects Performance- Part 4

Posted on July 8, 2018 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from
Frank’s newest book,

THE SOFT SCIENCE OF TENNISSoft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5 

Click Here to Order eBook for only 2.99!  

SALE price through July 10

 

This chapter will uncover how brain design affects tennis performances. The following brain design categories can be used as an informal observation as you first profile yourself. However, I suggest going online to the dozens of more in-depth questionnaires. Choose the accuracy and depth of the personality profiling questionnaire that is right for you. After a bit of research, you will recognize learning preferences that best describe your brain design.

Let’s review the basics from earlier in this book. There are 16 configurations of personality profiles found around the world. By completing your chosen questionnaire, you will discover your association – a 4-letter acronym nicknaming your personality profile. Once comfortable with the terminology, you will be able to categorize your athletes into their unique design. Following is a list of commonalities I’ve uncovered on-court with my high-performance students.

Judgers (J) versus Perceivers (P)

  • Judger Students
  • Prefer planned, orderly structured lessons.
  • Often postpone competing because they’re not 100% ready.
  • Are frequently afraid to make the wrong decision, so they freeze up in competition.
  • Need closure with a task before moving onto the next drill.
  • Enjoy making detailed lists to ensure productivity.
  • Have a strong need to control most aspects of situations.
  • Change is uncomfortable and is typically shunned.
  • Multitasking is avoided as they prefer to focus on one component at a time.
  • Rules and laws apply to them and everyone else in the academy.
  • Often closed-minded to new information until its proven correct.
  • Often more-fixed-mind-set versus growth-mind-set.
  • Self-regulated and enjoy working their customized developmental plan.

 

Perceiver Students

  • In competition, perceivers are mentally found in the future, not the present.
  • Often struggle with closing out leads in matches.
  • Day-dream and often struggle with remaining on task.
  • Are flexible and spontaneous.
  • Easily adapt to the ever-changing match situations.
  • Open to discussing and applying new, unproven concepts.
  • Often more growth-mindset versus fixed-mind-set.
  • Appear relaxed and loose under stress.
  • Perform in cycles of energy.
  • Typically need goal dates and deadlines to work hard.
  • In matches, focus on outcome scenarios versus performance play.
  • Often postpone training until the last minute.

 

“Athletes who make the most significant gains are independent thinkers who are self-aware of their inborn characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. Understanding your player’s personality profile will enrich your relationships and assist you in helping your students develop excellent technique, athleticism, strategies and handling stress under pressure.”

 

Take a few moments, sit back and digest the above information. I’m sure you will smile as you systematically place specific students, co-workers, friends and family members into their genetic predispositions.

In chapters 8- 11, four customized challenges and their solutions are provided for each of the sixteen personality profiles.

How the Brain Affects Performance- Part 3

Posted on July 7, 2018 by in The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from
Frank’s newest book,

THE SOFT SCIENCE OF TENNISSoft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5 

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This chapter will uncover how brain design affects tennis performances. The following brain design categories can be used as an informal observation as you first profile yourself. However, I suggest going online to the dozens of more in-depth questionnaires. Choose the accuracy and depth of the personality profiling questionnaire that is right for you. After a bit of research, you will recognize learning preferences that best describe your brain design.

Let’s review the basics from earlier in this book. There are 16 configurations of personality profiles found around the world. By completing your chosen questionnaire, you will discover your association – a 4-letter acronym nicknaming your personality profile. Once comfortable with the terminology, you will be able to categorize your athletes into their unique design. Following is a list of commonalities I’ve uncovered on-court with my high-performance students.

Thinkers (T) versus Feelers (F)

  • Thinker Students
  • Impersonalize tennis matches in a business fashion.
  • Continually analyze the pros and cons of each situation.
  • Thrive in private lessons versus group activities.
  • In discussions, they are frank and often void of tactfulness.
  • Aware of coaching inconsistencies.
  • In competition, they are less influenced by emotions than other brain designs.
  • Prefer logical explanations versus hunches.
  • Relate to technical skills training over mental or emotional skills training.
  • Less concerned about personal interaction and group harmony.
  • Prefer work before play even in practice.
  • Value fairness and good sportsmanship.
  • Often seen as uncaring or indifferent to others.

 

Feeler Students

  • Enjoy group sessions with their peers.
  • Often put others needs ahead of their own.
  • Strong need for optimism and harmony on-court.
  • Struggle with match play cheating and gamesmanship.
  • Usually outcome-oriented versus process-oriented.
  • Perform with their heart versus their head.
  • Often miss the details and facts in problem-solving.
  • Sometimes too empathetic to struggling opponents.
  • Need frequent process reminders to regain focus.

 

“A gender stereotype myth is that females are feelers and males are thinkers. While the exact percentages vary widely from study to study, it’s clear that brain function doesn’t necessarily correlate with gender. Nature versus nurture falls into play.

Though societal bias may nurture females to be more nurturing and caring and males to be more tough problem-solvers, females can be genetically wired to be thinkers just as males can be wired to be feelers.”