Tag Archives: the second edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible

THE Parental VISION

Posted on October 28, 2019 by in Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click Here to Order

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THE Parental VISION

 

The Parental Vision was written to assist parents in shaping their athlete’s future. What parents think, say, and do matters. In my experience, a parent obsessed with character trait development and positive brainwashing trumps the parent obsessed with pointing-out their athlete’s failures.

Issues arise when the parental influence is misaligned, which confuses the athlete and derails the process. It is important that the athlete, parents, and coaches are all on the same page with the singular goal of maximizing the athlete’s potential.

Parents who shape their athlete’s future make the journey a family priority. This section includes samples of goal setting and advanced scheduling.

“A goal without a plan is just a dream.”

 

The parent is the team leader who’s responsible for shaping the athlete’s future. Parents only interested in being passively involved should only expect average results from their children.

Parents, children model the behavior they witness daily. It’s not only what you say … it’s what you do that matters most.

Five STAR Book Review

Posted on April 6, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

CUSTOMER BOOK REVIEW
“5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book!!!”
By Amazon Customer on April 4, 2016black_ebook_design2

 

I cannot say enough great things about this book. I randomly found it on Amazon when I was looking for tennis specific fitness books.
I have three children who all play tennis competitively. They have been to several academies and have been taking lessons for a few years. I have been searching and asking for help with developing a plan to help my kids maximize their potential as tennis players. We didn’t have an organized plan towards their goals.
Frank systematically and thoughtfully reviews how to approach developing your child in this sport to maximize their potential. He lays out a plan with a breakdown of the hours your child will need to spend in the different areas of training in tennis depending on their goals. Most importantly, he stresses the importance of the parental role in this game.
I can’t even begin to cover in this brief review how detailed and carefully written this book is but it is a must read for any parent of a tennis player. I think this book reaches parents and families across all sports of young athletes. I really wish I would have found this book several years ago when my children started playing however I am so happy to have it now!
To purchase The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition Click Here
CONTACT:Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

Rich Neher of Tennis Media Group Review of The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition

Posted on March 19, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible


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The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition Reviewed by Rich Neher of Tennis Media Group

Tennis Club Business had been reviewing the 1st Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible in September of 2014. Frank wrote, “Filled with real solutions for players, coaches, and parents, The Tennis Parent’s Bible will teach you everything you didn’t even know… you needed to know.” In the new edition he is expanding on the subject of synergy between the “hardware’ (strokes and game skills) and “software” (mental and emotional development) of juniors, aiming to provide deeper insights into the latter.

“The mission of The Tennis Parent’s Bible is to assist parents and coaches in developing world class young adults on and off the tennis court.”

Throughout the book Frank is repeating some of the most important mental and emotional factors. He writes, “In my opinion, this is just as important as stroke repetition.” He also adds little “pearls of widom” and affirmations throughout the book, like this one:

The Tennis Parent Mission Statement:

“I vow to create a positive experience for my child by providing optimistic emotional guidance, logistical, organizational & financial support, as I oversee my child’s entourage of coaches.”

The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition is divided into 8 main sections:

  1. World Class Tennis
  2. Maximizing Potential at the Quickest Rate
  3. The Mental and Emotional Tennis Components
  4. Common Questions & Solutions
  5. Parent and Player Reality Check
  6. Top 50 Tennis Parent Plunders & Cures
  7. Customized Player Evaluation
  8. Tennis Industry Interviews

“Remember, there is a significant difference between excellence and perfection. Excellent effort is controllable. Perfection is a lie.”

Within those chapters the book covers detailed situations and recommendations. Example: In Section 4 – Common Questions & Solutions – the author details Q+A regarding Practice Session Dramas and Competitive Drams: Internal Struggles. He also details accountability for both players and parents here.

“If a parent is unwilling to be a world class tennis parent, they can’t expect their child to be a world class athlete.”

MY TAKE

Frank Giampaolo doesn’t waste time and space with pretty pictures and important looking graphics. He goes down to the nitty gritty and offers his 30 years of experience in a book parents will find hard to put down. Just the chapter on The Tennis Parent’s Job Description (starting on page 69) alone is worth gold if a parent is really serious about helping develop a world class athlete. Frank assures the reader that “The parent is the architect of their child’s tennis career.” He classifies the parents with detailed explanations as follows:

  • The Under Involved Parent
  • The CEO Facilitator Parent
  • The Over Involved Parent

He writes that a family’s moral code and developmental climate has a lifelong effect on the athlete, whether the parents know it or not. “Because parents and coaches are so influential in shaping their young athletes, I urge you to take an optimistic approach to raising athletic royalty. It is my hopes that by reading this book you’ll fall into the CEO facilitator role of a world class tennis parent.”

What corroborates my positive experience with this book – despite the fact that I don’t have kids playing tennis – and cemented my opinion this is a 5 star read for any tennis parent, student or coach, is the huge number of great testimonials from experts like Jon Wertheim (Sports Illustrated), Johan Kriek (2-time Grand Slam Champion), Nick Saviano (WTA Coach), Peter Smith (USC Men’s Coach), Dick Gould (former Stanford Coach), Angel Lopez (USPTA Master Pro), Dave Fish (Harvard Men’s Coach), Craig Tiley (Australian Open Tournament Director) and many others. Very informative also his interview with Steve Johnson Sr., father of ATP star Stevie Johnson, who says, “Keep it fun. If your children are enjoying tennis, keep it up. I always say, Fun on the court – win in life!”

Johan Kriek spells it out in the Foreword of The Tennis Parent’s Bible – 2nd Edition. “Mastering the game of tennis is a process that demands technical, mental and emotional skills throughout a child’s development. The parents need to understand that competency requires in-depth knowledge. The highly competitive individuals that are not trained the appropriate mental and emotional IQ face incredible anguish for which they have no way of dealing.”

Johan Kriek:

“Frank Giampaolo is a rare guy to have addressed these issues by writing a number of books on developing athletes. I highly recommend this second edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible to any tennis coach or parent. Believe me, even if you think you are an expert tennis coach or parent, you need to read this book.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with Stevie Johnson #29 ATP

Posted on February 13, 2016 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 on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

 

STEVIE JOHNSON ATP PROFESSIONALStebie Johnson

Stevie Johnson was a top US National Junior, 2 Time Singles CIF Champion and 4 Time Team CIF Champion at D-I University of Southern California (USC) and currently a top 30 ATP Pro tour player.

 

Frank: What qualities should a parent look for when hiring a coach or academy?

Stevie: The coach has to truly care about the student and sincerely look for what’s best for the student in both tennis and life. I feel it’s important to seek a positive learning atmosphere where both tennis skills and character skills are continually emphasized.

 

Frank: Looking back on your illustrious junior career, what do you attribute your success?

Stevie: Even though I was #1 in the 12’s and 14’s, that style of game wouldn’t take me to the top in college or in the pros. I had to refocus my development in the 16’s and 18’s. I was a bit lazy with my off-court training early on and relied on my talent and strong competitive nature, but to continue to grow and improve, I had to make fitness a priority. Honestly, I don’t even remember my 12 and under trophies.

 

Frank: It sounds like focusing on improvement versus tournament wins and rankings is a theme of yours. Why?

Stevie: In the younger divisions you can win with a limited moonball game because the rest of the field isn’t fully developed. This winning tactic is not successful in the older divisions. I really don’t see pushers in the pros. The professional athletes attack. I believe it’s important for the parents and players to be “ok” losing while developing the whole game. Just being satisfied with a limited game that wins to at the lower levels will limit your career.  I recommend seeking weekly improvement versus having to always win.

 

Frank: When should parents, players and coaches begin to develop the mental and emotional components of the game?

Stevie: I think it’s a maturity level not a certain age. Different people allow their mood to affect their performance more than others. If they struggle with crazy emotional ups and downs, they should focus on improving their emotional stability. The key is to develop and continually improve every component so the player can stay engaged and competitive in every circumstance.

 

Frank: What’s the primary differences between playing national level juniors and D-1, NCAA ball?

Stevie: If you choose the right college coach and program, there’s a heightened level of dedication, developmental structure, and focused off-court training. Coaches, teammates and even the international opponents pushes each other to train harder.

 

Frank: What’s the primary differences between NCAA tennis and ATP pro ball?

Stevie: It’s not so much strokes but the addition of all the seemingly smaller intangibles. The mental and emotional components are better. They include longer-deeper focus and competitiveness. They don’t give away any free points and the athletes physical, mental and emotional endurance is stronger day in-day out.

 

Frank: I’ve known you and your folks forever but from your side, what makes your folks such great tennis parents?

Stevie: Balance! On court, my father was the coach. Off-court, he was just my dad. After matches, my dad didn’t banter for 30 minutes about the performance. My mom played tennis as well so she added great perspective.

 

Frank: Can you share a few words of wisdom for the parents, athletes and coaches reading this book?

Stevie: Have fun with the development of your game. Remember even though it feels like “life or death” at the moment, the wins-losses in the 10’s-14 don’t mean much. It’s a blessing to play so laugh and enjoy the process.

Quantify Performances with Match Logs

Posted on January 31, 2016 by in Match Charting and Video, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

 

“Reading The Tennis Parents Bible is like having a delicious conversation with a tennis guru who is generously sharing all of his knowledge, results and lessons learned. As a former tennis coach I’ve recommended this to hundreds of tennis families who come back to me within days overjoyed and excited. They feel like they finally can put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Quite simply it’s your go to guide that is already a classic must-read for every coach and tennis parent.”Ian Bishop, CEO of Coachseek, New Zealand

Ian Bishop, CEO of Coachseek, New Zealand

 

 

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available Click Here to Order

 

Quantify Performances with Match Logs

Parents, let me fill you in on a typical junior-coach, post-match conversation. While it’s nice to assume that there is post-match analysis going on, it honestly sounds something like this:

Coach: “So, how was the tournament last weekend Joey?’

You’re child: “Sucked”

Coach: “Why?  Tell me about it”

You’re Child: “I lost…”

Coach: “Did you hit your performance goals?”

You’re Child: “I don’t know?”

Coach: “Well, did you enjoy competing?”

You’re Child: “NO… I lost remember…”

 

Match logs are simply organizational tools used to assist your youngster in understanding and critiquing their match performance. Match logs are designed to be completed by the player. Self-assessment is important. The athlete often has a very different view of their performance than the parent watching the very same match.

Coaches want to know how the child felt about their performance and “the devils in the details!” Future improvement relies on detailed match analysis. These match logs are great conversation starters for the player-coach post-match training sessions. Begin by asking your child to complete a personalized assessment of their performance after each match. Use the match log found in Section VII Customized Player Evaluation section as a sample blue print to customize your very own.

CONTACT: Frank GiampaoloFrank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

 

Solutions to Confronting Gamesmanship

Posted on January 29, 2016 by in Cheating, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

“Frank is one of the most knowledgeable tennis coaches in the country. He has written, in my professional opinion, the best and most comprehensive tennis book for parents that I’ve read in my 55 –year tennis career.”Desmond Oon

Desmond Oon, Ph.D., Former Davis Cup Coach (Republic of Singapore), Author, Master Pro USPTA

 

The following post is a Q & A excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon!!! (Soon the second edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible will be available on this web site and through your favorite on line store.)

Order your book NOW with Amazon: Click Here to Order

 

QUESTION: What are the solutions to confronting gamesmanship?

Frank: First of all, let’s be honest; cheaters do exist.  But let’s look at the issue from a growth angle. Cheaters will stretch your child beyond their normal frustration tolerance levels and that’s emotional toughness. Your athlete needs emotional intelligence as much as a wicked topspin backhand. Handling those “creative line callers” is a necessary stepping stone to becoming a tennis champion. Share with your junior champs the below ten factors and they will be better equipped to handle the antics of a cheater.

Three of the Ten Solutions to Conquering Gamesmanship:

Solution Number 1: Pre-match speculations.

Preconceived ideas of what might happen when playing a known cheater often causes so much stress that it can affect the immune system and often results in players actually feeling sick. Many lose sleep the night before the match. Do not let your child’s expectations of the possible cheating trauma pull them away from focusing on their performance goals.

“Worrying won’t stop the cheating…but educating your athlete will.”

Solution Number 2: Focus on what you can control.

This psychological protocol is the fundamental principle to your child’s mental and emotional approach to competition. Expect about 4-6 bad line calls per match. This is not in your child’s control. What is? How about the 40 unforced errors per match they commit? If they limit their unforced errors to 10 per set and they can let their opponent have a few hooks!

“Focus on executing the shots and patterns of play the moment demands.”

Solution Number 3: Ignore the drama.

Emotional toughness requires the athlete to stay on their pre-set script. Understand that focusing on the drama is a psychological trap. Once your child falls for the gamesmanship, they have left their performance state of mind and trouble is just around the corner.

“Intermediate juniors are easy marks because they are mentally and emotionally uneducated.”

CONTACT: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

Repetition and Developing Athletic Royalty

Posted on January 22, 2016 by in Tennis Specific Training, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

“If you’re a parent who thinks you already know all there is to know…hold on, because you’re in for a bumpy ride.  This book is like turning a light on in a darkened room. I highly recommend it to any parent or coach serious about maximizing player potential.”Angel-186x300

Angel Lopez, USPTA Master Professional, PTR Certified, Angel Lopez Tennis Academy

 

 

The paperback version of The Tennis Parent’s Bible is now available for pre-orders. (Pre-order yours with Amazon and email Linda the receipt at lindateresag@hotmail.com and get two free gifts for immediate download.) Click Here to Order

 

The following post is a Q & A excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible.

QUESTION: Why is repetition so important in developing athletic royalty?

Frank: Most professional coaches view repetition as the godfather of mastery. Repetition is essentially motor programming.

Developing a motor program begins with a thought, which is messaged through the nervous system, down the spinal cord and into the muscular system. The more we pre-set the protocols the more it “grooves” the pathways. So, the more familiar the habit, the easier it is to execute the proper protocol during match play.

Repetition doesn’t just involve the physical strokes. It also applies to the athletic, flexible skills movements, the cognitive processing skills and emotional responses. All four of these components need appropriate, deliberate repetition.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re actually doing it, imagining it or observing it, you are developing a pathway.”

Neurological-connections are strengthened by repetition. One of the most important keys to repetition is to “practice in the manner in which you’re expected to perform.” Often, improvements are maximized through manipulating the exercises with variations. Examples include:

Athleticism– Varying the direction, physical reps and/or sets.

Strokes– Varying the strike zones, tempo and/or movement.

Emotional– Varying the performance anxieties and their pre-set solutions.

Mental– Varying the different patterns used to beat the different styles of opponents.

Applying each of the four components under stress effortlessly requires an intuitive process. What appears to be a natural talent is actually a learned behavior through repetition. Mastering each component requires repetition.

It’s important to note that repetition isn’t always good. Repeating the same old flawed mechanical stroke or repeating the incorrect emotional response to stress is only ingraining that flaw deeper, making it harder to fix later.

Contact Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
www.MaximizingTennisPotential.com

Are You Quantifying Performances?

Posted on January 15, 2016 by in Match Charting and Video, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the 2nd edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible- available now for pre-order on Amazon. (It will be available in both print and ebook versions by the end of the month!)  Click Here to Pre-Order

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Match Logs Quantify Performances

Parents, let me fill you in on a typical junior-coach, post-match conversation. While it’s nice to assume that there is post-match analysis going on, it honestly sounds something like this:

Coach: “So, how was the tournament last weekend Joey?’

You’re child: “Sucked”

Coach: “Why?  Tell me about it”

You’re Child: “I lost…”

Coach: “Did you hit your performance goals?”

You’re Child: “I don’t know?”

Coach: “Well, did you enjoy competing?”

You’re Child: “NO… I lost remember…”

Match logs are simply organizational tools used to assist your youngster in understanding and critiquing their match performance. Match logs are designed to be completed by the player. Self-assessment is important. The athlete often has a very different view of their performance than the parent watching the very same match.

Coaches want to know how the child felt about their performance and “the devils in the details!” Future improvement relies on detailed match analysis. These match logs are great conversation starters for the player-coach post-match training sessions. Begin by asking your child to complete a personalized assessment of their performance after each match. Use the match log found in Section VII Customized Player Evaluation section as a sample blue print to customize your very own.

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
(949)933-8163