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The Tournament Players Periodization Cycle
Scheduling requires the understanding of the Periodization process. Periodization training requires factoring in the following 10 essential stages to insure growth as well as optimal performance during competition. Educated coaches and parents not only know what to focus on, but even more importantly, when to focus on them. Uneducated parents and coaches often sabotage their player’s year in-year out by unknowingly choosing the incorrect time to dismantle a flawed stroke, begin a new regime or even engage in a confrontation … Let’s look at the cycle from a tournaments end all the way through to the next tournaments beginning.
Stage 1: Post Match Recovery
Insist your player completely detach from the sport. Allow them to recover and heal their physical body, emotional wounds and the pressure of cognitive processing under stress.
Stage 2: Slowly Restart the Fitness Component
Re-introduce the athlete’s endurance, speed, agility and stretching requirements.
Stage 3: Begin Match Chart Reviews and Essential Match Play Video Analysis
Topics include: Performance assessments, opponent profiling- styles of play/shifts in styles, favorite go-to patterns ( Top 7), movement strengths & weaknesses, focus issues/lapses in concentration, anger/ emotional management, athletes problem solving skills, between point rituals /changeover rituals, fundamental and secondary stroke efficiencies and deficiencies.
Stage 4: Devise an Agreed upon Action Plan Based on Stage 3’s Findings
This includes on-court as well as off court physical, mental or emotional development. Seek weekly improvement versus the need to always win. Focus on improving -fixing weaknesses.
Stage 5: Re-Introduce On-Court Basic Stroke Production with Dead Ball “Feeding” Drills
This includes grooving existing strokes, strike zones and motor programming, while adding fundamental on-court movement, spacing and footwork essentials.
Stage 6: Incorporate Negative Scoring to Re-Introduce the Essential Emotional/ Focus Component
In a negative scoring drill, the athlete is asked to perform a stroke or shot sequencing pattern ten times throughout the drill, deducting a point for each error along the way. Mistake management is essential. Error awareness in practice is a missing link in the art of developing the emotional muscle.
Stage 7: Introduce Secondary Strokes and Customized Offense, Neutral, Defense Patterns of Play
Shot sequencing patterns are selected with purpose and are essential pre-set protocols customized to each athlete.
Stage 8: Practice in the Manner They’re Expected to Perform
Introduce live ball serve games, return games, rally games and approach shot versus passing shot games.
Stage 9: Introduce the Essential Multi-Tasking Requirements Required in Match Play
Begin playing sets starting at 2-2. This adaptation allows the competitors to arrive at the important pressure packed “money” part of each set faster and more frequently. Playing only one set practice matches does not prepare you to win 2 out of 3 sets required in a real match. By starting at 2-2, athletes can rehearse closing out 3 sets instead of one set.
Stage: 10: Play Set-Tie Breakers (First to 7) and Championship Tie Breakers (First to 10)
Tie breaker repetition insures your athlete is comfortable with the process. Remind your athlete to mentally revisit the set before each tie breaker to identify tendencies/ strengths/ weakness. Apply match charting to organize their game plan and opponent profiling to assess their probable strategic options.
Parents, please meet with your child’s coaches regarding this critical developmental cycle. High IQ Tennis Coaches will assist you in organizing your child’s blue-print.
Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
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