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Tennis- Accelerated Growth Blunders Part 2

Posted on October 28, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

Encouraging “One Set Wonders”

First of all, I congratulate any juniors that actually play full practice matches. Across the country, most juniors hit for 20 minutes, maybe finish a set and then leave. They become accustom to being “one set wonders!” This is especially true in the intermediate levels of junior tennis.

Winning those tough three set tournament matches require practicing whole matches. Rehearsing the art of closing out full matches versus a single set will improve their mental toughness.  If time is of the essence, I recommend that players play 3-sets, starting at 2-2 instead of the typical one set routine. Handling the stress of closing out the set is a big advantage.

“There is a huge difference between mechanical confidence and competitive confidence.”

Putting Them in the Crowd to Get Ahead of the Crowd?

In my opinion, group clinics, or academies are terrific for intermediate players seeking repetition, socialization and tons of fun. Although it may be cheaper, large group training isn’t always in your athlete’s best developmental interest.

I’ve found that the top players spend about 20 percent of their time in group situations. Top players at an academy usually are sparing or working with a private coach.  When is that last time you saw a phenom in a large group standing in line to hit one forehand every five minutes?

“To get your child ahead of the crowd, why would you put them in the crowd?”

Believing Weekly Lessons are Enough

I teach two families from Los Angeles. Both families come for 2 hours of private lessons each week. That’s where the similarities end.

The parents hold opposing views on how to raise a tennis champion. The Johnsons believe that they need to make their 12 year old Kelli 100 percent self-sufficient. Mrs. Johnson says “It’s up to her to do it, I can’t force her.” As a result, Kelly hits about two hours a week.

Mr. Asari believes that no one gets famous all by themselves. He and his son spend approximately 15 hours on the ball machine, playing practice sets, serving baskets, going for runs, hitting the gym and watching tennis on TV.  They both get the same 2 hours’ worth of weekly lesson. The critical factor in the formula is not the lesson, but what the parents choose to do weekly around that lesson.

The parents who see it as their responsibility to actively stay engaged consistently have higher ranked children, all the trophies and all the college scholarship offers.

Going Into Battle Unprepared

Preparing for a tennis tournament is twofold. First, your child should consistently train properly a month or so before a big event. Secondly, they should have a pre-game set of rituals to assist them in their match preparation.

Hours before a match, Nadal morphs into a different personality. Chris Evert said she wouldn’t even call a friend before a match in fear that it may break her concentration. Before each concert, Tom Petty and Taylor Swift say that they sit quietly alone with his acoustic guitar visualizing and preparing for that night’s concert.

Preparing mind, body and soul before a match is a learned behavior. Allowing your son to go wrestle in the grass with the other kids before a big match isn’t in his best interest. Allowing your daughter to text 39 friends then fight with her boyfriend leading into a big match isn’t in her best interest.

Knowing how and when to turn on the competitor within is critical. Assist your child in finding their own unique game day rituals.  After the match is complete, your child can leave it all behind with no regrets. 

Tennis- Accelerated Growth Blunders Part 1

Posted on October 23, 2025 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.

Accelerated Growth Blunders

Regardless of the comfort level, accelerated growth demands aborting ineffective strokes, strategies or tactics and systematically re-tooling them. Change is mandatory for growth.

“Change is the only thing that’s permanent.”

Not Seeing Stumbling Blocks as Steppingstones

Here’s a terrific example: a few years back, Molly Scott (former 2006, SCTA #1, Dartmouth College #1 standout) sprained her non-dominant left wrist.

Her initial position was to follow protocol which was no tennis for 4-6 weeks. Molly called saying, “Frank, I have to cancel my training for 4-6 weeks because my left arm is sprained.” 

I said, “That’s upsetting, but we needed some time to switch focus anyway. This actually fits into a new developmental plan. We’ll begin to organize your proactive patterns and between point rituals, we’ll develop your one-handed slice backhand drop shot and your low, backhand volley. Let’s begin today with a new 4-week crash course on lower body fitness and stamina.” Molly’s voice dropped to this low, quiet depressed tone, “ooohhh….really..aahh…that’s… um….super.”

Six weeks later Molly beat a top ten player in the nation as she applied her newfound slice backhand drop shot to perfection!

Perfectionism

Perfectionists are often unwilling to learn and improve because their short comings may be exposed. Their overriding primary concern is to prove that they’re always right. They are referred to as “un-coachable.” Does this antagonistic defensive behavior hurt their chances of success? You bet, in tennis and in life.

“Parents and athletes must accept the fact that the road to the top will include failures, painful emotions, obstacles and setbacks, which are inevitable parts of the journey.”

Constructive criticism to a perfectionist isn’t seen as a positive step toward a better performance.  It threatens to expose their flaws, which is a catastrophic assault on their self-worth. Sadly, they don’t want the truth…They want to be correct.

“The perfectionist will find fault in paradise.”

If you have a perfectionist athlete, spouse or coach, ask them to be open to suggestions, be willing to discuss options and be interested in feedback and teamwork.  Maximizing potential at the quickest rate depends on a growth mindset.

“Success is more of a function of persistence than perfection.”

Focusing Only on Strokes

Here’s a statement that should be obvious by now. Knowing how to hit strokes and knowing how to win under stress are different animals.

The #1 statement I hear daily from concerned tennis parents is “My child’s the better player, yet he can’t win!”

The solution lies in the school methodology of teaching. Here’s what I mean, throughout every grade students are taught daily to shift their focus from math to science, from English to history, etc. The common blunder in tennis development is only focusing on a singular subject (fundamental stroke production) year after year. The school methodology consistently delivers well rounded young adults. Following that protocol will maximize your child’s potential at a quicker rate.

Believing Quantity of Court Time is Quality Court Time

If your child has a reoccurring nightmare of losing to pushers in tournaments, spending 6 hours a day drilling net skimmers back and forth in an academy is not going to help. After tournament matches, it’s the parent’s responsibility to provide detailed information to the coach. This is done through charting or videotaping of the match. This information exchange customizes the quality of your athlete’s lesson and maximizes the quality of each training session.

It takes an experienced eye to actually spot and analyze your youngsters match tendencies. You will speed up the developmental process by paying a high IQ coach to actually cancel their days’ worth of lessons and attend your child’s tournament matches. Please don’t expect them to work for free. Does the bread winner of your family work for free?

Neglecting the Between Point and Change Over Rituals

Guess when the critical mental, emotional toughness issues take place? When the ball is going back and forth or between points?  Between points.

“Professionals think about a hand full of thoughts a hundred times in a single match. Juniors think about a hundred different thoughts in a single match!”

Does your child have a problem with any of the following tennis components?  Time management, mistake management, anger management, implementing patterns, dissecting opponents, controlling their heart rate, controlling their emotions, distraction control, quieting their mind, avoiding lapses in concentration, controlling self-condemnation, self-charting and/or controlling nervousness.  If you said “yes” to any of these, your child can benefit from rituals.  Remember to schedule dress rehearsals. Youngsters have to rehearse these protocols in practice sets before they become comfortable enough to apply them correctly in actual tournament play.

Ignoring Their B and C Game Plans

Spend a few moments to discuss your child’s primary and secondary styles of play in matches. Styles include hard hitting baseliners, all court, net rushers and retrievers Set up practice sets for your child against lower-level players and ask your child to rehearse their secondary styles of play. Champions have mastered more than one style.

My step- daughter, Sarah played her first adult U.S. Open at age 15. In the first round, Sarah’s opponent came out with her plan A (hard hitting baseliner). Sarah won the first set 6-4.  At the start of the 2nd set, the opponent switched to plan B (net rusher) and Sarah went up 4-1. The opponent then switched to plan C (moonball/retriever), Sarah’s least favorite style.  Sarah was amazed to see a 30-year-old WTA veteran pushed her way to a $15,000 victory in the 3rd set.

Overlooking the Pain Principle

Remember the old saying? “If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got.” Players hit common walls in their development. One of those walls is resisting change.

If your child view’s change, as more painful than losing, they’ll continue down the same losing path. It’s so painful for some to change a flawed grip, stroke or stance, that they’d rather accept the pain of losing than deal with changing.

Great things begin to happen when the pain of losing starts to be more powerful than the pain of changing. Once they accept the fact that a change has to be made, they are on their way to the next level. This is where great parenting comes in.

“For some, a comfortable old – bad habit is less painful than the temporary pain of fixing it.”

Assuming that Tennis Speed is Only Foot Speed

Tennis specific speed-training requires a combination of foot speed and anticipatory speed.

Heredity plays an important role in your child’s muscle type. Parents and coaches can’t improve the genetic predisposition of an athlete, but they can nurture both their foot speed and anticipatory speed. The path to better court coverage lies in avoiding hesitation and anticipating situations.

Anticipatory speed is greatly increased by understanding and rehearsing the art of vision control.  Here’s a sports myth “keep your eye on the ball.” I suggest shifting focus from narrow vision (watching an incoming ball) to broad vision. Broad vision is picking up visual clues as the ball travels toward the opponent. (This topic is covered in detail in the Section IV Common Questions and Solution: Parental Accountability.)

INTELLIGENT TRAINING BLUNDERS

“If you’ve never faced conflict with your tennis phenom, you’ve never been a great tennis parent.”

Parents who fully commit to their child’s passion can spend the rest of their life satisfied that they’ve succeeded in the most important job of their lives.

Not Having an Entourage

Youngsters that improve at the quickest rate have a full entourage. This includes private hitters, technical teachers, mental/emotional coaches, off-court trainers and clinics.

Customizing the style of coach to your player is important. Choose wisely because the two leading influences on your athlete are you and the coaches you hire!

Being Oblivious to Periodization

Parents are often so blinded by winning that they unknowingly sabotage their child’s success. This is especially true in the beginner and intermediate levels of competition.  Understanding when to train the different elements of your child’s game is called periodization. It’s based on the upcoming tournament schedule.

Asking your child to bulk up in the gym, run five miles, or to dismantle and fix a flawed stroke a day or two before a big event are samples of poor periodization training. Adding an unfamiliar element the day of a match also falls into this category. 

An essential parental skill is choosing your battles. It is important to understand when to put your foot down and pick a battle. Starting a war right before a scheduled lesson will pull your child into the wrong mental state and surely destroy any hopes of a productive session. It is also a waste of your money. Likewise, choosing to battle the day of a scheduled match is a sure fire way to drain your youngster’s emotional batteries and sabotage the actual peak performance you are seeking.

Neglecting Smart Work

Great coaches have the ability to zero in on players weakness long before players or parents even know it exist. High IQ coaches are a bit like a fortune tellers who can read the future. We see mechanical –structural damage the days leading up to an event and we know which components will surely crack under the strains of stressful competition.

If your child has some major holes in their game, please don’t continually send them off to competition. The opponent doesn’t have to beat your child because they’ve come to the game broken. That’s a little like sending a battleship off to war with structural holes in its hull. That majestic ship’s going to sink all by itself.

Tennis-THE REALITY OF “GOING PRO?”

Posted on October 20, 2025 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

THE REALITY OF “GOING PRO?”

To answer this question, I have designed another fun “Pop Quiz” as a guide. (Take the quiz and you will formulate your own opinion as to what your child’s chances are of becoming a professional.) Let’s assume that your child wants to play at a top Division 1 University or on the Professional Tour. They already possess keen strokes and a solid physical foundation.
Now the issue is: Does your player’s words match their actions?

Simply answer each of the following question Yes or No. (Then total your number of Yes answers and check your child’s score at the end.)

Attitude

1.) Does your child possess a genuine love for the game of tennis? Yes/No

2.) Is your child being trained to be self-reliant? Yes/No

Commitment

1.) Does your child’s training average approximately 20 hours a week? Yes/No

2.) Does your child accept that they cannot be a Champion and be a normal teenager? (They have to pick one.)Yes/No

Fitness

1.) Does your child work off -court an average of 6 hours per week on their speed, strength, flexibly, and core stability? Yes/No

2.) Does your child do exercises designed to prevent common injuries? Yes/No

Competitiveness

1.) Does your child work on overcoming performance anxieties such as: How to handle frustration? Yes/No

2.) Does your child LOVE the pressure of competitive tennis? Yes/No

Confidence

1.) Is your child comfortable in competitive situations? Yes/No

2.) Does your child spend time after tournaments discovering and overcoming re-occurring issues? Yes/No

Problem Solving

1.) Is your child willing to constantly overcome hardships and adversity? Yes/No

2.) Does your child have the resiliency to handle the many unfair barriers of our sport? Yes/No

Focus

1.) Does your child use proper pre-match, between points, and changeover rituals? Yes/No

2.) Does your child have their protocols to control nervousness and distractions? Yes/No

Tactical Knowledge

1.) Does your child have well-rehearsed plans to beat the different styles of opponents? Yes/No

2.) Has your child developed two meaningful weapons? Yes/No

A Full Time Tennis Parent

1.) Is there a primary tennis parent willing to accept the responsibility, time commitment, and finances of managing the career of a junior tennis champion? Yes/No

2.) Do you chart and/or video tape matches then hire a high IQ coach to review them with your child? Yes/No

Mental and Emotional Skills

1.) Have you begun to focus on building your child’s mental, emotional “Tool Belt” that they will need to compete at the highest levels? Yes/No

2.) Do you have a detailed long and short term goal lists and the time management skills required to meet those goals? Yes/No

SCORING THE TEST

0-2       Yes Answers: Relax and enjoy your normal kid.

3-5       Yes Answers: You will need a Miracle!

6-10     Yes Answers: Major changes have to be made.

11-14    Yes Answers: Your child has a serious shot at Greatness!

15-20    Yes Answers: Pack your bags for Wimbledon!

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

TENNIS- THE COACHES PATHWAY

Posted on October 14, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

THE COACHES PATHWAY

“I’m not going there,” says Coach Kathy. “That’s way above my pay grade. Little Kelly is nuts! Her Mom will get upset and blame me if I don’t continue to just feed balls. Things will get uncomfortable, and they’ll fire me!  I’m just gonna ignore the white elephant in the room. I’ll just hit & giggle and keep the paychecks coming by keeping the sessions lite & fluffy!”

The Coaches Pathway was written to emphasize the importance of teaching software skills, which can be a daunting affair for many teaching professionals.  Coaches like Kathy, who lack the skills to teach software, or are unwilling to develop the mental and emotional components in their athletes, place their needs above their developmental obligations.

Teaching software is not easy and is often rejected by both parents and athletes, who mistakenly judge the quality of the training session by the number of balls hit. Unfortunately, at the intermediate level, solid strokes get the athlete into the event. And together with fitness, the athlete may progress through the early rounds. However, the athletes that consistently thrive in the final rounds have well-developed mental and emotional components. Successful coaches of the future will have developed the skills to teach emotional aptitude along with exquisite strokes.

MANAGING TRAINING TIME

“Value isn’t directly correlated to volume.”

Quantity versus quality of training is an underrated affair. Each minute isn’t equal to the next. Effective time management is essential in a deliberate, customized developmental plan. In regards to maximizing a student’s potential at the quickest rate, training should be intensely focused on the individual’s unique needs.

If athletes aren’t getting the results they’re capable of; it may be the perfect time to
design a new developmental plan.

I’ve witnessed expensive training sessions ranging from total time-wasting games to fun/socialization, to the development of skills and the repetition of those skills. While they all offer value, mastery of an individual sport requires a tailor-made, personalized plan.

Properly preparing for pressure requires evaluating the athlete’s competence and confidence.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT …OR DOES IT?

“Practice Makes Permanent.”

The old school saying “Practice Makes Perfect” is not exactly true. Experience tells us that practice makes whatever you’re attempting permanent. Grooving flawed strokes only make the flaws permanent. One of the differences that separate the good from the great is in how they practice. There is a world of difference between effective training and ineffective training. Deliberate, customized training focuses on improving strengths and re-routing weaknesses versus mindless grooving.

So, how do we customize training? I recommend starting by videotaping actual matches and quantifying the data. Researching why points, games, sets, and matches are won or lost.

Great coaches use match data to improve:

  • Opponent Profiling
  • Between Point & Changeover Rituals
  • Focus/Emotional Control
  • Athlete’s Top Patterns
  • Cause of their Errors & Winners

Maximizing potential at the quickest rate is not typically found on the assembly-line practice court. It’s not just about how to hit a stroke, it includes when, where, and why.

Those who progress quickly don’t solely focus on repeating
what they already know on the practice court.

CONFIDENCE BIAS: THE FALSE REALITY

Posted on October 9, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s book Preparing for Pressure.

CONFIDENCE BIAS: THE FALSE REALITY

“Pre-match over confidence leads to match day under confidence.”

Athletes and parents often have skewed opinions of their competitive skill levels. Is it because Molly, once held her own against a much higher level opponent in a practice set in 2019? Or maybe because Mrs. Johnson watches her son Zack hit beautiful groundstrokes while his coach feeds balls right into his strike zone for the entire lesson. These false leaders cause skewed opinions from parents and athletes.

Confidence bias leads to an inaccurate belief in one’s true competitive skill sets. The concern with over-confidence is that the athlete is positive that they have all the skills necessary to compete supremely without actually ever training those skills. False reality result in devastating losses and blame games. The opposite, under-confidence, bias also wreaks havoc under pressure. Some well-trained athletes suffer from their lack of confidence in competition, harboring unjustified negative beliefs or nurtured undermining pessimistic viewpoints. Either way, their lack of self-esteem seriously affects their performance.

The good news is that with proper software development, false confidence from both the parents and the athlete can be re-wired. Re-routing inner dialog through self-coaching is a great start. Athletes who suffer from confidence bias would be wise to trade in some of their hours grooving groundstrokes and replace them with solution-based software sessions.

Preparing for pressure includes the awareness of the athlete’s confidence bias. Allowing false belief systems leads to future anguish.

Come tournament day false confidence sabotages.

BLAME SHIFTING

“Lack of results typically don’t stem from a lack of resources, but rather a lack of courageous effort.”

Intermediate athletes occasionally self-sabotage their confidence, preparation, and efforts through blame-shifting. “I don’t have enough time!” “My coach didn’t tell me!” “It’s too far away!” “There is nowhere to train!” Shifting accountability is dishonest, immature, and cowardly. These qualities aren’t found in champions.

Habitually shifting-blame results in a loss of self-respect, increased poor performances, and decreased confidence in abilities. Avoidance of taking responsibility becomes contagious and contaminates all aspects of one’s life. In an effort to console the athlete, it is very common for parents and coaches to comply with their athlete’s blame-shifting behaviors to lessen the burden.

Parents who blame shift after their child’s losses unknowingly teach them
how to fail consistently and comfortably.

Over-Confidence Vs Under-Confidence

Posted on October 7, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

Over-Confidence Vs Under-Confidence

“Under-confidence in match play is often a result of
false confidence in preparation.”

Let’s look deeper into a pre-tournament conversation with our friend Cocky Craig:

Frank: “Craig, Did you review your audio tapes/mental rehearsals?
Craig: “Nah…, I’m good.”
Frank: “Craig, Did you play your practice matches this week?
Craig: “I forgot to call-em in time, and they already had plans.”
Frank: “Craig, Did you do your off-court cardio routine?”
Craig: “No, I’m sore from last Mondays hit. I didn’t want to get injured.”

Signs of Over-Confidence in Athletes:

  • Avoids Pre-Match Preparation
  • Avoids Off-Court Training
  • Lacks Secondary Strokes
  • Avoids Playing Sets
  • Unrealistic Outcome Goals

Signs of Appropriate Confidence in Athletes:

  • Grit
  • Relaxed Breathing
  • Millisecond Problem Solving Skills
  • Perseverance
  • Resiliency
  • Determination
  • Smiling

Signs of Under-Confidence in Athletes:

  • Choking/Panicking
  • Shallow/Heavy Breathing
  • Impaired Memory
  • Anger/Indifference
  • Tight Muscle Contractions
  • Impulsive-Irrational Decision Making
  • Pessimism

Confidence fortifies… but overconfidence and
under-confidence destroys.

Confidence Bias: The False Reality

“Pre-match over confidence leads to match day under confidence.”

Athletes and parents often have skewed opinions of their competitive skill levels. Is it because Molly, once held her own against a much higher level opponent in a practice set in 2019? Or maybe because Mrs. Johnson watches her son Zack hit beautiful groundstrokes while his coach feeds balls right into his strike zone for the entire lesson. These false leaders cause skewed opinions from parents and athletes.

Confidence bias leads to an inaccurate belief in one’s true competitive skill sets. The concern with over-confidence is that the athlete is positive that they have all the skills necessary to compete supremely without actually ever training those skills. False reality result in devastating losses and blame games. The opposite, under-confidence, bias also wreaks havoc under pressure. Some well-trained athletes suffer from their lack of confidence in competition; harboring unjustified negative beliefs or nurtured undermining pessimistic viewpoints. Either way, their lack of self-esteem seriously affects their performance.

The good news is that with proper software development, false confidence from both the parents and the athlete can be re-wired. Re-routing inner dialog through self-coaching is a great start. Athletes who suffer from confidence bias would be wise to trade in some of their hours grooving groundstrokes and replace them with solution-based software sessions.

Preparing for pressure includes the awareness of the athlete’s confidence bias. Allowing false belief systems leads to future anguish.

Come tournament day false confidence sabotages.

What Is Confidence?

Posted on October 3, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

What Is Confidence?

“Confidence isn’t about thinking you’re better than everyone else…it’s about believing that you’ve prepared yourself to be the very best you can be.”

At every event, we see a version of cocky Craig. Craig arrives on site with his Nike hat on backward, his “ginormous” 8-pack HEAD bag on his shoulders.  He struts through the clubhouse as he spins a racket on his right index finger. Cocky Craig goes down in flames first round most tournaments due to his lack of proper preparation.

Confidence allows athletes to trust their thoughts and abilities. Athletes who are sure about their style of play, most proficient patterns, and clarity of situational solutions have prepared themselves for pressure.

Are your athletes well versed in their most proficient styles of play, patterns, and on-court strategic solutions? Typically, unconfident athletes focus on the possible catastrophe ahead, while confident athletes look forward to the challenge.

Confidence is built on proper preparation. It’s the feeling of knowing you have the solutions
when things go astray.

PARENTAL COnfidence

“High rankings are achieved and sustained through consistent weekly growth.”

Mrs. Chen and her son William walk into their tennis session with one thing on their mind – William’s rankings. “How do we get to #3, SCTA?” “Which UTR should we play to maximize his points?” ‘Do we get more points from an L -2 in Southern California or a D-2 in El Paso Texas?’ While understanding the current ranking process is important, the ranking based approach to improvement can stunt the growth of an athlete. It’s like putting the cart before the horse. Unfortunately, it’s not the cart that’s propelling the journey, it’s the horse. In the Chen family’s world, the cart is the rankings, and the horse is his customized developmental plan.

Outcome and ranking obsession adds unnecessary stress that takes a toll on the athlete’s physical, mental, and emotional preparation and performances. In reality, focusing on the results is a distraction to the improvement process. Once parents and athletes shift their attention to building skills, they’ll develop the tools needed to get the results they seek. And the athlete and the entourage will begin to enjoy the journey instead of hoping for future happiness. Real confidence is gained on the path of mastery. Under pressure, confidence is the #1 reported skill parents and athletes seek. 

When parents and athletes focus their attention and energy less on the results and more on the processes, they maximize potential at a quicker rate.

What is Competitive Tennis Pressure?

Posted on September 27, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

What is Competitive Tennis Pressure?

“Competitive pressure is the lousy partner of great opportunity.”

In amateur sports, pressure is either self-imposed or nurtured by unaware parents or coaches. Pressure manifests when we imagine what might happen if we don’t achieve the outcome we desire or what others expect.

Like clockwork, Brian’s frustration begins before each tournament match. This solid athlete can’t understand why he’s not able to duplicate his practice level in tournament competition. Friday on the practice court, Brian grooves his fundamental groundstrokes for hours. Essentially playing “catch” back and forth. In this setting, Brian thinks, “Tennis is easy. Forget juniors…Man, I’m going pro!”

Fast forward to Saturday morning. Brian’s internal and external stressors ramp up because the practice court environment of catch is nowhere to be found. The friendly face on the other side of the net is now replaced by an intimidating, confrontational warrior who is determined to torture poor Brian. Come game day, that cozy, cooperative game of “catch” turns into a violent struggle of “keep away.”  Brian would be wise to practice in the manner he’s expected to perform. This requires practicing “keep away,” delivering and receiving on the move. In addition to stationary fundamental stroke development.

Preparing for Pressure # 1 Rule: Practice in the manner you’re expected to perform.

What Causes Pressure In Competition?

“Performance anxiety is the habit of worrying.”

Pressure begins with the arrival of the athlete’s inner critic. That little “Devil on their shoulder” appears like clockwork when the match doesn’t go as planned. Some athletes stress about every minute detail while others confront setbacks in warrior mode. Due to the fact that no two athletes are exactly alike, preparing for pressure begins with an assessment of the athlete’s and their entourage’s stress level as it pertains to the reality of tournament competition.

Competitive Pressure Triggers Include:

  1. The Games Scoring System
  2. The Opponents Style of Tactical Play
  3. Gamesmanship
  4. The Draw/Seeding
  5. Spectators
  6. The Environment/Conditions
  7. The Court Surface
  8. Current Fitness/Energy Levels
  9. Untrustworthy Strokes
  10. Outcome Anxieties

I’ve found that taking an inventory and talking through possible tennis stressors, in a mental/emotional training session, is a great start to overcoming issues and developing confident solutions. Which of the preceding ten triggers cause pressure for your athletes?

Identifying the athlete’s personal stressors leads to a customized developmental plan which will
maximize their potential.

The Hardware and Software of Tennis

Posted on September 26, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible, The Soft Science of Tennis

Check out the Now Available Audio Versions of Frank’s Books: Click Here

“When you concentrate only on problems, you’ll be part of the problem. When you focus on solutions, you’ll be part of the solution.”

Frank Giampaolo

The following post is from Frank Giampaolo’s writings.

In competition, both hardware and software work in tandem to produce optimal results. This chapter delves deeper into the analogy, exploring the significance of hardware – the physical prowess of an athlete and software – the mental and emotional skills that form the intricate coding of high-performance tennis.

The Dual Nature of the Tennis Game

Tennis, like a computer, relies on a dual system: hardware and software. The hardware encompasses the tangible elements – the powerful serves, precise volleys, and athletic prowess that enable players to navigate the court with finesse. However, the fact is that the physical aspect is only one side of the coin.

Hardware: Strokes and Athleticism

Hardware constitutes the physical attributes of the athlete. The tool belt of primary and secondary strokes, as well as the athleticism -the speed, the agility, strength, and endurance. These are the tangible elements that often receive the coach’s attention in training. 

Software: The Mental and Emotional Skills

The software in tennis represents the intangible yet equally vital aspect of the competitive environment. It’s the mental and emotional coding that determines how well an athlete can manage pressure, navigate adversity, and sustain focused peak performance. Understanding the software is crucial to unraveling the mysteries behind why average athletes often excel under pressure, while the most talented athletes often falter.

Presetting Solutions: The Essence of Software Coding

Consider tennis as a complex program where each match presents both common obstacles and a unique set of challenges. Software coding involves setting up solutions to the probable and possible problems that may arise during matches. This proactive approach enables athletes to handle pressure situations with agility and poise, much like a well-programmed computer system responding to various inputs.

The Computer Analogy in Action

Illustrating the hardware and software analogy, imagine a player with impeccable strokes and athleticism (hardware) facing a crucial match point. The mental and emotional coding (software) comes into play as the athlete manages the pressure, makes strategic decisions, and executes with precision. It is this synchronization that differentiates the great competitors from the good players.

As we journey deeper into the tennis software revolution, keep in mind that victory requires an understanding of the mental and emotional coding that complements the physical attributes.

Let’s begin to elevate your game beyond strokes and agility to the nuanced mastery of the mind and heart.

Tennis-Uncovering Weaknesses Fortifying Strengths

Posted on September 22, 2025 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

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The following excerpt is from Frank’s Writings.

Uncovering Weaknesses Fortifying Strengths

“A world-class athlete, training ineffectively, stumbles after the cooperative game of ‘playing catch’ is traded in for the violent game of ‘keep away’ that’s found in real matches.”

Every tennis player, regardless of skill level, carries within their game a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses. These elements interweave to create your tennis identity. Begin refining by identifying and addressing the holes in your approach to “playing your game” -which is playing matches that expose your unique strengths and hiding your weaknesses. 

1 Customized Evaluation 

It is wise to seek out a mental coach experienced in the customized evaluation process. Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your game. Together, analyze matches through Zoom. The mental coach will help you identify everything you didn’t even know you needed to know.

2 Recognize Weaknesses 

Recognizing weaknesses is not about inadequacy; it’s a demonstration of honest self-awareness and a commitment to improvement. Your weaknesses are not permanent limitations; they’re the holes in your game you’ll have to fix before winning at the next level. 

3 Leveraging Your Strengths 

Each player possesses signature weapons. These unique weapons, which are abilities, can be hidden in your hardware (strokes and athleticism) or your software (mental and emotional skill sets). These strengths, used constantly, will tip the balance of close matches in their favor. 

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4 Targeted Training 

The old school, one-size-fits-all approach is obsolete. Crafting a well-rounded game requires deliberate practice and targeted training. Invest time in honing specific components customized to your needs. Apply situational awareness, distinguishing between pattern repetition and grooving fundamentals. Then add more practice sets to fortify your ability in competitive situations.

In the forthcoming chapters, we’ll explore the art of breaking free from the past and seeking opportunities in the face of adversity. By merging the insights gained from learning from losses with the strength of a well-crafted developmental plan, you’ll unveil a new, improved version of yourself as an athletic warrior.