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In scheduling practice sets, what should my daughter focus on?

Posted on February 10, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

“I have been involved with tennis for 60 years and I have witnessed the development of the modern game. Frank has put together the most complete manual for Parents, coaches and players. I learned a lot from this book. It’s a must for every Parent and Coach who want to make the least amount of mistakes.”Carlos A. Kirmayr, Centro De Treinamento Kirmayr, Brazil

Carlos A. Kirmayr, Centro De Treinamento Kirmayr, Brazil

 

 

 

The following post is a Q & A excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailers!  Click Here to Order

QUESTION: In scheduling practice sets, what should my daughter focus on?

Frank: Design a plan of action, a focal point for each day’s practice session. The missing link I see daily is that most juniors don’t focus on improving a weak component. They only try to win. As you know by now, utilizing performance goals is the key to systematic growth.

Instead of relying on other juniors and their parents, it’s often much more efficient to hire a seasoned player and ask them to role play for two complete sets. If your child is in elementary school, hire a high school player and high school players should hire a local college player. (If your athlete has issues beating a retriever, ask the hired gun to be the most annoying pusher for both practice sets).  Also, remember that most kids are “One Set Wonders.” They meet to play sets but chat for 20 minutes, maybe complete one set then go home. After the tournaments they’re known to say…”Geez…I have such bad luck, I never win these three set matches!”

Below are 8 common topics to focus on during practice sets. (Focus only on one of the below topics at a time.)

Eight Focal Points Used During Practice Set Rehearsals:

1) How to Beat Retrievers

2) How to Beat Hard Hitting Baseliners

3) How to Beat All Court/Net Rushers

4) Focus Only on Their Top 7 Patterns

5) Focus on Spotting and Stopping the Opponent’s Top 7 Patterns

6) Focus on Offensive, Neutral and Defensive Shot Selections

7) Focus on Applying Quality Changeover and Between Point Rituals

8) Focus on Spotting Game Points (Mega Points)

The key to quality practice sets is to agree upon a pre-set improvement goal. Focus only on the improvement of that skill set versus focusing on the need to win.  You’ve heard it before but trading in that old fashion grooving back and forth with a deliberate improvement plan is in your athlete’s best interest.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

What is quality practice?

Posted on February 5, 2016 by in 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 following post is a Q & A excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible NOW available through most on-line retailer!  Click Here to Order

QUESTION: What is quality practice? You’ve said quality of practice trumps the quantity of practice. Can you give me an example?

Frank: Is your child getting the results they deserve? If not, they may be on the tennis court a ton, yet not practicing efficiently. I’ve witness’s super athletes wasting their time day after day on the practice court. Why? Sadly, the uneducated parents and intermediate coaches were to blame.

Having terrific fundamental form and winning events are two very different sets of skills. Ask your child and coach to apply these advanced training principles and they’ll soon stop wasting precious time, money and tears.

1) Vary Strike Zones

Exchange having your child’s teaching pro feeding balls right to your little darling’s perfect strike zone. Instead, ask the pro to mix in different spins, speeds and trajectories to your athletes low, medium and high strike zones. Thus, practicing in the manner they are expected to perform.

2) Hit on the Run

Replace the hours of rallying back and forth to each other with hitting on the move. Winning isn’t a game of catch, it’s a game of keep away. Thus, practicing in the manner in which they are expected to perform.

3) Practice Playing Best 2 out of 3 Sets

Replace rallying for a 20 minutes and then playing one practice set with the rehearsal of actually closing out set after set. Simply start the sets at 2-2 or every game at 30-30.  Practice closing out the critical ending stages of each game and set. Thus practicing in the manner in which they are expected to perform.

4) Practice Drilling with Patterns

Exchange consistent skills training with flexible skills training. Instead of separately hitting 100 forehands, 100 backhands followed by 50 serves, begin to rehearse running actual patterns. Have the athlete hit one serve (kick wide on the ad side for example) followed by two change of direction ground strokes immediately following the serve.

Apply negative scoring to each skill set (Make all 3 balls in the court = 1 point, miss a shot and deduct 1 point from the score. Get to 10 and then move on to another serving pattern). This replicates the flexible skills and stress management needed to win matches. Thus, practicing in the manner in which you are expected to perform.

5) Rehearse Playing Matches

Split a 2 hour lesson and do live ball play. Ask your coach to assist you in rehearsing spotting the cause of errors. Most juniors focus on perfecting their form day in and day out. The most common errors in high level match play is shot selection followed by movement and spacing errors. Spotting the actual cause of the errors is the first step.

A great saying to motivate your athlete:

 

“Let’s not simply GO through your junior tennis career; let’s GROW through your junior tennis career.”

 

CONTACT Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

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

Should Parents Be Encouraged to Watch Practice?

Posted on January 28, 2016 by in Parent Player Communication, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

“Frank Giampaolo has created a masterpiece for the competitive junior tennis player’s parents.  The Tennis Parent Bible, in its’ second edition, clearly spells out what tennis parents need to know and understand about how to navigate their tennis playing children through this maze of highly competitive and  performance driven tennis.  Don’t think about this one!  Just read it!”Lane Evans

Lane Evans, USPTA Elite Professional, iTPA Master Tennis Performance Specialist

 

 

The following post is a Q & A excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible Now Available in paperback and ebook with Amazon!!! Click Here to Order

 

QUESTION: Should parents be discouraged or encouraged to watch practice?

Frank: I encourage the parents to be involved in the learning process. There’s so much “GOOD” that comes from positive entourage synergy. However, there are two situations in which I will speak privately with the parents and explain to them that their presence during the practice session may be stunting the growth they seek.

The first situation is if the child has told me that their efforts are constantly being overly criticized by their parents or if the parents are so outcome driven, the athlete feels immense added pressure to perform perfectly or else. Athletes and their parents should seek excellence …not perfection.

“Stress and fear are not optimal learning environments. Maximizing potential comes with the freedom of making mistakes.”

Players need to experiment and try things “their own way.” Junior athletes have often confided in me that when their primary tennis parent is in attendance, they’re later bombarded for hours with a laundry list of additional failures that need to be fixed. The player begins to feel hopeless – believing that they will never be good enough.

The second situation in which a parental discussion is in order involves overly protective, mildly obsessed parents. In today’s world, they are commonly called “Helicopter” parents. The nickname comes from their neurotic hovering on and around the court every session as they attempt to dominate the coach-athlete relationship. (If you suspect that you or your spouse may be a bit of a helicopter parent, the next question is for you.)

Parents, if your child feels additional stress from your presents, it’s in everyone’s best interest to take the time to get educated in the process of raising athletic royalty. If you’re interested, I have a detailed book on the topic actually called: Raising Athletic Royalty: Insights to Inspire for a Lifetime. It’s everything you didn’t even know…you needed to know.

CONTACT: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net

 

Now Available- The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Edition

Posted on January 27, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

NOW AVAILABLE!

The Tennis Parent’s Bible 2nd Editionblack_ebook_design2

The 2nd Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible delves even deeper than the original bestselling Tennis Parent’s Bible- an essential guide for the competitive junior tennis player, parent and coach. The second edition opens the door to thousands of hours of athlete-coach specific instruction and parental job descriptions that will save thousands of dollars and hours of wasted time, tears and anguish. Frank clearly spells out what tennis parents need to know and understand about how to navigate their young tennis athletes through this maze of the highly competitive and performance driven sport.

Regardless of the stage of development, the ultimate goal of The Tennis Parent’s Bible is to maximize player potential at the quickest rate. The evolutionary state of tennis demands parents be more involved and informed. Specific roles and responsibilities of the player, coach and parent are outlined for greater synergy, team harmony and accelerate athletic growth. The Tennis Parent’s Bible is essential reading for those interested in developing confident, self-reliant and accomplished children.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

Pre-Set Emotional Match Protocols

Posted on January 25, 2016 by in Cheating, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

“The Triangle between player, coach, and parent is full of speed bumps and sharp curves! Everyone wants to accelerate and speed ahead to the supposed finish line. Too often what should be a fun and rewarding journey gets forgotten. kudos to Frank for providing a road-map to developing a better young tennis player, and a better relationship with their coaches and parents forever.

This is a great resource for every coach who wants to develop great players and most importantly, responsible young adults.”Chuck Gill USPTA

Chuck Gill, President USPTA

 

 

The following post is a Q & A excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible available for pre-order now! (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

 

QUESTION: My child is scared to call an umpire onto the court. How can we help?

Frank: As I’ve addressed throughout this book, pre-setting the emotional match protocols are as important as developing motor programs for mechanical strokes.  The solution to dealing with on-court controversy (such as calling an umpire to the court.) should already be pre-wired before the match begins.  Be sure your child is clear about the actual rules and regulations of competitive play. This requires reading the rules and regulations of the game.  Once your child is aware of the official protocol of calling an umpire to her court, she will be more confident in her proactive action.  Remind her that she works too hard to allow cheaters to steal what is rightfully hers.  Calling an umpire onto the court is demanding fair play.

 

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

How to Spot Tennis Burnout

Posted on January 17, 2016 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

“A must have, compelling read. The second edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible is a go-to guide to raising world class athletes & young adults. I highly recommend it.”PETE QUOTE PHOTO

Peter Smith, USC Men’s Tennis Coach, 5-Time NCAA Champions

 

The following post is a Q & A excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible available for pre-order now! (Pre-order with Amazon and email Linda the receipt at lindateresag@hotmail.com and get two free gifts for immediate download.) Click Here to Order

QUESTION: How do we spot tennis burn out?

Frank: Did you know that even the very best in the business don’t stay in their “Optimal Performance State” year around? ATP and WTA tour professionals rarely play more than three events in a row. They need the critical “down” time to re-charge, heal and fix flaws.

It’s not in your child’s best interest to force them to try to stay in their peak performance state 365 days a year. Taking a week off to re-charge the physical, mental and emotional batteries may help your child peak when it counts most. This is part of the periodization cycle. Yes- taking time off may help them to be more committed and focused when their tennis training commences- leading to better results.

NOTE: The number one reason junior players’ report that they want to quit tennis is due to overzealous parents unknowingly pushing them past the healthy limits.

While developing high performance athletes, I am constantly on high-alert for the warning signs of burn out. The signs of burn out can be physical, mental or emotional. Let’s look at some typical signs to assist you in knowing when it’s time for your athlete to take a break from their tennis quest.

20 Signs of Tennis Burn Out:

1) Multiple injuries.

2) Reduced flexibility in their body.

3) Complaining about fatigue.

4) Reduced concentration.

5) Fear of competition.

6) Lack of emotional control.

7) Poor judgment.

8) Decreased opponent awareness.

9) Negative verbal or physical outbursts.

10) Pessimism.

11) Lack of motivation to practice or to hit the gym.

12) Unwillingness to compete in a tournament.

13) Poor equipment preparation.

14) Appearing slow and heavy with no energy.

15) Lack of anticipation and agility.

16) Short attention span.

17) Inability to concentration.

18) Lack of concern about performance goals.

19) Low patience.

20) A sense of hopelessness.

In my opinion, if your child is showing several of the above negative signs and seems to be in a downward spiral, it may be in their best interest to put down the racquets for a while. A true contender can only stay away for a short time. Parents, allow them to heal. Then slowly re-start a deliberate customized developmental process.

SPECIAL NOTE: During your child’s time off court, encourage them to stay in physical shape by enjoying non-tennis cross training.

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

Countering Gamesmanship

Posted on January 16, 2016 by in Cheating, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

“Even if you think you are an ‘expert’ tennis coach or parent, you need to read this book.”JOHAN QUOTE PHOTO

Johan Kriek, 2-time Grand Slam Champion Australian Open

 

 

 

The following post is a Q & A excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible available for pre-order now! (Pre-order with Amazon and email Linda the receipt at lindateresag@hotmail.com and get two free gifts for immediate download.) Click Here to Order

 

QUESTION: What forms of gamesmanship should my daughter expect in tournament tennis?

Frank: “Creative Line Callers” or cheaters, unfortunately play a major role in tennis. Back in the 1980’s I had several opportunities to chat with the legend: Jack Kramer. He said that in his youth, (in the 1930’s) he estimated an average of 6 bad lines calls per competitive match. Remarkably, that number of “creative” line calls remains the same.

“Experts agree it’s most often not the number of ‘gamesmanship’ issues per match that determine the outcome but the ability or inability to recover
after the drama.”

Gamesmanship is found in every age division, from the 10 and under beginning crew to the national level juniors to the ladies leagues and all the way up to the 90 and up division of competitive play. Cheating does not go away… so parents and coaches would be wise to assist the athletes with the solutions needed to overcome these difficult situations.

“Counter gamesmanship tactics are learned behaviors.”

Communicating about possible/probable scenarios and pre-setting your child’s correct response (protocols) is a great start.  Rehearse the solutions by setting up scenarios whereby the form of gamesmanship is discussed and your child has to verbally rehearse their response sequence. Many parents and players are unaware that counter gamesmanship tactics are a learned behavior. Before we provide solutions, let’s review the top cheating antics found in tennis.

Top 10 Antics to Expect in High Level Tennis:

1) The opponent cheating on line calls (especially on game points.)

2) The opponent’s excessive stalling between points.

3) The opponent changing the score.

4) The opponent belittling your child.

5) The opponent taking several extended bathroom/trainer breaks.

6) The opponent displaying temper tantrums and slamming & breaking racquets.

7) The opponent fighting with their parents and/or referees during the match.

8) The opponent’s entourage heckling/belittling your child.

9) The opponent accusing your child of making bad line calls/cheating.

10) The opponent receiving coaching from a parent or coach through the fence.

Developing a protocol to handle each of these antics is an important learned behavior (mental and emotional.)  Organizing the solutions to these antics is a form of preventative medicine. The reason why each of the above top 10 forms of gamesmanship work so well is that secretly pull your child’s focus away from their essential performance goals and into the drama they create.

Cheaters prey on the weak which are those competitors with underdeveloped mental and emotional skills. Inexperienced players fall victim to gamesmanship as they get sucked into the drama and forget about the task at hand.

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