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Real Cause of Errors

Posted on August 17, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Question: How do we assist our son in decreasing his unforced errors?

Frank: In my opinion, decreasing unforced errors always starts with the identification process. On numerous occasions, I have asked parents and coaches to chart ranked players utilizing The Cause of Error Chart. (Found in Match Chart Collection at Maximizingtennispotential.com). The results were very interesting.

While the majority of the international coaches solely focused on stroke production year in-year out, the main cause of errors were consistently shot selection and NOT form.

I suggest applying the cause of error chart to identify your athletes leading cause of error. I have found that the most common cause of errors in high level athlete’s are Mental-Shot Selection, followed by  Movement-Spacing, a very close third was Emotional-Performance Anxieties…and last on the list…Technical-Stroke Mechanics!

Because poor shot selection is the leading cause of errors at the higher competitive junior levels. Shot selection starts with understanding that in between each shot in a rally, there are only about 2 milliseconds of actual decision making time. So, how much can you analyze in that small amount of time? The answer is not much. This means that most shot selection options are learned behaviors acquired on the practice court. That is right. These tools must be wired into a player’s game way before the tournament begins. Pre-setting offence, neutral, defensive and directional options is mental training.

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
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Mentally Tough Component

Posted on August 15, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

 

Ten Essential Components of the Mental/Emotional Tough Competitor:

  1. Dedicate physically, mentally and emotionally to the process of becoming mentally tough. Without full commitment, it is unlikely mentally toughness will be achieved.  Mental/emotional toughness can only be mastered by someone who is ready to dig deeper into the strategic, stubborn protocols of winning and the psychology of defeating their own demons.

 

  1. Acknowledge that being mentally/emotionally tough isn’t reserved for the gifted few. Mental/emotional toughness as well as mental/emotional weakness is a learned-earned behavior.

People around the world from the passive Buddhist monks to the aggressive Navy Seals spend each day developing their mental/emotional toughness skills.  Some juniors have unknowingly invented their own mental/emotional weakness protocols and because they don’t know better, return to them religiously under stress.

 

  1. Decide to stay the course and confront hardship instead of bailing out at the first sign of confrontation.

Psychologists call it the fight or flight syndrome. Choosing to persevere through difficult circumstances leads to improved confidence. Getting in superb physical shape is a great place to start. Begin the journey by fighting through exhaustion, pain and discomfort.

 

  1. On a daily basis, multi-task and build the mental/emotional muscles along with stroke production.

Closing out every single drill develops mental/emotional toughness. Negative scoring (Drill to 10 – subtracting 1 for each error.) to each physical practice session to rehearse overcoming hardships.

 

  1. Commit to a deliberate custmentallylf-trust are learned and earned.

Choosing to do what the moment demands within a millisecond requires preset protocol training- the deliberate, customized repetition that incorporates how, when and why pre-set solutions (protocols) are applied.

 

  1. Accept that becoming mentally tough requires sacrifice. You must choose to be a normal ‘kid’ or a champion. You have to pick one…because you can’t be both.

Mental toughness requires you prioritize your time- putting everyday normal ‘kid stuff’ aside, most of the time, as you becomes athletic royalty.

 

  1. Develop the ability to employ the art of intimidation and to raise the adrenaline level at crunch time.

Raising positive energy at crunch time inflates the athlete’s performance while systematically deflates the opponent’s performance. Intimidation is the confidence role/act that begins pre-game as the athlete morphs into a ‘warrior.’  Staying in that ‘warrior’ mind-set or on-script throughout the competition is essential.

 

  1. Choose to be a courageous competitor – playing to win versus playing not to lose.

Applying the strategically correct system the moment demands under pressure, without fear or hesitation, no matter the score, the opponent or seeding is essential.

 

  1. Master the ability to handle adversity – such as poor start times, adverse elements, occasional sickness, minor injuries, and/or gamesmanship.

Choosing to see disadvantages as challenges versus obstacles too difficult to overcome is mental/emotional toughness.

 

  1. Persevere and be willing and able to remain on course and stay on-script longer…

Most good athletes are able to perform like a ‘pro’ occasionally. Greatness stems from an athlete’s ability to perform good after good. Consistently remaining in the peak performance state is essential in the higher echelons of sports.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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Spotting Burnout

Posted on August 12, 2015 by in The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

 

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. 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. 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.

25 Signs of Tennis Burn Out:

  • Multiple injuries
  • Reduced flexibility in their body
  • Complaining about Fatigue
  • Reduced concentration
  • Fear of competition
  • Lack of emotional control
  • Lack of strategy and judgment
  • Poor opponent awareness
  • Negative verbal or physical outbursts
  • Pessimism
  • Negative attitude
  • Lack of motivation to attend practice or to hit the gym
  • Lack of motivation to compete in a tournament
  • Poor equipment preparation
  • Appearing slow and heavy with no energy
  • Lack of anticipation and agility
  • Negative facial expressions
  • Negative body language
  • Short attention span
  • Eyes wondering outside the court
  • Inability to concentration
  • Lack of concern about performance goals
  • Low patience
  • Lack of enthusiasm
  • 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 their 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
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Athletic Perfectionism?

Posted on August 10, 2015 by in The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

 

Frank Giampaolo

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

Perfectionists are often unwilling to learn because that omits a short coming or flaw. Their overriding primary concern is to prove that they’re always right. Does this antagonistic, defensive behavior hurt their chances of success? You bet…in tennis and life.

Perfectionist or not, no one likes to be criticized. If you have a perfectionist athlete, ask them to be open to suggestions, be willing to discuss options, be interested in feedback and teamwork. Maximizing potential at the quickest rate depends on teamwork.

 

“The path to the top is a positive and negative spiral …3 steps forward 2 steps back.”

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
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Essential Tennis Skills

Posted on August 8, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

 

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloMaximizing Tennis Potential with Frank Giampaolo

 

Accelerate your child’s game with proper physical training.  Modern high level tennis demands high level athleticism.  Ignoring training and only focusing on stroke mechanics will severely limit any athletes potential.

The Following Training Skills are Essential to High Performance Tennis Athletes:

  • Lateral Movement (Side to side)
  • Up & Back Movement (Forward & back)
  • Aerobic Fitness
  • Ability to Accelerate
  • Ability to Decelerate
  • Speed/Agility
  • Stamina
  • Recovery Time between Points/Plays
  • Recovery Time between Matches/Games
  • Strength (Upper body/core/lower body)
  • Body Coordination (Gross motor skills)
  • Hand-Eye Coordination (Fine motor skills)
  • Flexibility/Stretching
  • Anticipatory Speed

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
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Tennis Hobbyist

Posted on August 5, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

A partially committed parent is simply a hobbyist. That’s fine – tennis is an incredible hobby that teaches many life lessons. However, a hobbyist parent should be satisfied with raising a hobbyist tennis player and not expect champion results. In today’s game, it’s unfair to expect your child to become a champion without parental commitment.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
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Bad Line Calls

Posted on August 3, 2015 by in Cheating, Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Frank Giampaolo Maximizing Tennis Potential Junior Tennis

Q: Is gamesmanship new to the game?

Frank: Let me share a story regarding Jack Kramer. Back in the 1990’s I had several opportunities to chat with the legend. One of our topics was regarding these “creative line callers”. Jack said that back in his youth, (in the 1930’s) as a top ranked junior, he estimated that there were an average of 6 bad lines calls for most of his competitive matches. Remarkably, that number of creative line calls remains the same.

Experts agree it’s not only the number of “gamesmanship” issues per match that determine the outcome of the match but the ability or inability to recover and persevere. Gamesmanship is found in every age division, from the 10 and under beginning crew to the national level juniors to the ladies leagues all the way up to the 90 and up division of competitive play. The point being is that it isn’t going away, so parents and coaches would be wise to assist the athletes with the solutions needed to overcome these difficult situations.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
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Poor Pre-Match Preparation

Posted on July 31, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloMaximizing Tennis Potential with Frank Giampaolo

Poor Pre-Match Preparation

  1. Changing fundamental grips or strokes– Changing fundamental grips or strokes just before an event often leads to not having the old stroke any longer and not having the new stroke ready for match play.
  2. Cramming for the event by overloading the practice schedule. This behavior often leads to drained, low batteries on match day.

3.Overdoing the off-court training– Overdoing the off-court training the days just before an event, often leads to soreness, fatigue and injuries come match day.

  1. Adding unfamiliar components to routines– Adding unfamiliar components (such as exercises, practice routines, stroke preparation, meals, etc.) could lead to physical, mental and emotional confusion.
  2. Seeking out only “Up” practice matches– Seeking out only “Up” practice matches breeds low self-esteem and zero confidence.

6.Warming up past the point of diminishing returns-Warming up the same strokes too long often leads to your mind playing tricks on you. A seemingly solid stroke may appear to be flawed by over analysis.

Exception to the Rule: Often players and/or parents do not want to get off the tournament trail due to the ranking race.  In this situation, changes must be made to improve while on the tournament trail. Players/parents will have to accept the fact that losing a battle or two may be in order to win the war. In other words a player may have to lose a minor tournament or two in order to improve enough to be able to win Major tournaments in the future.

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
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Pre-Match Preparation

Posted on July 29, 2015 by in Match Day Preparation

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

 

Intelligent Pre-Match Preparation:

  1. Train repetition of primary and secondary strokes. This grooves the athlete’s timing and increases their confidence in every tool in their tool belt.
  2. Train repetition of proactive patterns. This leads to fast cognitive processing speed, no hesitation and faith in the patterns.
  3. Perform light off-court training. This leads to the reduction of injuries and increased strength and stamina.
  4. Preset mental protocols. Pre-planning how to beat the different styles of opponents leads to confidence and dependable problem-solving skills.
  5. Preset emotional protocols. Pre-planning how to conquer performance anxieties leads to self-assurance and trust under stress.

 

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
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Tennis Cheaters

Posted on July 27, 2015 by in The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thanks for visiting, Frank GiampaoloThe Tennis Parent's Bible by Frank Giampaolo

 

Question: My son allows opponents to hook him time after time and then proceeds to get angry and play worse.  How do we explain to him that his fear of confrontation is the reason he is getting so angry?

Frank: This is much more common than parent think. Especially with only children or privileged athletes who never had to battle for the last slice of pizza or the remote control. Confronting adversity is a learned behavior. Champions have learned not to avoid confrontation but to meet it head on.

“Progress usually doesn’t happen without Confrontation”

Confrontation should be seen as negotiation versus a fight. By allowing opponents to hook and avoiding the fight, your son is likely manifesting internal anger. This anger stops the positive, confident attitude essential to playing at the peak performance level.  So by allowing the cheater to cheat, your son is

Remember channel capacity? This neuroscience term states that the human brain cannot solve two complicated tasks simultaneously. It sounds like his negative self-condemnation overtakes his performance goals which lead to him donating games away.  Explain to him that standing up to the confronting gamesmanship is part of the competitive arena and that he must have pre-set protocols to deal with it. (Dealing with confrontation is a life issue- it is likely present in all areas of his life- not just tennis.)

 

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Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
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