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Building Confidence

Posted on January 26, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Tennis Specific Training, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thank you, Frank

Maximizing Tennis Potential with Frank Giampaolo

Confidence is Like Friendship 

A meaningful friendship is founded on time, energy and hard work.  The same components are found in true confidence.

Lack of confidence issues such as self-doubt and/or a negative self-image arise from how athletes view past experiences. Often, when asking an adolescent what happened during competition they reply “I don’t know, I’m horrible!”

Getting to the root of the issue is done by organizing tournament experiences using match logs. Champions have experienced losing hundreds of times more often than your junior player. The difference is how they view it.

So, how should your daughter view tournament competition? Junior tennis tournaments in general should be viewed as information gathering missions. Success lies in doubling your child’s level of competence every six months. They have to be twice as good as they were six months ago. Replace focusing on winning with focusing on improving every week.

Lack of confidence is a common issue. It sneaks into every athlete in every sport. Lack of confidence usually occurs when:

  • Not training or being trained improperly
  • Injured or illness
  • Returning to the game after an injury or illness
  • Underperformed in recent competition
  • Burnt out
  • Players in a slump may be under achieving in more than one of these issues simultaneously.

Rebuilding Confidence

Confidence is a progressive spiral of positive input which leads to positive attitude. True belief and trust is earned by doing everything in your power to be the best you can be. So let’s first look deeper at ten common stepping stones that will rekindle your child’s confidence:

  1. Re-commit to Getting Fit

Tennis specific speed, agility and stamina are key. Cross training is terrific.  Hit the gym, hit the track and get physically stronger!

  1. Clear the Mind

Re-focus on tennis! Teens can get derailed by numerous factors. School, parties, peer pressure, other sports, hobbies, shopping…etc.

  1. Proper Nutrition/Hydration

It takes just 1-2% dehydration and the body is impaired mentally and physically. This could take effect with blurred vision, mental confusion, headaches, cramping etc. As for proper nutrition, the body needs high quality protein and carbohydrates at the right time to function most efficiently.

  1. Customize the Instruction

“Practice in the manner in which you are expected to perform”. Build a game plan around exposing your child’s strengths while hiding her weaknesses. Customize her style to her brain and body type.

  1. Promote and Educate Independence

Independent problem solving promotes confidence on and off the court. Even though some parents think they are helping, it may be wise to slowly stop doing everything for your little phenom.

  1. Surround Them with Supportive People

Positive coaches, trainers and friends with character are key. Is her new boyfriend pulling her focus in a new direction? Do her new friends at school want to party and shop all the time? Is his coach pessimistic or negative?

  1. Help Others

Ask your daughter to assist the local food bank once a month and feed the homeless. Seeing the positive attitude of someone less fortunate reminds them of their terrific fortune.

  1. Avoid Negative Comments

This is any advice or stimuli that are perceived as unfavorable. The key word here is perceived. We find that derogatory comments, tone of voice, body language or even facial expressions can tear down a sensitive player’s confidence.

Examples: A friend telling your daughter “You play Amanda next? Oh no… Nobody ever beats her. She won two nationals and is ranked in the top 5!”

A coach saying ” You’re going to run 20 laps if you miss another backhand. Just do it right!”

A parent saying after a tournament loss “You always make so many errors, maybe you should quit!”

  1. Proper Warm Up and Pre Match Routines

Confidence comes from rituals. Warming up all the primary and secondary strokes. This includes swing volleys short angles, top spin lobs…etc. Proper nutrition, hydration, scouting, visualization, and going for a short run before you go on the court.

  1. Perfectionists Set the Bar Too High

Unrealistic expectations kill confidence. Parents, just because your son won last week’s tournament, don’t expect him to win every one from now on!

Players, a sure fire way to disable your confidence is to expect perfection. Even if you are in the zone for a while, it is a borrowed experience. No one owns the zone. No one stays in the zone and lives there year around.

Parents, ask your player to read through these ten common confidence busters. Do any of them apply to your child? If so, customize a plan to erase them from their preparation and performances!

Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
RaisingAThleticRoyalty.com

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Solutions to Cheater’s Antics

Posted on January 25, 2015 by in Cheating, Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following  is an excerpt from  The Tennis Parent’s Bible. Share with your junior champs these six factors used to help defuse the antics of tennis cheaters and your player will be better equipped to deal with these unethical players. It is especially important your child learn to handle the antics of cheaters for two primary reasons:

  • Cheaters are the gatekeepers of junior tennis – forcing many talented players to leave the sport early because they are unwilling/unable to tolerate the cheater’s unethical behavior.
  • Cheaters remain in the game (cheating) until the highest level ( ATP and WTA Professional Tour) – when multiple lines judges call every point!Thanks for visiting, Frank

Handling Cheaters

  1. Pre-Match Speculations

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

  1. Focus on What You Can Control

Expect about 5 bad line calls per match. This is not in your control. What is? How about the 30 unforced errors per set you commit? Limit your unforced errors to 10 per set and they can have the 5 hooks!

  1. Focus on Not Cheating Yourself

The truth is that most often we see players missing calls. That is, not calling out balls out! The average number of missed calls is six per match. Tighten up your own calls.

  1. Be Grateful

Cheaters cheat because they know down deep that their skills are no match for yours. Usually a cheater is able to win because their bad calls get you so emotional that you become distracted from your performance goals and the trap is set.

  1. Try the Standard Procedure for Handling Cheaters

First First question the bad call. When that does not work, get a line judge. When the line judge leaves after a game or two, you have two options: Be an “enabler” and let the “cheater” steal the match away from you; or take matters into your own hands and fight fire with fire.

  1. After a Confrontation Do Not Begin Play Right Away

Regain your composer first by taking a “legal” bathroom break. You will need time to get your head back into your performance goals. Remember to use your between point and change over rituals to stay focused on your game!

FUN FACT: We conducted a seminar with 26 young national level players. We asked the ten National Champions in attendance to sit in front of the class and share their insight. The first question from Joey, a 10 year old from Las Vegas was “Were you ever forced to cheat back to stop a “cheater” from trying to steal away a National title or ITF title. Guess how many champions answered yes, they were forced to take matters into their own hands and solve the problem? All ten!

Thank you for visiting.  By the way, if you think cheaters go away in college tennis, you would be mistaken! The sooner your child learns to deal with them the better.   Frank Giampaolo

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Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
RaisingAthleticRoyalty.com

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Handling Cheaters

Posted on January 24, 2015 by in Tennis Parent Education, The Tennis Parent's Bible

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

HOW SHOULD MY SON HANDLE CHEATERS?

Handling cheaters or “creative line callers” is a very common problem in all levels of tennis. But I must admit that learning to handle cheaters improves your tennis game.

Before we look at cheaters, let’s take a quick look at your own vision. That’s right, your eyes. Studies we did back in the 80’s at The Vic Braden Tennis College showed some interesting data. The human eye cannot register a two millisecond event. That means you cannot actually see the ball hit the court or watch it hit your racquet. The eye is greatly affected by two variables: perspective angles and motion blur.

First Variable: The perspective angle from which you are viewing the ball.

Try this eye opening exercise at home. My bet is that you’ll laugh as you fail miserably. Stand at the back fence on one side of a court. Turn facing the fence so you can’t see the court. Ask a friend to place 4 balls on and just beyond the service line on the other side of the net. Ask them to repeat it with 4 new balls on the opposing baseline. When the task is complete, walk slowly to your baseline and try to make 8 correct line calls. Which balls are in, which are out? Don’t forget that in match play, the ball is only sitting there for about 2 milliseconds (two one thousands of a second). Next, walk towards the other side. As you take a sideline view things change! Now go stand behind the other baseline. Things really become clear.

We find that your child may be cheated on average 5 times a match, but usually your youngster plays out balls in even more. You see balls landing a half an inch long appear right on the line from the angle behind their own baseline. This means your child may be falling into the common trap of cheating themselves!

Second Variable: The motion blur that impacts your vision when moving.

This occurs when you are running, landing, jumping etc. While in motion, your eyes are actually moving in their sockets and you could be considered “legally blind.” (That’s why you can’t read the paper as you go for your run!) So the first time your child says, “Are you sure?” your child should be asking themselves not the opponent.

Now let’s look at those Cheaters or “Creative Line Caller” from a deeper perspective. Cheaters will force your child to grow. They will stretch your child beyond their normal frustration tolerance levels. Handling cheaters is a necessary stepping stone to becoming a tennis champion.

In coming blogs, I will share with you six factors you can share with your child and they will never have to worry about playing a cheater again.  Thanks, Frank Giampaolo

 

Contact: Frank Gimapaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com

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Training Zonal Tennis

Posted on January 23, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Tennis Specific Training, The Tennis Parent's Bible

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

Frank Giampaolo

Modern Zonal Tennis

Mastering Zonal Tennis is essential for the most successful tennis career, whether it is playing junior tennis, collegiate tennis, country club tennis or professional tennis, players that choose proper shot selection (laws of zonal tennis) advance at a quicker rate. The following questions and answers may help you understand the importance of zonal tennis.

Question: “I must have spent $10,000 on lessons, forehand, backhands, serves…all the strokes.   I look like a pro during lessons, but in real match play, I stink! I can’t even beat Mildred on the super senior squad. Why?”

Frank: The quick answer is that your loses are most likely due to poor shot selection and not stroke technique. There are four causes of unforced errors in match play: Stroke Mechanics, Shot Selection, Movement/Spacing and Emotional/Composure.  The most common cause of errors in match play is poor tactical choices or shot selection.

Another interesting tidbit is that the human brain can’t consciously fix stroke mechanics while playing in the zone. Try shifting focus away from your own back-swing and follow-through and onto zonal tennis. Hitting balls short into your opponents court  or continuing to hit a ball your opponent is hitting winners on is the equivalent of asking them to beat you.

Question: “Do retrievers have all the trophies due to their elegant strokes or their well-developed shot selection skill sets?”

Frank: The player with the smartest shot selection is usually the winner. Reduce your errors by applying Zonal Tennis: the use of proper air zone and court zone tactics. Note: Be aware that exceptions shadow every rule, so use your court sense in match play.

Air Zones

The Air Zones refer to the height at which the ball travels above the net. Your court position dictates the height your shot should be traveling above the net.

The Three Air Zone:

  1. Aim 2-3 feet above net when positioned inside the court.
  2. Aim 3-5 feet above the net when positioned on the baseline.
  3. Aim 8-10 feet above the nest when positioned ten feet behind the baseline.

Unforced errors and short balls multiply dramatically when players choose to ignore the laws of the air zones.  Thanks, Frank Giampaolo

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

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Anticipatory Speed

Posted on January 22, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

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

 

Assuming that Tennis Speed is ONLY Foot Speed is a Mistake 

Have you heard of anticipatory 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.  Simply put, some humans are born with more fast-twitch muscle fibers. 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.

Your child doesn’t have to be the fastest runner on the court if they develop their anticipatory skills.  Just ask one of my all- time favorites, former #1 Lindsey Davenport.

Court Zones

Divide your side of the court (39 feet) into three even zones. The zone (location) in which your opponent’s incoming ball lands will dictate your shot selection.  The high percentage players simply match their shots intentions with the landing zone.

The Three Court Zone choices are:

  1. The Grinding Zone is located from the baseline inwards 13’
  2. The Torment Zone is located from the Grinding Zone (13’ inside the court) to approximately 26’ from the baseline.
  3. The Obliterate Zone is located from the Torment zone (26’) to the net.

Note: Advanced players should apply the same zonal warfare on the opponent’s side. Simply put, the location your shot lands on the opponent’s side dictates their shot selection options. Playing Zonal Tennis greatly increases your anticipatory speed, court coverage and shot variations.

FUN FACT: Zonal tennis warfare has been applied successfully for decades. It was known in the 1970’s by: offensive, neutral, defense zones. In the 1980’s it was popular to call the zones: defend, attack, kill.  Last decades catch phrases were:  control, hurt, and finish zones.

In the spirit of evolution, let’s coin our own phrases: Grind, Torment, Obliterate Zones. Incorporate zonal tennis into your tactical play and you’ll have a house full of trophies.

Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
www.maximixingtennispotential.com

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Solutions to Self Destructing on Court

Posted on January 21, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible. Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo0623P_0227

Self Destructing on-Court

Question: My daughter seems to self-destruct every tournament. Can you help?
Answer: Below I have outlined five solutions to eliminating self-destruction.

Choose a Solution + Rehearse the Solution = Eliminate  Self Destruction
Secrets to Eliminate Self Destruction

  1. When you are donating points with first or second strike errors, simply focus on hitting three balls clean straight down the center of the court. You’ll go from handing the opponent the trophy to making them earn a seven ball rally. Trust me, this really works.
  2. While being too eager to see your beautiful shot, you sneak a peek early, pull out of the strike zone and shank balls off the frame. A new twist on an age old tip is to simply say “bounce” when the incoming ball lands on your court and “turn” as you begin to uncoil the kinetic chain into the ball. Trick yourself into thinking that you can see the ball “hit” the strings of your racket. Wa-la! No more shanks.
  3. Future thoughts are a common enemy of high quality tennis. Thinking ahead to the award presentation, your new ranking or what your friends are going to say when you beat this seed is a sure fire path to Loserville. Focus on the present execution of your performance patterns versus the post- match outcome drama.
  4. Mistakes often lead to anger. Anger leads to increased ball speed. Increasing ball speed leads to more errors. To steady up, simply match the opponents ball speed until you get your game back to a controllable level. Yes, champions simply match the ball speed.
  5. Likewise, self-destruction leads to mindless, quick walking and reckless play. Re -commit to applying the three pillars of between point rituals. Truly get over the past points, stop for a few seconds and plan the next point’s pattern. Then apply your rehearsed relaxation rituals.

Accept the fact that sometimes your opponent will be playing in the zone and/or that you will be off your game- but this is the time you must re-focus on your training (your game). believe in your game and  apply your game strategies as best as you can. Win or loose-self-destructing on court is handing the opponent the match.  Maria Sharapova is a perfect role model for self-belief. She believes in her game and she never gives up until the last point is played! Be sure your child’s coach is training competition strategies to help eliminate on court self destruction.  Thanks, Frank Giampaolo

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

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Winning Tennis Demands Strategy

Posted on January 20, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Raising Athletic Royalty, The Tennis Parent's Bible

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The following post is an excerpt from  The tennis Parent’s Bible. Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo 0623P_5063

STRATEGY MADE SIMPLE

Let’s look at strategy in a simple, yet effective format. There are three factors in understanding strategy on the tennis court. They are generic, stylistic and customized.

 

  1. Generic Strategy

Generic strategy is simply applying the player’s core performance goals throughout each point of a tournament. Generic strategies and tactics could include getting in 70% first serves or staying neutral until you get the opponent vulnerable, then attack!

Even saying “Bounce, Hit” as the ball actually bounces off the court and hits their racquet. This age old generic tactic is a wonderful tool used to control the player’s vision and calm them down when they are overcome by the occasion.

These generic tactics will be used in January through December, from the first round through the final, in Miami or Moscow, on clay or hard courts. These are your child’s everyday “nuts and bolts” game plan.

 

  1. Stylistic Strategy

This is your child’s ability to adapt tactics depending on the current style of the opponent. Remind your child not to change a winning tactic just because the opponent changes game styles. Change is only made if the opponent starts to win and the momentum has switched to their side. Styles include retriever, hard hitting baseliner and all court players.

Our players develop and rehearse patterns used to beat each style of opponent. It is also important to note. A smart competitor will change a losing style of play (shift to plan B). Has your child developed rock solid B and C game plans? The players who are winning national titles have!

I encourage my players develop and rehearse 3 styles of play. Encourage your child to play lesser players in practice sets. This will allow them to rehearse their B and C game plans.

 

  1. Custom Strategy

This is your child’s ability to adapt to the day and the circumstances.  Competition require a player adapt to varying elements such as wind, heat, court speeds, court surfaces as well as the particular strengths and weaknesses of the current opponent.

A common word in this phase is tendencies. To borrow from the boxing world, your child needs to spot what is causing the opponent to “bleed” and then do it more. Also, it’s important to spot the cause of their “own bleeding” and stop the bleeding.

There are the two types of losing:

If your child is competing well in every game and often has the winning shot on his/her racquet, it is in their best interest to modify their tactics slightly while keeping the current strategic style of play.

If they are losing and are not even in the points or games, a much larger shift of complete game styles may be in order. For example: Take a bathroom break and then change from a hard hitting baseliner to a steady retriever style of play.

A very useful tool is video analysis. Record tournament matches as often as possible and take a “Match Play Video Analysis Lesson” with an experienced coach. That’s right, a non- hitting lesson!

Together they will spot strokes that break down under stress, movement and footwork issues, opponent awareness issues and of course tactical and strategic issues that arise under stress. This allows your coach to customize the lessons as they actually provide solutions to the real issues!

Remember: The preferred learning style of most players is the “Visual Learner”.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

For more detailed information, the USPTA has a terrific, in depth; Player Development Program that every tennis parent should read. (uspta.org)

Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

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

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Control Your Brain to Control Your Game

Posted on January 19, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Raising Athletic Royalty, The Tennis Parent's Bible

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ACCELERATE YOUR GAME WITH A QUIET MIND

The game of tennis is ultimately a mind game. There are dozens of mind games that a crafty opponent will play to disrupt your game. There are also dozens of mind games that you can play on yourself to disrupt your own game. This article will focus on controlling the inner mind games first.

In my experience, high level players often need to focus on doing less…not more when cleaning up their strokes. The same holds true with their mental game. Quieting the mind is an essential part of mental toughness.

Allowing the mind to wonder into past and/or future thoughts can destroy on-court success. I get countless phone calls from parents concerned about their child’s “inability to concentrate” during a match. They watch their children lose to seemingly “less talented” players because their child cannot seem to concentrate.

First of all, what is concentration?

Concentration is focusing your energy, attention, and intentions on a singular point or plan. A wondering mind filled with frenzied thoughts and fears can destroy a well thought out game plan. Expectations and perceptions of a match are not reality…They are simply feelings. These “thoughts” take the players away from thinking about their performance goals.

As the players let their walls down, they discover that their mind games have been the culprit of many of their past losses.

Example of Mind Games:

Past Thoughts:

This might include a past loss to the same opponent, the opponents past ranking, tournament wins, or reputation, coaches or parents comments after a bad loss, how they choked in a similar situation, a bad line call several points prior, or a missed overhead on the last point…etc.

Future Thoughts:

This might include thoughts about what will my ranking be if I win or if I lose, what will my peers think if I win or lose, will the USTA invite me to Carson if I win, what will my parents say if I lose…etc.

Uneducated players often see themselves as VICTIMS. Educated Players have learned that they are in control of their feelings and thoughts. They are taught to say “STOP” and pull their thought pattern from the Past or Future back into their Present performance thoughts.

Solution:

Videotaping players playing sets allows us to show the players what their wondering minds look like. Spotting visual clues prepares the players to control their present thoughts. So what are the proper Present thoughts?

Present Thoughts:

Present thoughts are performance goals. These may include serving to the opponents backhand, getting 60% of their first serves in, isolating their opponents weaker side, playing at a slower speed, taking swing volleys on moonballs, standing closer on their opponents second serves, adapting and problem solving…etc.

Here are three tips to give you a head start controlling your mind games: Practical application is customized to each player

  1. Sit down and re-visit Past/Present/Future thoughts. Write down the recent Past and Future thoughts you had during your last match. (WARNING: Parents be ready to have some or all of the blame passed onto you! For example: “When Mom shakes her head in disgust over an error…I lose focus and I am done!”)
  2. Understand that your mind follows your eyes. Between point rituals are made up of internal vision, not external vision. Players with wondering eyes have wondering thoughts. Focusing on your string pattern in between points may help you focus on the next performance goal.
  3. Use positive feedback. Here is an example: A player hits a terrific kick serve out wide to the advantage side, and gets a floater return up in the service box. The player attacks the net and pulls the volley just wide. A Normal player would get furious for missing such an easy volley and relive the point for the next 4-5 points. A National Champion would miss the same volley, turn, look at his strings, and smile. WHY? The Champion has just figured out how to win 90% of the big points on the ad side! Positive feedback allowed the player to spot the opponents flawed high backhand return and now knows what pattern to use in the future.

The Normal player focuses on the past, and the Champion focuses on the future.

Rehearse saying something GOOD. Find something positive to say before you address a flaw in your child. Often the most difficult and sometimes paralyzing factor in a junior’s development is an ultra-negative or jaded parent. The ratio that I recommend is to offer five positive comments for every one negative comment. Reverse psychology works wonders! The player progresses happier and quicker.

Example:

The player continually tosses the ball too low on the serve. Instead of saying “Your STILL doing it wrong…How many times…” try saying “Great! You’re getting that toss higher…I can really see the difference.” The positive comment will still remind them that they need to improve their ball toss and it is more likely that the correction will occur!  Thanks, Frank

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

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Accelerate Your Game with B and C Game Plans

Posted on January 18, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Primary and Secondary Strokes, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following in an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible. 0623P_5063

 

Ignoring their B and C Game Plans?

Developing your child’s secondary strokes is essential for the greatest tennis success. Only practicing basic ground strokes for hours each week is not the best game plan for winning tournaments.  As I say over and over- tennis is a game of keep away and not a game of catch.

At the competitive stage of tennis, 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. In lower levels of competition, continually bringing the opponent into the net is also an effective style of play.

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.

Example:

My step- daughter 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/pusher), 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.

SPECIAL NOTE: Moonball/pushers style never goes away, so your player had better learn to handle it!

Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
www.maximizingtennispotential.com
www.raisingathleticroyalty.com

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Enjoying the Athletic Journey

Posted on January 16, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Parent Player Communication, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible. Thanks, Frank Giampaolo

0623P_5063

Postponing Happiness

Good memories are your most valuable possessions. Impatience ruins the moment. Arriving at the top of the junior tennis world is a slow walk up a million steps, not a quick elevator ride to the top!

Some parents spend their child’s whole junior career frustrated, anxious and depressed. You will too, if you dwell only on failures, problems and future concerns.

Some parents postpone their happiness, gratitude and love.  I beg you to enjoy the journey. It is a wonderful game full of life lessons!

I am often told by parents, “I’ll smile when she finally wins one!”

Enjoy the journey. Your child will be off to college sooner than you think.

FUN FACT: Half the things you worry about don’t happen anyway!

Here are just a few of the addition benefits of sports affords:

  1. Time management
  2. Adaptability and flexibility skills
  3. Ability to handle adversity
  4. Ability to handle stress
  5. Courage
  6. A positive work ethic
  7. Perseverance
  8. Setting priorities
  9. Goal setting
  10. Sticking to commitments
  11. Determination
  12. Problem solving skills
  13. Spotting patterns and tendencies
  14. Discipline
  15. The understanding of fair play and sportsmanship
  16. The development of focus
  17. Persistence
  18. The importance of preparation
  19. Dedication and self-control
  20. Positive self-image

Thank you visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Contact Information:

FGSA@earthlink.net
www.maximizingtennispotential.com
www.RaisingAthleticRoyalty.com

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