Tag Archives: elite coach Frank Giampaolo

THE TOURNAMENT PLAYER’S CYCLE

Posted on March 18, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

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Frank Giampaolo

THE TOURNAMENT PLAYER’S CYCLE

 

Periodization training requires factoring in these 10 essential phases to insure growth as well as optimal performance during competition. Educated coaches and parents not only know what to focus on, but even more importantly; when to focus on them.

To customize your athlete’s formula for success, be sure to apply these 10 very different phases to your tournament player’s cycle.

 

The 10 Essential Phases of Tournament Play

Phase 1: Post tournament recovery -Insist they completely detach from the sport. Allow them to recover and heal their physical body, emotional wounds and the pressure of cognitive processing under stress.

Phase 2: Slowly restart the fitness component – re-introduce the athlete’s endurance, speed, agility and stretching requirements.

Phase 3: Begin match chart reviews and essential Match Play video analysis.

Topics include: Performance assessments, opponent profiling- styles of play/shifts in styles, favorite go-to patterns ( top 7), movement strengths & weaknesses, focus issues/lapses in concentration, anger/ emotional management, athletes problem solving skills, between point and changeover rituals, fundamental and secondary stroke efficiencies and deficiencies.

Phase 4: Devise an agreed upon action plan based on phase 3’s findings. This included on-court as well as off court physical, mental or emotional development. Seek weekly improvement versus the need to always win.  Focus on improving aka -fixing weaknesses.

Phase 5: Re-introduce on-court basic stroke production with dead ball- grooving/ motor programming of the new, improved strokes. Add fundamental on-court movement, spacing and footwork essentials.

Phase 6: Drill with negative scoring to re-introduce the essential emotional/ focus component. (Deduct a point for each error.) Error awareness in practice is a missing link in the art of developing the emotional muscle.

Phase 7: Introduce secondary strokes and the athlete’s customized offense, neutral, defensive patterns of play. These shot sequencing patterns are strokes with purpose and are essential pre-set protocols.

Phase 8: Begin practicing in the manner they’re expected to perform. Introduce live ball serve games, return games, rally games and approach shot versus passing shot games.

Phase 9: Introduce the essential multi-tasking requirements required in match play. Begin playing sets starting at 2-2. This adaptation allows the competitors to arrive at the important pressure packed, “money”, part of each set faster and more frequently.

Phase 10: Ask the athletes to play set-Tie Breakers (first to 7) and Championship Tie Breakers (first to 10) to insure the athlete is comfortable with the process. Before each breaker, remind the athletes to mentally revisit the set. Apply match charting to organize your game plan and opponent profiling to assess their probable strategic options.

 

PLANNING THE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE- PART 3

Posted on March 11, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

 Click Here to Order

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SAMPLE WEEKLY TRAINING SCHEDULE

 

Just as a player’s tournament schedule will vary based on their short and long term goals, a players training schedule must also be customized.  Your youngster’s requirements will dramatically vary from age divisions, maturity levels, and how well they digest information.

Training regiments also vary depending on the upcoming tournament schedule (called periodization). Obviously a player in the semi-finals of a big event would train radically different than a player four weeks away from their next tournament/team match.

Time management skill will prepare your athlete for life on and off the courts. It’s important to remember the estimated success formula to becoming world class: Approximately twenty hours a week of applying a deliberate customized developmental plan for about ten years.

The following is a sample week of one of my top nationally ranked U.S. Juniors. His long term goal was to play division 1 college tennis and then progress to the pro tours.

SAMPLE Training Week
 

Training Component

  

Time Per Week
Practice Sets/Tournament Matches:

He schedules different styles and different ability levels of opponents.

 4 Hours
Technical/Mechanical Stroke Lessons:

He corrects flaws in their primary strokes and builds upon his secondary strokes.

 2 Hours
Mental Training:

He focuses on pattern repetition. Being sure to practice his Top 7 patterns and the patterns to run to beat retrievers.

 4 Hours
Emotional Training:

He focuses on applying his between point rituals as well as his protocols to overcome performance anxieties.

 4 Hours
Video Analysis:

After videotaping a tournament match, we analyzed patterns, lapses in focus and opponent profiling.

 1 Hours
Off-Court Gym

He hits the gym to improve explosive speed and power, and to prevent injuries.

 3 Hours
Off-Court Cardio

He cross trains with a random directional approach to clean up foot speed and brain speed (hesitation).

 4 Hours
Watching Tennis on TV:

He charts the pros, spot styles of play, analyze footwork, and decipher patterns.

 2 Hours
Total Weekly Training:

(Non-Tournament Schedule)

 24 Hours

For more information, investigate how a successful athlete’ family got them there. Invite them out to lunch. Ask process oriented questions. Take notes about their developmental plan, scheduling and obstacles. Parents who have been through the wars are often eager to help.

THE FORMULA FOR ACHIEVING RESULTS- Part 1

Posted on February 22, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

 Click Here to Order

 

frank

THE FORMULA FOR ACHIEVING RESULTS

 

All too often, competitive parents and athletes have dreams they mistake for goals. The disconnect starts with confusing dreams with goals. A dream is only a goal if it has an organized plan. For example, when I ask naturally talented athletes about their goals, they most often answer with uncontrollable outcome dreams. Such as: being ranked top in the nation, winning the state championship, receiving a NCAA D-1 athletic scholarship or playing pro ball.

These are nice dreams but remember:

 

“A goal without a deliberate customized developmental plan is actually a dream in disguise.”

 

Although elite athletes may also have the above dreams, the difference is that they realize their success is a result of quantifiable performance orientated process goals. It isn’t always the most naturally gifted athletes that are successful, it is the athletes with strong work ethics, resiliency and a plan. Below are seven insights that parents should apply while navigating their child’s pathway to greatness.

 

“Championship results are achieved by focusing on the process and the process starts with a plan.”

 

 

 

Tennis and Life Lessons

Posted on January 13, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

 Click Here to Order

 

CULTIVATING LIFE LESSONS THROUGH TENNISfrank

 

Choosing to embark on this journey has lifelong benefits. It is widely known that the participation in the game of tennis cultivates life lessons. Tennis is an individual, elite sport that breed leaders.

 

“Congratulations for developing leadership qualities in your child.”

 

Communicating the important life lessons gained through tennis is a critical part of the tennis parent’s job description.

 

The Game of Tennis Inspires the Following Leadership Skills:

  1. Time management
  2. Adaptability and flexibility skills
  3. Ability to handle adversity
  4. Ability to handle stress
  5. Courage
  6. 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. Understanding of fair play and sportsmanship
  16. Development of focus
  17. Persistence
  18. Preparation skills
  19. Dedication and self-control
  20. Positive self-image

 

Without these important character skills, success on and off the court, simply won’t happen.  You see, achieving results requires thousands of hours of deliberate customized practice.  Without the above life skills, a deliberate developmental plan doesn’t happen.

 

Life skills à Process à Results

 

My favorite life lesson of the top 20 is persistence. As a coach, to see a talented player without persistence or the willingness to sacrifice and work hard is my worst nightmare! That is why at the junior levels it is often the slightly less talented who are willing to pay the price with smart work that earn all the trophies.

 

“Nothing is more common than unsuccessful tennis players with tons of physical talent.”

 

Finding a way through a tough opponent even though you’re having a bad day is persistence. Staying in the correct side of your brain even when things are clearly not going well is persistence. Staying engaged until the very last point is persistence. Now you know my favorite life lesson. What’s yours?

The Tennis Parent’s Bible- Your Athlete’s Organizational Blueprint Part 2

Posted on January 5, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

 Click Here to Order

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Preparing an organizational blue print will save you thousands of dollars annually.
It will also save your child thousands of wasted, unproductive hours, sweat and tears.

 

Your child was born with a unique genetic predisposition and is pre-wired with a specific brain and body type. Consider it carefully as you and your athlete’s coaches (your entourage) nurture your child’s talent and identify their genetic predisposition.  Individual brain and body type play a very influential role at all levels of the game (not to mention the lifelong benefits as well.)  Let’s have some fun right off the bat and jump into applying personality profiling.

So, what’s the key to maximizing success in the shortest period of time? Is it to purchase the latest equipment? Maybe it’s hiring a great local pro? What if I said… neither.

 

“The first and most important tool you will ever apply is discovering your child’s personality and brain design.”

 

Let’s look at the typical old school tennis teaching scenario. The local pro Jose Gonzales came to the United States from Chile. He was a terrific collegiate player earning a full scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth. Jose even played a few ATP pro challenger events. He found success by being extremely patient. He had a natural gift with his quick feet and he enjoyed running. He took delight in being a steady counter puncher 15 feet behind the baseline. Jose’s shot tolerance was a 20-ball rally!

As a teaching professional, he demands that each of his students abide by his playing style, disciplines and logic. Your thinking, boy that guy sounds pretty experienced, let’s hire him as our child’s coach. So, is this the right mentor for your child?

The answer is, not likely. Why? Because Jose demands that each student plays his style. The style of tennis that your child needs in order to thrive is based on his or hers own unique design. (AKA: brain and body type.)

“Asking your child to play tennis in a style that opposes their skill sets, beliefs and temperament is a recipe for disaster.
This is especially true at the beginning levels of player development and is a major factor as towhy so many of them leave this great game.”

 

One of the quickest ways to ensure that your child will quit the sport is to demand that they play a style that opposes their brain and body type. Understanding brain and body types is one of the first steps to becoming a world class parent and/or coach. Hold on tight because I am about to rock your world.

Pre-Order your Innovative Match Charting e-Book- Released Dec 17

Posted on December 7, 2021 by in Innovative Tennis Charting

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, INNOVATIVE TENNIS CHARTING.

Click Here To Pre–Order through Amazon

E-Book PRE-ORDER PRICE: $1.99

1The Team at Frank Giampaolo Books (3)

Specific Match Chart Purpose- Part – Part 3

Posted on November 25, 2021 by in Innovative Tennis Charting

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, INNOVATIVE TENNIS CHARTING.

Click Here To Pre–Order through Amazon

Innovative Tennis Charting_3D_Final

FIRST STRIKE WINNING PERCENTAGE:

In groundstroke warfare, it’s estimated that approximately 70% of the opponent’s winners come from their forehand and about 30% from their backhand. The First Strike is the very first shot your athlete hits- serve or return of serve. This chart will help identify the winning percentage of the location of your player’s serve and return of serve (First Strike) and aid in shot selection awareness.

PROPER MARGINS CHART:

It’s estimated that top ATP pros hit 86% of their groundstrokes 3-ft inside the lines. This chart identifies the amount of unnecessary risk your athlete takes while in a competitive match situation. Safe margins call for aiming three feet inside the lines and three feet above the net- allowing a bit of “wiggle room.” If proper margins are applied, hitting a shot a few feet off the mark will remain safely in play.

SHOT SELECTION CHART:

The mental game is the X’s and O’s of strategy. At the heart of tennis strategy is understanding offense, building, and defense shot selections. The most common cause of unforced errors in competitive tennis is improper shot selection. Often, the location of the incoming ball dictates a player’s high percentage shot selection option.  For example: Going for a risky offensive shot off a defensive ball is a recipe for disaster. This chart will reveal appropriate shot selection versus inappropriate/reckless shot selection.

Specific Match Chart Purpose- Part – Part 2

Posted on November 22, 2021 by in Innovative Tennis Charting

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, INNOVATIVE TENNIS CHARTING.

Click Here To Pre–Order through Amazon

Innovative Tennis Charting_3D_Final

LENGTH OF POINT CHART:

The length of your point is dictated by the athletes playing style. This chart will expose the athlete’s shot tolerance level.  Knowing shot tolerance levels will help you customize the athlete’s playing strategy.  For example: If the opponent can’t hit more than three consecutive balls in, your player doesn’t need intricate strategies; they simply need to hit 3-4 balls deep and let the opponent self-destruct. On the other hand, if the opponent has a shot tolerance of 10 balls, your player often needs to run patterns to maneuver the steady player into a vulnerable position.

MEGA POINT CHART:

Mega points are game-winning points. This chart is essential in competitive tennis because it highlights the game’s important points. Tipping a close match in your favor requires spotting a big point before it’s actually played, paying attention to match details, and running the smartest patterns.

SERVING PERCENTAGE CHART:

This chart focuses on the varying factors required to hold serve, such as serve consistency, serve location, and first and second serve win-loss percentages. Ask the athlete to focus on the factors above and let go of the serve speed. FYI: On the WTA tour, second serve win-loss percentages are the most telling factor in holding serve and deciding the outcome of the match.

Specific Match Chart Purpose- Part 1

Posted on November 19, 2021 by in Innovative Tennis Charting

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, INNOVATIVE TENNIS CHARTING.

Click Here To Pre–Order through Amazon

Innovative Tennis Charting_3D_Final

 

SPECIFIC MATCH CHART PURPOSE:

 

CAUSE OF ERROR CHART:

Tennis is a game of errors.  The first most critical step in error reduction is to spot the actual cause of the error. This chart will require you to identify the cause of the error. Once the most common cause of errors are identified, customized development begins. Note: Not all errors are caused by improper form!

COURT POSITIONING MATCH CHART:

This chart will differentiate whether playing “reactive” tennis from behind the baseline earns the best winning percentages or whether playing “proactive” tennis from inside the court increases winning percentages.  The comfortable court position the athlete prefers to play may not be the position that earns them the most points.

BETWEEN-POINT RITUALS CHART:

This chart will identify the player’s ability to stay focused and execute their critical between-point rituals. Players who do not keep their brain focused on the task at hand have to defeat two opponents-the opposition and their wandering mind. Between-point routines could be considered a second performance critical to the software development of an athlete.

 

Building Coachable Athletes- Part 3

Posted on September 1, 2021 by in The Soft Science of Tennis

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.

Click Here to Order through Amazon

Frank Giampaolo

 

Let’s Look at the Characteristics of the Coachable Athlete:

  • Willingness to Accept the Coach’s Philosophy
  • Acceptance of the Necessity for Improvement
  • Desire to be Accountable
  • Optimism and Growth Minded
  • Respectfulness
  • Acceptance of Responsibility
  • Letting Go of Excuses
  • Non-Combative Attitude
  • Open-Minded too Constructive Criticism
  • Eager to Receive Feedback
  • Respectful of the Coach’s Knowledge
  • Selflessness
  • Integrity
  • Courageous

It’s astounding how many young athletes self-sabotage their potential by choosing to ignore the above positive characteristics. Coachable athletes are taught life skills development and religiously held accountable for their morals and ethical conduct by their parents and coaches. Parents and athletes, please look for the above positive characteristics of the coachable athlete in your entourage of coaches as well. You can be sure that quality coaches will be looking for the same positive characteristics in their students and their parents.

 

In the 1st Edition of The Tennis Parents Bible (published in 2010), I wrote about the importance of positive coaching and parenting. A vital takeaway was the use of the 5-1 compliment to critique rule (verbal and non-verbal). If athletes are to fire their optimistic responses we have to provide the ammunition. I recommend exposing these qualities in timely condensed sessions. Coaches, the above 14 coachable software skills should be discussed in a creative, interactive information exchange that feels like a chat versus a moral lesson.