Tag Archives: elite coach Frank Giampaolo

Managing Fear and Risk- Part 6

Posted on July 13, 2020 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

Managing Fear and RiskSoft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

Managing Risky Players

Like we uncovered in previous chapters, not all athletes share the same cognitive profile. We are all controlled to some extent by our genetic design. While parents and coaches promote the rewards of taking calculated risks to some athletes, it is wise to understand that other cognitive designs need polar opposite training. To these, reckless daredevils, minimizing risk is in their best interest. Some of our athletes aren’t thinking of reasons not to risk; they are thinking why not risk…

Opposite of the timid performers are the reckless athletes who are hard-wired to thrive on risk. In fact, they perform with too much reckless abandon. They are often downright mindless and inattentive to playing high percentage ball. This personality profile doesn’t have limiting beliefs; they have limitless beliefs.

I occasionally work with talented, young juniors who are so overly confident that they are sure they’re going to be #1 in the world next week! Due to their limitless beliefs, nothing is stopping them from routinely attempting low percentage shot selections. Their intuition is skewed, as we watch in horror as these impatient athletes give away relatively easy matches.

With these exciting athletes, I recommend assisting them to play only within their pre-set comfortable script of play. Firstly, assist them in designing their most proficient serving patterns, return patterns, rally patterns, short ball options, and net rushing sequences. Second, practice these exact scripts routinely in place of rallying. Third, bring in a sparring partner and monitor the athlete’s ability to stay on their pre-designed scripts throughout practice sets. Forth, in real tournament play, chart the percentage of points the athlete played on script versus going rogue. In my experience, exceptions follow every rule so shoot for a performance goal consisting of about 75% on script and 25% off-script. The athletes should seek excellence and not perfection.

 

“Champions understand that if they don’t apply intelligent risk, they don’t grow. If they don’t grow, they don’t reach their peak potential. If they aren’t performing at their peak potential, they’re not satisfied with their performance. If they’re not satisfied, they’re not happy. So, happiness stems from risking intelligently.”

 

 

Managing Fear and Risk- Part 5

Posted on July 10, 2020 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

Managing Fear and RiskSoft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

Re-Examining Risk

Neuroscience shows us that it is normal human behavior to focus on what we could lose versus what we could gain. That is why some intermediate athletes play to win, get a comfortable lead then shift to playing not to lose, only to blow the lead. Their focus on avoiding possible pain causes probable pain.

When an athlete no longer fears losing, they embrace risk and play to win until the match is over. With this mindset, competition isn’t threatening. The challenge is seen as a privilege.

Coaches and parents would be wise to remind their athletes that it is common for many athletes to be unknowingly loyal to comfortable mediocrity. Most want to fit in and not stand out. They prefer to protect the status quo and aren’t willing to break their routines that are not working anyway. It’s important for the educators to frequently motivate their athletes to remember that winning more often stems from improving, and improving comes from growing, and growing comes from risk.  It is the internal challenge every competitive athlete faces.

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Managing Fear and Risk- Part 4

Posted on July 8, 2020 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

Managing Fear and RiskSoft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

Conquering Fear through Desensitization

Let’s use the analogy of Uncle Tommy’s negative association with navigating “La Bomb” through the streets of Los Angeles with a tennis player who has a negative association with navigating tournament competition.

Like Uncle Tommy, some tennis player’s brains chemistry changes for the worst as they prepare for competition. Their attitude and behavior flip due to their pre-set emotional response to fear and risk.

Whether it’s fear of other drivers or fear of a competitor, disconnecting performance anxieties takes desensitization. This is an ongoing process of exposing the athlete to stress-busting, fear-based drills. These fear busting exercises replicate and expose the athlete to simulated versions of the emotional climate of competition.

The desensitization drills are followed by dress-rehearsal practice sets where pre-set, customized rituals and routines are in place. This pulls the athlete’s attention toward the process instead of the outcome. Repeated exposure diminishes the stronghold anxiety has on the athlete. In sports psychology, they describe it as shifting focus from the “destructive neuropathway to the new enlightened neuropathway.”

By learning and rehearsing a pro-active emotional response to fear, athletes (and even old uncles) can discover that their old belief system was merely a bad habit that formerly held them hostage.

 

Managing Fear and Risk- Part 1

Posted on June 30, 2020 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

 

Managing Fear and Riskfrank

 

I’ve been a high-performance tennis coach for over 30 years. I thrived comfortably in relative obscurity, enjoying the Southern California sun working with nationally ranked junior tennis players and coaching coaches. For 20 of those years, I secretly dreamt of writing my own tennis instructional books to positively impact the coaching industry while traveling the world.

Procrastination dominated those 20 years. I wasn’t willing to take the chance. I lacked the courage to risk leaving my base and losing my successful coaching business if I were to begin traveling. It seemed too dangerous. What if I failed? What if the books bombed? What if I wasn’t as smart as I thought?

My internal dialog was telling me that even though I had something special to share, I shouldn’t risk a good thing. I didn’t have a professional speaking experience. Why did I think I could write books?

I intuitively knew that I had to risk leaving relative comfort behind and put my old career in jeopardy in order to attract a larger audience and share my experiences and tennis developmental theories. I researched the fear and risk management process and began writing The Tennis Parents Bible. My goal was simply to complete it and if it helped a single parent or coach along their journey that would be a bonus.

Back then, no one could have told me I would go on to write four, #1 bestsellers, coach the ITF coaches and speak at the largest conferences and grand slams around the world.

Athletes respond to risk and fear differently. In my experience, while most athletes are initially overly cautious, some are overly adventurous. Success and failure in competition greatly depend on how the athlete responds to fear and risk. Results, both positive and negative, stem from repeated behavior. An athlete’s behavior is created by their attitude. Therefore, understanding and managing our athlete’s attitude toward fear and risk is worth exploring.

A great place to start when managing an athlete’s attitude is establishing a baseline of their thoughts and behaviors concerning the following common stumbling blocks. Begin by answering the following question:

  1. Do they have adversity towards fear and risk? Is it extreme or mild?
  2. Are they tolerant of fear and risk?
  3. Do they seek out fearful or risky endeavors? Is it extreme or mild?

Athletes possess different degrees of fear and risk depending on the conditions. For example, in competition, one athlete may exhibit extreme tolerance and grit while playing tennis behind the baseline and extreme adversity and fear when attacking the net. Other athletes may excel on the practice court displaying almost flawless stroke production only to shut down, choke or panic in competition. At the other end of the spectrum, some athletes possess no fear and live for the thrill of competition.

 

“Some extreme athletes hold only mild fear as they seek canoeing over Niagara Falls or bungee jumping over the Bhote Kosi River.”

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Building “Coachable” Athletes- Part 2

Posted on June 18, 2020 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 AmazonFrank Giampaolo

Is Your Athlete Un-Coachable?

A gifted but un-coachable athlete is every coach’s nightmare. The un-coachable athlete displays the following symptoms: showing up late for practice and lacking personal commitment, passion and real effort. These athletes routinely play the blame game, roll their eyes at constructive feedback and are close-minded to improvement. Un-coachable athletes spend the majority of their training sessions defending their poor choices and creating drama.

 

“Some athletes cling desperately to bad form
because they have spent years developing it.”

Being committed to one’s emotional development isn’t a genetic predisposition, it is a learned behavior nurtured by intelligent parents and coaches. Changing a talented yet un-coachable athlete into a coachable athlete takes great emotional aptitude from both the parents and coach.

Improving an athlete’s software (coach-ability) is often a prerequisite for real learning, quicker growth, and maximizing potential. I believe great coaches and parents have to facilitate coach-ability. They have to convince the athlete that change is good, which is key because learning begins with change and change begins with learning.

Emotional modification begins with the athlete being open and honest enough to develop a humble and respectful attitude, competitive drive, and willingness to learn. It includes gratefulness that a coach cares enough and is willing to tackle the un-pleasantries of the task. Teaching discipline, accountability, and responsibility is a very different job description than teaching a topspin backhand.

 

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 take away 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.

 

Building “Coachable” Athletes- Part 1

Posted on June 16, 2020 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

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Building Coachable Athletes

During a seminar, I conducted at The Wingate Sports Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel an attending woman’s volleyball coach raised her hand and asked me a great question: How does one discover their true potential? I responded, whether you’re coaching, parenting or playing your chosen sport, realize that you’re only one decision away from going up a level. The choice to avoid risk is what holds most of us back. Even before we attempt an endeavor, fear of the unknown forces most of us to retreat our efforts.

In psychology, it’s called the Spotlight Effect. The brain hesitates when it perceives there’s going to be a problem. We are hardwired to avoid pain and hardship whether it be physical, mental, or emotional.  It’s easy to slide back and continue the same old comfortable routines, but “easy” only produces average results. Tennis coaches and players habitually choose to groove another basket of balls versus shifting their focus to the actual needs of the player (cause of losses). Why? It’s far less painful.

What’s holding us back is changing our decisions to taking risks versus routinely avoiding risks. Unpredictability and uncertainty should be seen as positive gatekeepers. I recommend moving towards those feelings versus running away from them. We all have an affinity for our habits. All too often we stay too long with those habits not because they’re productive but because we’re loyal to them.

A new relationship to anything may appear risky, but truth be told, it’s often riskier to remain in an ineffective environment. The real danger lies in stagnation. We instinctively know that around the world, opponents are training smarter, faster, and more efficiently. Remaining in our comfort zone will only leave us behind the competition. To our detriment, our brains will try to sabotage any and all attempts at doing anything uncomfortable. I recommend shifting focus from the negative attitude of “what could go wrong” to the positive attitude of “what could go right.”

Whose responsibility is it to teach coach-ability? The typical response from a parent is, “I assume my child’s coaches are teaching life skills…right?” Ask a coach and the response is, “Teaching life skills are the responsibility of the parents. They’re paying me to teach their child strokes.” Ideally, these core values are the result of everyone involved in the athlete’s development, with the parents playing the decisive role. Providing children with the opportunity to take responsibility and instill accountability at an early age is not only an essential skill set for coach-ability but a vital life skill. Communication and independent problem-solving skills are the foundations of coach-ability.

 

“Two core software skills champions need most are millisecond decision making and problem-solving skills. Both of which, are not commonly found in standardized drilling.”

Assisting the 4 NF Typographies- ENFJ

Posted on June 9, 2020 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 AmazonFrank Giampaolo

Assisting the 4 NF Typographies

INFP, ENFP, INFJ, ENFJ

ENFJ: Extrovert Intuitive Feeler Judger

 

Challenge: ENFJ’s are often a bit naive and idealistic. They struggle when the competition gets tense, and confrontation arises. This brain design enjoys the socialization and athleticism of the game but gets disillusioned when unnecessary emotional drama comes into play. They can shut down and disassociate themselves under pressure.

Solution: Since confrontation is at the heart of competition, it’s wise to educate the ENFJ students to get comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Roleplay formulas to assist your athletes in making peace with nurturing the alpha competitor inside. Practice sessions should include rehearsing protocols against opponents who hook, flip the score, stall or intimidate these athletes.

 

Challenge: Due to their EF traits, ENFJ brain designs are emotional competitors. On the upside, these charismatic leaders are typically witnessed cheering for their friends and teammates. However, in their own competition, ENFJ’s can quickly turn negative.

Solution: ENFP designs also need more than their fair share of encouragement. Coaches in tune with the emotional components of athletes should realize that this squeaky wheel NEEDS the grease. Meaning, it’s often the givers who need the parents and teaching pro’s approval, praise, and positive affirmations just as much as the more demanding, pessimistic students.

 

Challenge: When coaching FJ’s, it’s important to note that they’re often highly sensitive to disapproval. Being proven wrong in their decisions doesn’t sit lightly for J types.

Solution: To maintain their high level of self-esteem, a trick of the trade is to use reverse psychology in your teaching. For example, if the ENFJ’s still tossing the ball too high on their serve, replace “Geez Joey, I’ve told you 100 times… toss slightly above the peak of your reach!” with “Nice Joey!  You’re starting to get the apex of the toss right above your strike zone. You must have lowered your toss 3 feet!” Of course, Joey didn’t lower his toss yet but guess who’s more likely to improve his toss and whose ego won’t plummet by being proven wrong?

 

Challenge: While this J type is usually keenly organized, under match day stress, they perform primarily within their NF functions. I’ve witnessed countless times that ENFJ’s play from the gut. NF’s who abort their preset script of proactive patterns and choose to go off script usually end up making reckless shot selections.

Solution: Educate the athlete to understand that winning stems from practicing in the manner in which they are expected to perform and then to perform in the manner in which they have been practicing. Remaining on the script is critical because it provides them with opportunities to do what they do best at crunch time.Soft Science of Tennis_3D_Cover_version5

How the Brain Affects Performance- Part 2

Posted on May 29, 2020 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

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How the Brain Affects Performance

Sensate (S) versus Intuitive (N)

Sensate Students

  • Choose to make decisions after analyzing.
  • Often hesitate on-court due to overthinking.
  • Thrive on the coaches’ facts versus opinions.
  • Enjoy practical details versus the “Do it cuz I said so!” method.
  • Need to know when and why not just how.
  • Success on-court is based on personal experience not theory.
  • Pragmatic need for sports science rational.
  • Comfortable backcourt players where they have more decision-making time.
  • Prefer organized, structured lessons versus time-wasting ad-lib sessions.

 

Intuitive Students

  • Trust their gut instinct and hunches over detailed facts.
  • In matches, often do first then analyze second.
  • Apply and trust their imagination with creative shot selection.
  • Thrive on new, exciting opportunities on the practice court.
  • In discussions are less interested in minute details and facts.
  • Learn quicker by being shown versus lengthy verbal explanations of the drill.
  • Seek the creative approach to the game.
  • Natural born offensive net rushers and poachers in doubles.
  • Enjoy the coaches’ metaphors and analogies.
  • Often have to be reminded of the reality of the situation.

 

“PET scan and sensing perception studies from the University of Iowa show that different brain designs use various parts of their brain. Athletes are pre-wired with their genetics. Teaching them to compete on-court within their natural guidelines versus opposing those guidelines will maximize their potential and enjoyment of our great sport.

An analogy to illustrate this point is swimming downstream and working within one’s genetic predisposition versus swimming upstream and working against one’s genetic predisposition. While it is possible to find success outside one’s dominant brain design, it is much more difficult.”

How the Brain Affects Performance -Part 1

Posted on May 27, 2020 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

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How the Brain Affects Performance

 

“Athletes who share similar cerebral inner workings also share mental and emotional strengths and weaknesses in the competitive arena.”

 

This chapter will uncover how brain design affects tennis performances. The following brain design categories can be used as an informal observation as you first profile yourself. However, I suggest going online to dozens of more in-depth questionnaires. Choose the accuracy and depth of the personality profiling questionnaire that is right for you. After a bit of research, you will recognize learning preferences that best describe your brain design.

Let’s review the basics from earlier in this book. There are 16 configurations of personality profiles found around the world. By completing your chosen questionnaire, you will discover your association – a 4-letter acronym nicknaming your personality profile. Once comfortable with the terminology, you will be able to categorize your athletes into their unique designs. Following is a list of commonalities I’ve uncovered on-court with my high-performance students.

 

Uncovering Your Students Typography

Introverts (I) versus Extroverts (E)

Introvert Students

  • Reserved, reflective thinkers.
  • Prefer concrete advice versus abstract thinking.
  • Need quiet, alone time to recharge their batteries.
  • Prefer to blend into groups versus stand out.
  • Energy conserving, private and quiet individuals.
  • Enjoy the one-on-one settings of private lessons over group lessons.
  • Prefer to retaliate in match play versus instigate action.

 

Extrovert Students

  • Enjoy the energy in group lessons with lots of people.
  • Enjoy the limelight, center court, and center stage.
  • Vocally and physically expressive on court.
  • Easily bored with mundane repetition.
  • Prefer to make things happen in matches versus retrieving.
  • View tournaments as social environments.
  • Work best in short attention span type drills.
  • Strangers are friends they haven’t met yet.
  • Benefit from stretches of silent tennis drilling.

 

“Coaching confusion takes place when an athlete’s body type (size, speed, agility, strength) opposes their hidden inner workings.

 

For example, the athlete’s body type appears to be designed to instigate action by capturing the net, but they religiously choose to stay back and retaliate instead. Typically brain design over-rides body design.”

Sports and Optimism- Part 1

Posted on May 4, 2020 by in Emotional Aptitude in Sports, Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude In Sports NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

 

With the world in disarray over the COVID-19 outbreak, there is no better time to re-focus your efforts and mindset.  The following post is an excerpt from Emotional Aptitude in Sports. All the Best, Frank

 

Optimism, Mindsets and Life Skillsea-in-sports4a_2d

There is no other way to start this book than with a glance into one of the most important topics of my life: Choosing optimism versus pessimism. Optimism is an attitude of being hopeful about the future and choosing to seek the positive versus the negative in each situation. Whereas pessimism is an attitude of doom and gloom towards the future and choosing see and/or anticipate only undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, and problems.

 

Choosing optimism isn’t just a philosophy, it’s a life strategy.

This book identifies emotional problems in high-performance sports, but most importantly it will focus its energy on the solutions. Now, before you get all skeptical, let me say, I get it, being negative is far easier than being positive. Why? Since birth, we’re all nurtured to be on the lookout for the bad. From relatives to teachers to the media, we’re bombarded by the negative. The doom and gloom subject matters seem to be the reoccurring themes.  Ironically, no one was born with a negative mindset. The world put that toxic poison inside us.

Sure, bad things occasionally happen, but so do good things. Studies clearly show that obsessing about “what’s wrong” has very little solution-based value.  I find it a bit wacky that most people seem content to vent about their problems, yet are afraid to be grateful for their blessings. It’s almost as if we’re superstitious. If I talk about the “good stuff,” someone will take it away.

In my experience, optimism is the quickest path to greater achievements. It’s the booster of the rocket ship.

The beauty of sports is that we “get” to participate…we don’t “have” to participate.

The advantages of optimism is a popular college research topic.  Findings prove that optimistic athletes enjoy benefits that their negative counterparts miss out on. Examples include:

  • Happiness and Gratefulness
  • Physical and Mental Health
  • Inner Peace and Calmness
  • Confidence and Trust
  • Popularity (Sunny dispositions attract others…)
  • Complain and Worry Less
  • Hopefulness and Openness