Avoid Outcome Oriented Questions and Negative Remarks?

Asking your child “Did you win?” after each practice match or tournament match is the Worst thing you could possibly ask!  Champions are performance oriented not outcome oriented.  How can we ask them to focus on simple performance goals, if the parents are focused only on the outcome?  Focus on saying 5 positive comments for every single negative remark.  Kids pick up every negative word, condescending tone of voice, upset facial expressions and defensive body language.  Love unconditionally and show it.

Warning ! Don’t Talk In Front of Your Child About the Economics of Chasing Their Dream

Dumping unnecessary loads of pressure on a player before or after a match is one of the most common mistakes. I have often heard parents say “if you lose one more time to someone ranked lower than you, we are pulling the plug!” “Do you know how much we are spending on tennis?” How do you expect them to hit their performance goals, if you are stressing them out about finances?

Overlooking Goal Setting

Put in writing the four sides of development and four issues to improve each month. Example: Technical – BH slice; Tactical – how to beat a pusher; Movement – develop core and speed; Emotional – closing out 5-2 leads.

Goal setting helps players stay on task and focused on the present instead of the the future. Improve now, win later!

Asking Your Child To Fix a Stroke While Still Playing Tournaments

It takes at least 4-6 weeks for a new motor skill to override an old one if you are lucky. If you put your child in a competitive situation without giving the new skill to be fully developed, you are almost guaranteeing that your child will go back to the old but flawed “comfortable” one. Understanding a new skill doesn’t just turn on after a few days practicing it will help ease the frustration. Becoming great takes time and hard work.

Understanding On Court Speed is Not Just Foot Speed

Tennis specific training requires a combination of foot speed and anticipatory speed. Working on tracking skills and proper footwork patterns is a great start to learning how to anticipate better. They don’t have to be the fastest runner on the court if they develop their anticipatory skills.

Should Always Practice With Stronger Players

Although it seems nice, asking your child always be on court with stronger players doesn’t help develop them into a well rounded player. Players need to rehearse closing out sets and matches against all different styles and levels of players. If they end up as the top-seed at a tournament, then in theory every other player is weaker. If all they have done at practice is lose to better players, where will the experience and confidence required to win come from?

Traveling to Tournaments

The stronger the player, the more they travel. Be prepared as your player takes the next step and improves. Traveling frequently is practically required for the top players in the Section. Looking ahead and making a tournament schedule that covers the next 3 months helps. Be prepared to skip some family vacations and parties.

Once at the tournament remember they are their to work hard and compete. The top priority that weekend is the tournament. If time allows in the evening or after the event, plan a fun activity like seeing a movie, going shopping, or site-seeing.

There Are No Guarantees

No matter how much money or time is spent on tennis, there is no guarantee your child will become a professional tennis player. Parents, players and coaches all want the child to succeed and will help in their own way so players can achieve their goals, but don’t over look the life skills tennis can teach. Tennis players are forced to become responsible for their actions, thoughts and time management skills at a young age. They learn to problem solve on the fly and adjust on the fly. It happens regularly on court. Through all of this players develop self confidence as they take on more and more responsibility.