Sorry about the late post! I've been in Orlando this weekend getting some teaching professional development in. Chris Crutcher was one of the best speakers; he's an author and a child therapist who writes about his patients and ends up being banned from schools everywhere because of bad language. Funny enough, many students who read his works end up truly finding themselves as people and connect with the book at an extremely emotional level. It got me thinking that tennis is very much an emotional struggle, and many kids go through competitive tennis still mustering up the courage to step out on the court, even though they cannot control their thoughts.
I was one of those players. My entire tennis career, I can say now, made me the person I am today, and taught me many things other experiences don't have the capability of doing, even school or education through books. I struggled with my mental approach to tennis throughout my career. I was a very thoughtful player, in the sense that I had too many thoughts in my head while playing, from "That was a pathetic shot, Katie," to "Yes, I won that point, now let's get it back to deuce because this is an important game." I tried to shut off my mind loads of times, but realized that this was my kryptonite. There were times where I had a perfect balance of thought that didn't drive me crazy. Then there were times that this balance would slip, and my thoughts would pile up in my head like water bubbles boiling when a kettle of water is on the stove, finally boiling over the pot, and exploding (quite literally) my mind, creating a self collapse that would snowball and snowball. Who's thinking about tennis when your mind is fighting with itself?
There were many things that worked, and many that didn't work to help me get over this mentality crisis. Some things would work sometimes and not others. Breathing helped here and there, but sometimes it wouldn't. A coach talking/yelling at me sometimes brought me back to normalcy, others it only accelerated the boiling water approaching the top of the kettle. I'd repeat the mantra in my head that my dad, and my one true coach, always told me: "Don't try too hard." This is what I repeat now as a coach myself to other players. I tell players that I've been where you've been. Racquet slamming on the ground in frustration are unacceptable to parents, but understandable for me. Not saying that it's not unacceptable, but sometimes it takes someone who's been there to explain and be there through the range of emotions tennis (or any sport for that matter) courses through your body.
This blog isn't for answers, it is for explanation. I can't tell you what to do to "fix" the way you approach the game of tennis, but I can tell you that I've been there, like many of the coaches at Seminole High Performance, and try and give you a tiny look into my brian and into my thoughts. I can tell you this; the mental aspect of tennis is a continuing process. There are professional tennis players that are ranked top ten that struggle sometimes with their approach to the game. This isn't something you figure out and then you're good. It's a never ending process of improvement, and sometime, failure. Some things that worked for me may make you worse on the court, and some things that didn't work for me may be your salvation.
If you stick through it and don't give up, you'll emerge on the other side a more knowledgable and mature person. I know understand why my mom always told me that sport is the game of life, and that you learn how to approach life and its pressures through the game of tennis. The sport mimics life. Whatever happens, dust yourself off and get back up. It will make you stronger when you find your ground. :)
