June 2004 -- Question: I understand the point that once people have played tennis for a long time, it is often difficult to make changes in their games. In fact, it sometimes seems impossible! I have one player who “gets it” in practice but struggles in matches and can’t seem to perform as well. Can you shed any light on this topic?
Answer: This is one of the most important topics facing a tennis teacher. How do you make changes in a person’s game that can help them advance to the next level? This issue does not just limit itself to strokes and technique. We have to also consider how to make improvements in movement, fitness, mental toughness, and strategy and tactics. Additionally, there are many directions I could go with my response so I will limit my answer to one area.
In my experience, there is one factor that is seldom discussed about making changes to a person’s game. We all understand error detection and correction, and we know about movement drills to improve quickness and agility. We also understand techniques of proper training to help the athlete become fitter, stronger and more flexible. We have knowledge of the four stages between points, how to help them manage mistakes and crises, and how to prepare mentally for a match. We also know how to help players evaluate what they did right or wrong during a match to help them improve how they play and finish points. But, we often don’t discuss the environment in which we do all these things. One area that prevents a player from improving faster than thought possible is safety of the learning environment. In the case of your question, the learning environment is match play. Your student has already mastered the change in practice.
Now, before going any further, I have to clarify that I believe the vast majority of our membership understands safety but, unfortunately, it is often out of one’s control. You usually can’t control peer groups, parents and other relatives, or any other influencers of your players.
Overcoming fear
We, as teachers, understand that every player desires to improve. That desire for improvement, however, is often undermined by emotions that could be deep in nature. The most common is fear. This ranges from fear of losing to fear of what others will think or say. Let’s say you have a player who has a two-handed backhand and cannot hit a one-handed approach on a low ball. The player beats most opponents but you know in your “tennis heart” that this player must learn to hit a one-handed approach shot or he will never be as good as he desires. In practice, he’s got it; the most beautiful one-handed approach shot a person could have. Then, match day comes. The first short ball low to his backhand side is on its way. Your player moves forward, prepares well and then, it happens. The ball flies off his racquet and looks more like it was launched into orbit rather than struck with control. Your player looks at you in disbelief and never hits another one-handed approach the entire match. Why? It could be fear.
Fear of losing is often paramount to a player. She just doesn’t want to lose, for whatever reason, and will do anything within her power to
not lose. In other words, the player doesn’t feel safe in learning a new stroke if
it will cost her the match. Somewhere along the growth path, this player has learned that there is
nothing more important than winning. Another player might have the attitude that there is
nothing more important than what someone else (a parent, coach, friend, etc.) thinks about them and their game. Self-esteem is tied up in something other than improving. “Improvement” in tennis may be
way down on that person’s need list, whereas “winning” may be extremely high.
The problem for tennis coaches
If life were left solely up to you, I am sure you could create a safe environment for your players and they would improve dramatically in all aspects of their games. However, you have little control over their parents and what the parents say at home, nor do you have control over what their peer groups reinforce to them. Your dilemma then is to help your athletes improve when, sometimes, you have little or no control of how they are going to use your instruction when it counts in a match.
What to do
The key to solving this problem, in my humble opinion, is communication. Communication begins first with the player. You have to make it “safe” for them to open up to you and discuss what might be going on. In practice, where there is no accountability to parents or peer groups, everything is fine. The ball is hit cleanly and the player improves at a tremendous rate. Then, the accountability time comes – a match, where everyone knows if you win or lose and by how much.
Perhaps you will need to sit down with the parents to discuss exactly what your goals and the player’s goals are. It’s likely that you might even have to say something like this: “If she loses in the first round, I don’t care
and I am asking you not to care either. However, I
do care that, on every short ball to her backhand side, she uses a one-handed approach shot. If she does that, she
wins; maybe not the match, but she wins. I hope you will support this off the court as well.” If it is the peer group with which your player is concerned, you will have to help the player put everything in perspective; not necessarily an easy task.
Summary
Whatever the situation before you, communication and understanding are keys to breaking through the rut of not improving in competitive situations. All players want to be better in all aspects of their games. We just have to understand what is holding them back. It’s often their perception and framing of everything around them.
Send questions to jgroppel@LGEPerformance.com.
