What does it take to be in the Top of Men’s Tennis?

Posted: January 27, 2012 in All Tennis Fans
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Wow… Men’s tennis at its finest. These days we have the privilege of watching the best of the best in the World of tennis compete against each other at the Australian Open. I don’t know about you, but I am getting myself a ticket for that event in 2013! :) When I watch these guys battle it out, a few things stand out which are becoming more and more important if you want to be amongst the best. Here they are:

  1. Exceptional Athleticism
  2. Superb Mental Toughness
  3. Consistency. Consistency. Consistency.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the three areas:

EXCEPTIONAL ATHLETICISM. Watching Djokovic against Murray and Ferrer makes you realize how physically ready these guys are. Their SPEED and ENDURANCE is unbelievable. You can practice these two on and off court. However one thing is for sure, you need someone there to be pushing you further and further in order to surpass your own limits. Each kid training “hard” to their standard can always go harder. It is up to coaches to push them into the “beyond” section. Being physically ready is key for national and international success. Having the physical base also leads us into my next point.

SUPERB MENTAL TOUGHNESS. Being physically fit raises confidence levels. Confidence is projected on a subconscious level and opponents feel it. This gives guys an edge even before the start of a match.Knowing that you are fast, strong, and ready to play for 6 hours gives you a head start mentally. These guys are also very patient. Points lasting 20-30 rallies are common when players are so fit. You have to keep challenging the kids with games/drills that train this ability to stay in the point mentally. Clay courts are great for this as they slow the ball down and make the player hit a few extra shots to win the point. In the summer time, make sure your kids play on clay courts or with slower balls on a hard court.

CONSISTENCY.CONSISTENCY.CONSISTENCY. Tennis is not about who makes more winners. It is about who makes fewer errors. Consistency serving, returning, forehand, backhand, offense, defense… consistency is key. The most basic principle in tennis is to hit the ball over the net one more time than the other player. We often get too fancy and forget this. Watching the Aussie Open in the past few days makes you realize that the best players in the World still dominate because of this basic strategy. They get that little ball over the net more than their opponents.

Match Summary Australian Open 2012 Semi Finals
Djokovic(SRB) Murray(GBR)
  1st Serve %
104 of 171 = 61 %
110 of 174 = 63 %
  Aces
11
9
  Double Faults
6
10
  Unforced Errors
69
86
  Winning % on 1st Serve
69 of 104 = 66 %
70 of 110 = 64 %
  Winning % on 2nd Serve
30 of 67 = 45 %
19 of 64 = 30 %
  Winners
49
47
  Receiving Points Won
85 of 174 = 49 %
72 of 171 = 42 %
  Break Point Conversions
11 of 26 = 42 %
7 of 24 = 29 %
  Net Approaches
21 of 28 = 75 %
19 of 27 = 70 %
  Total Points Won
184
161
  Fastest Serve Speed
203 KMH
215 KMH
  Average 1st Serve Speed
189 KMH
184 KMH
  Average 2nd Serve Speed
157 KMH
139 KMH

Check out this clip for a great drill which practices all of the above:)

Thanks for reading. Enjoy your day!

Uros

What’s Your Story?

Posted: January 18, 2012 in All Tennis Fans
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Dear Parents, Coaches, and Tennis Fans,

What are we doing out there on the tennis court? Creating a tennis player who will win a tournament this coming weekend? Or a strong, confident, committed human being?

We often get carried away when it comes to the performance of our young ones. We are talking about kids that are 7, 8, 9 years old! These kids are exactly that…. KIDS. We, as teachers and developers (or doctors as I like to call it:) have the responsibility of developing good human beings first… and tennis players second. Or to re-phrase that… through tennis, we develop champions in life.

 

When I visited the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona, one of their key success factors was exactly that. They focus on developing human beings that will be winners in life regardless where tennis takes them. Out of millions of tennis players in this world, only the cream of the crop get to live a lavish lifestyle which we see on TV. Percentage wise, the chances of becoming the next Federer are very slim. They are not impossible, but are slim.As parents and coaches we need to have this in sight. On the other hand, kids need to dream BIG. Never tell them that a goal is unrealistic. They have their whole life to figure that one out :)

In my opinion, if we develop kids who are polite, hard-working, responsible, confident, athletic… we have achieved greatness. If one of these kids also becomes a Top 10 player, that is a bonus. However by focusing only on the Top 10 result, we might not get anywhere and are missing the big picture.

Dr. Jim Loehr is a world leader in Sport (and business) Psychology. I attended a 3 day workshop with him where we discussed the Power of Story. Check out this clip below for more info. I would highly recommend any of Dr. Loehr’s books.

One of the most valuable gifts we can give to our children is a strong inner voice. The inner voice refers to their deep down thoughts and feelings. Your outer voice becomes their inner voice. Let me repeat that. YOUR OUTER VOICE BECOMES THEIR INNER VOICE. So what that means is that we have a great privilege working with many young kids and developing them into great humans through leading by example with our body language and all our words.

Take care,

Uros

Are you ready for 2012?!

Posted: January 5, 2012 in All Tennis Fans
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Happy New Year!

Winter break is an excellent chance for everyone to recharge their batteries and recap the year. What was on your daily schedule over the past two-three weeks? Our kids train 5-6 days per week, every week… and that is just tennis. When you look at a weekly schedule of a nine-year old, you’d be surprised sometimes how much they have going on. School, homework, sports, music lessons… and then there is some free time to be kids and do what kids do. Anyway, here is what I am getting at…our kids sometimes need a break!

Just like adults need time off work and sometimes even their families, kids need their time off too. No matter how much you love what you do (in this instance tennis), you need a regular break from it. Just like wives need time away from their husbands (and vice versa), in order to maintain a healthy long-lasting relationship.

Rest is a multidimensional concept. It does not only refer to physical rest but also mental and emotional. He are two forms of rest that I have found useful when used separately or in combination.

ACTIVE REST

When I get tired from teaching all day, my favorite way of resting is hanging out with friends, cooking, or going out for a walk. Even though I am completely exhausted at the end of the day, I prefer “Active Rest” most of the time. Even though this method engages me in activity, my mind gets a complete break. Other examples include: yoga, rollerblading, photography, swimming… as long as the activity gives you joy and relaxes your mind. As you can see,  “Active Rest” still involves light activity.

PASSIVE REST

Some days, your body and mind are so fried that you just need a break. I use “Passive Rest” pretty much only when I am sick. This means a tea in one hand, and the remote control in the other:) Sit back and do nothing. This is probably the only useful time to have a TV in your house. Or Facebook. “Passive Rest” is generally a good tool to rest your body when it needs to recover from a big hit like an illness. However more and more research shows that “Active Rest” has an edge over it.

How was your Winter Break? Did your kids get a few days off?

Happy New Year and all the best!

Uros

Tennis Routines

Posted: December 9, 2011 in All Tennis Fans
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Welcome back! Today we are looking at two key routines which need to be established in my opinion before the age of 10. Good luck!

  1. Practice Routine (learning to train and training to train stage) stretching
  2. Healthy Nutrition & Hydration

PRACTICE ROUTINES make tennis or fitness training seem like a second nature to our young kids. A tennis lesson should not be a special occurrence rather it needs to be part of their weekly / daily schedule. That way they can channel their energy into hard work and improvement. A good way to integrate tennis into their week is by having a Monday-Sunday poster in their room so they exactly know when and for how long they will be practicing.

Keep in mind that at this time of their life, we need to teach our kids training habits. They are somewhere between the so-called “learning to train” and “training to train” stages. This means they are learning proper training habits and having a weekly routine will help them accomplish this faster.

A sample weekly schedule can be viewed HERE.

HEALTHY NUTRITION and HYDRATION are where all energy comes from. And having a healthy eating and drinking routine can save us all a lot of trouble down the road. What happens when a child does not eat at school and comes to the tennis lesson? He/she is cranky, does not want to work hard, and sometimes tears show up too. And we wonder why? Well, I know I would be cranky too if no food entered my stomach all day. How we can deal with it? Pack your kids a few small snacks rather than one big one. Include some fruit, nuts (if no allergies are present), cheese strings, and some crackers. Most of our kids have a diary where at the end of the day they circle a happy or a sad face depending on their nutrition and hydration for that day. And everyone would like a happy face :)

How happy are you with your nutrition today?

As far as hydration goes, some kids just forget to drink. Having a water bottle always around, and setting a goal of finishing it by the end of the practice. Without fluids, they cannot perform at their best and we need to help them get into the routine of eating and drinking like a champ.
Routine (Food + Water + Practice) = High Performance

Uros

Routines

Posted: December 2, 2011 in All Tennis Fans
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Routines are defined as “A set of customary and often mechanically performed procedures or activities“. This world functions on routines. The sun comes up and goes down, we go to bed at night, and wake up in the morning, we eat breakfast, lunch and dinner… all of the basic needs work on a routine basis. As human beings, when something becomes a routine, we do not have to think about it…it just happens naturally. When you go to drink a glass of water, there is no thinking involved; it just happens. Hence the importance of establishing routines in Tennis while young. Eliminating the process of thinking about every single thing we do in our busy day.

At the age of 8,9,10… it is much easier to establish routines than it is when you are 14 or 15. Or I should say, by the time you are 14, your routines are already set and are becoming progressively more difficult to change. They become habits.

When I think of a professional athlete who is strongly committed to routines, Rafael Nadal comes first to my mind. Take a look at this video of his physical preparation routine.

For me, establishing proper life routines is a key success factor. Note i said “life” routines. Not just “training tennis” routines.

Why routines are good for children (Raising Children Network)

Some children like and need routine more than others. In general, though, routine has the following benefits for children:

  • They can be a way of teaching younger children healthy habits, like brushing their teeth, getting some exercise, or washing their hands after using the toilet.
  • An organized and predictable home environment helps children and young people feel safe and secure.
  • Routines built around fun or spending time together strengthen relationships between parents and children. Reading a story together before bed or going for a special snack after soccer practice can become a special time for you and your children to share.
  • Having an important job to do in the family routine helps older children and teenagers develop a sense of responsibility.
  • Routines help develop basic work skills and time management.
  • Routines can help promote a feeling of safety in stressful situations or during difficult stages of development, such as puberty.

Next week, i will discuss all Tennis Related Routines which are key to establish at a young age!

Have a great weekend everyone,

Uros

Tennis Match Experience

Posted: November 25, 2011 in All Tennis Fans
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How often do you give 100%

It’s pretty simple. We either win or lose in tennis. Especially in a boys/girls mind at the age of 9. “I won today, everyone loves me, I’m the best there is, the World is mine”. Or other days it looks something like this… “I suck. My parents don’t love me, my coach likes little Johny better than me… and I hate this tennis game.” Think back when you were that age. Things seem pretty dramatic when you are 9 years old. As adults we can see a tennis match for what it really is… a tennis match. Nothing else. There are a million other things in life that are more important. OK, maybe not a million but certainly a few:)

Our job as teachers and parents is to take that pressure off our kids and to separate winning/losing from good/bad. Especially in the early stages of competition, we have to focus on development. What does Nadal say in many of his post match interviews? “I need to improve my serve….bla bla bla… I am happy with my performance, I gave my very best on the court….. but so and so was a better player today and I congratulate him and his team on a successful tournament.“

  1. Set clear match goals beforehand. By having a match preparation sheet, the competitor can write down goals which he/she will try to accomplish in the match. These should be process goals such as “I will use my forehand inside out from the baseline every time the ball comes to the middle of the court”. By setting a clear and measurable goal, we stop focusing on winning or losing. The younger the player, the simpler the goals need to be. What is crucial here is that the player sets their goals which are completely controllable by them. If the goal is out of their control, they are gambling with success. Another example of a process goal would be “I will attack every short ball i receive to the backhand of my opponent.”
  2. When watching a tennis match, observe if the goals are being accomplished. If your child made a goal to activate his/her feet when returning serve but is standing still every time they are returning, that means they are not focused on the goals anymore. There is a good chance they are thinking of winning or losing the point/match which does not help in performing at this young age. Kids are able to have a sheet in their tennis bag with their goals written down. They are always allowed to pull this sheet out when changing sides and review it. It’s like having a coach on court but so few kids use this opportunity.
  3. Review their match prep sheet afterwards. I should say, have them review it. Regardless if they won or lost the match, the success of that day needs to be measured by how well they performed their desired goals. And remember, nobody is perfect… not even your 9 year old child:)

After the match, it is best to let the kids talk first. Parents, if you are not sure what to say, simply ask questions. Imagine they are professionals and you are giving them a ride home. Ask them “How did you feel out there?” or “Were you happy with your performance today?” … you will be amazed at how sometimes their experience can be completely different from yours. The conversation might go into a completely different direction if you ask them questions… it will go into their direction rather than yours. Speak to the coach afterwards and let them know your observations (if the coach was not present). That way the coach – parent – player relationship can stay healthy for a long time.

Coach - Player - Parent

Would love to hear some comments from you… any funny conversations you had with your kids after their competitions?

Thanks

Uros

Who is the “Pack Leader” on your court?

Posted: November 18, 2011 in All Tennis Fans
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One of my great idols is Cesar Millan. Or also known as the pack leader. Yes, he is a dog trainer. If you have seen one of his shows from beginning to the end, you must have witnessed an amazing transformation. The dogs’ but also the owners’.

The psychology behind change is very interesting. People have their own ways of doing things. Good or bad, we are who we are and do things the way we have been thought or allowed to do. Many of his shows start by him observing the behavior of the family around the dog. What I find extremely interesting is that the dog never behaves around him the way it does around its owners. That is primarily due to his energy and dominant stance he takes. Have you every seen a kid be a complete goof in tennis lessons, and as soon as they enter the Karate dojo, they are transformed into a well-mannered, behaved machine? OK, by now you must be wondering…what does this have to do with TENNIS?!?

When kids aged 5-10 show up to lessons, they will test you. They will test the environment and the “leader” to see how much they can get away with. And they will go as far as you allow them to. And once you lost them, they are gone forever. It is so tough to gain back the respect and establish a controlled learning environment once you lose the kids. Learning can occur best in an environment where it is clear who the leader is, and what the boundaries of the “followers” are. We often confuse learner-centered with learner-led. Our lessons need to be centered around the needs of the leaner however need to be led by you! The PACK LEADER!!

  1. Set behavioral boundaries
  2. Demand respect
  3. Let the learning (transforming) take place

1. Kids need a set of guidelines in order to have the most fun believe it or not. They need “game boundaries” otherwise they can just do whatever. And that my friends does not go well. If you have ever experienced a setting where the kids were free to behave however they want, and they learned lots, please let me know! I would love to hear from you. We might have a shot to get on Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

2. When the coach speaks, they need to listen. If they don’t, they are probably distracting other kids in the class, so the overall importance of what you are saying has been lost. I once heard a coach say “God gave you two eyes, two ears, and only one mouth.” “So listen and observe twice as much than you speak”. :)

3. Once the environment has been set, you can really get going with the coaching (taking kids from one place to another so to speak). While learning how to play tennis  through various competitive games and drills, everyone has fun and is happy at the end of the hour.

The owners are happy when Cesar Millan transforms their dog to perform better and so will your parents if you transform their kids to play better tennis! Happy parents = a Happy Coach:)

Uros

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