How to Focus on Tennis
Learning the tennis technique correctly is essential for a child to have a solid foundation, which will allow him to evolve into a future tennis player. With good technique, both well-incorporated and well-assimilated, a child can concentrate on learning to compete when that moment presents itself. The training stage cannot be limited exclusively to technique, though. A child also needs to be trained as a person; he or she needs a strong psychological state, which will help him or her to compete more safely in the future. To begin, it is important for the child to set clear goals and know the path he or she wants to take with tennis.
To Become a Good Tennis Player the Child Needs to Cultivate:
1) Good behavior, on and off the court. He or she has to have respect for the tennis coach, as well as his or her parents, teammates and team. In order to believe that he or she has great potential, it is not necessary to win many tennis matches, and thinking that he or she must win can ruin things. If the child does not listen to those around him or her, if he or she is not respectful to others, the child is simply closing a lot of doors, and advancing will be difficult.
2) The will to learn tennis. As much as he or she may be surrounded by the best environment, only the child alone is the only one who can become a great tennis player. Only the child can choose to love it, and therefore, make an effort. A child must know that excuses are only for losers, and this belief can mainly be implemented by the adults that surround him or her.
3) The discipline to progress every day. As days go by, the puzzle will begin to be assembled. Be methodical and orderly, without becoming meticulous and obsessive.
4) The determination to develop a unique style of playing tennis. This identity will build self-confidence, a vital quality when it comes to winning tennis matches. The key to this lies in the child receiving simple messages, devoid of contradictions.
5) Patience. Nothing is achieved in the blink of an eye. You don’t learn to play tennis in a week, and even less so, to compete. Getting to know what is expected of the child will help him or her practice patience, a virtue that is not easily learned. For a child to achieve patience, it is essential for him or her to become a calm and confident tennis player.
6) Having fun. The hard work needs to be accompanied by fun, both on and off the tennis court. This attenuates mental fatigue, and also prevents the child from burning out. This will help him or her to develop pleasure while hitting the tennis ball, playing the game, and participating in a tennis tournament. This way, pleasure will come from playing tennis, rather than winning. It will be about being a part of something, and most important, just being.
Coach Guillermo Minutella