Every person who plays this magnificent game of tennis had a dream when starting. It may have been to win Wimbledon, become number one in the world or represent your country. No one has the right to tell you that your dreams cannot come true however I do feel it is important that throughout this journey certain information is provided to ensure that you are fully aware of your progress and probabilities of future success.
Most of us, unfortunately do not reach our dreams however having the following seven key ingredients may increase our chances of turning our dreams into reality.
1: Emotional Support. There will be highs and there will be lows. Your “inner circle”, that small group of people who will be there with you time and time again, play such a big role. They will provide motivation when you need it, a shoulder to cry on and sometimes even a reality check. Parents, training partners, coaches and friends are all common support givers. In the realm of professional tennis coaching, nurturing and maintaining this support network is vital for both mental resilience and emotional well-being.
2: Planning. They say a bad plan is better than no plan. Consider the following when devising your yearly plan
Your goals
Number of and location of tournaments
Training – improving your skills, fitness, knowledge
Ranking or tournament outcomes
Break your plan up into 12 month, six month, 3 month, monthly weekly, daily and each session. Understand you will have to change your plan based on your performance, injuries and opportunities.
3: Finance. Money, money, money. We all know that we need everything going for us if we are to reach the level we dream of. If your budget is limited you need to be smart where you choose to spend it. There is no doubt that limited funding may make the challenge even more difficult. Not being able to play overseas, not being able to work with specialists (nutritionists, psychologists etc), not being able to update your equipment etc will make the journey more challenging but also more satisfying when you achieve it.
4: Genetics. If an athlete trains hard there is no doubt that they will attain a certain level of success. However, if I am 5ft 2 in and I want to pursue my dream of becoming the world’s best high jumper, it may be almost an impossible task. Choose the sport that fits with your genetic qualities. The average height of ATP players in the top 10 is 6ft 3in. Remember there will always be exceptions and you may be one of those exceptions.
5: Positive attitude and high work ethic. People who truly love what they do will have success. These players tend to look for the positives in any given situation and develop the persistence to keep going. These special individuals tends to do “more” than is asked. Additional practise sessions, doing that extra set in the gym, and challenging themselves to progress every day, these are the athletes who can climb all the way to the top. I know it is tough to maintain a positive attitude when things don’t go to plan but remember, every day you have a chance and a choice. You have a chance to get better, if you choose to step up, forgot yesterday and give your all today then the journey is still continuing.
6: Opportunities. There will be moments in your career when you need to perform. You need to impress. If you have been working hard and your head is where it needs to be you WILL be ready to take advantage of the few chances that present themselves to you. Opportunities may be wild cards into an event, an “easier” draw or even getting a chance to play in front of a potential sponsor/coach.
7: The team. You need to have dedicated, educated and experienced people working with you. There is generally a “captain” of the ship. The decision maker. The guy who coordinates with all other specialists and devises actions plans for all aspects of your development. Each member of your team will have a specific role to fulfil. Knowing you have a team of people behind you working to achieve the goals that you have collectively agreed to, gives the player a huge edge over the competition.
For most of us the journey is better than the destination. Aim high. Challenge yourself every day. If you do what you love and love what you do, can you really ever fail?
Just the on-court tennis coaching or fitness will not suffice, look for tennis coaching center which informs, educate and provide a holistic development to your child
written by- Todd Clark