As we navigate the process of our junior players in their pursuit to maximize their potential and reach high level goals, we find ourselves looking for what to do to get there. The longer that I am around the game, the more that I learn that it is not in fact WHAT the kids are doing to get better, but it is the HOW they do things that helps them get better at faster rates. My goal with the program is simply to have a daily environment where excellence is practiced. At the end of the day, tennis is tennis. While there have been technological advancements that have increased the amount of power and spin that players can generate among other things, the rules have not changed much, the space is the same, the balls are the same, and the surfaces and conditions are also the same. This is great because I don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make sure that our kids go far!!!
As a society, we face new challenges because kids and adults have become very vulnerable to instant gratification. I love sports because they teach patience, preparation, resiliency, process, teamwork, failure, and triumph. These are some of the attributes that I work hard to build in me and in those that I get to influence. Research shows that the more that we invest in developing strong character qualities in our youth, the more chances they will have to achieve success, and the longer that this success will last!!!!
Let’s trust the process!! Let’s make sure that we praise the behavior, the effort, and the engagement over the results. A constant focus on improving those three areas guarantees progress, and progress is what we are after!!! Remember it is always about the HOW!!!!