Every school has one - a PTA or parent teacher association but practically no tennis clubs have a CTO (club tennis association), a CPA (club pro association), or a PCA (player club organization.

Why not?

The PTA addresses collective concerns of the parents relative to that of the schools ongoing activities. The PTA connects parents and teachers to address their concerns and so could a CTO, CPA, or a PCA. The PTA requests additional teacher support or school support and so could a CTO, a CPA, or a PCA. The PTA provides feedback to the school and its teachers as to how things are going or not going and so could a CTO, CPA or a PCA. The PTA brings in guest speakers, brings in book fairs, and conducts fund raisers and so could ...

You get the point, so maybe its time to pursue this helpful association.

Thanks for joining us on our journey!

TR
www.tennisrockers.com

Is it really just the mental game of tennis or is there an emotional game as well?

When we make a mistake that costs points in a game or looks silly to our coaches and practice partners are we really just thinking a thought or are we feeling something as well?

If we sing along to a rock song are we just thinking about the words that were said or are we caught up in the emotion of the beat, harmony, or melody and just going with the flow?

In both playing tennis or singing along to a rock song, we're using our heads (the mental side) and our hearts (the emotional side) in engaging with either of these activities.

Whether playing an instrument or playing with a racquet, we need to employ our "mental" or thinking capabilities in order to know what to do and when to do it. But once we engage in this play, our "other" capability, our emotional capability, kicks in and starts affecting our play.

You miss an “easy shot” and chastise yourself with “I suck” or “come on, you’re better than that” or you go old school with your inner coach and tell yourself about how you don’t belong there. These are thoughts, but they emanate from feelings - raw feelings of disgust or anger at your abilities or sadness at your potential loss of points or the game at the hands of your insufficient skills. They are feelings that have been built up from years of living life: interactions with family, friends, coaches, teachers and people who have floated in and out of your life. Feelings that have likely been allowed to fester because you likely didn’t have anyone with whom to talk it through. You didn’t have a support group.

In this episode, we explore the importance of starting and maintaining your own personal support group to deal with your feelings.

Thanks for joining us on our journey!
www.tennisrockers.com
96

Where’s the transition plan for all tennis players?

A plan developed from a careful and considerate evaluation of each players emotional, mental, physical, and tactical abilities to play the game of tennis? A plan which provides a path forward for each individual tennis player to pursue based on their results.

Without analysis and conclusion a path and a plan can’t be proposed and a player is left to guess and either overestimate or underestimate their potential in tennis.

If a child starts playing and taking lessons, what is their path forward in tennis?

• Do they just continue to play as a recreational player?
• Do they just play high school tennis and then play recreational tennis for the rest of their lives?
• Maybe they try to play for the college club team or try to make it into a D3 school?
• Should they even try to make a D1 college team?
• At what point is pro an actual consideration?

Don’t all players deserve an answer to the question “now what”?

In this episode, we explore the possibilities of creating a national testing plan to help tennis players get realistic feedback on their potential and receive a plan which sets out a path forward.

Thanks for joining us on our journey!
www.tennisrockers.com