OVERCOMING TENTATIVENESS
“Hi, Greg. Could you give me a tip on how not to be tentative during a match? I have played (and somehow won) several ladder matches recently where I got tentative and didn’t set up and swing through. I started pushing the ball. I never do this when I am just hitting, only during a match”. Cynthia
The key to solving this problem is to acknowledge and address your fears. For example, being nervous before and during the beginning of a match is normal—even the best players in the world get nervous. However, these players redirect their nervous energy and realize that being nervous is a sign that they care and are ready to compete.
Acknowledge your pre- and early-game nervousness and then tell yourself that your goal is to go out and give 100% each time you play. This is all that you can ask of yourself. Give 100 percent effort every time you play!
Concentrating on winning or losing is another anxiety producer, one that can be very detrimental. I remember my college tennis coach, Hugh Thompson, advising me to "play one point at a time, and winning will take care of itself.” I had previously lost numerous matches against players I knew I could beat. I was so concerned with winning that I started out anxiously and became progressively more anxious and frustrated if things didn’t go well. It was a negative, downward spiral. Once I had the "play one point at a time" mindset, however, I made a great mental breakthrough. I found myself able to concentrate on the process (each point) rather than the outcome (winning or losing), and the results were dramatic: I moved from number 6 on the team to number 1 within a few months.
It is also helpful to view competition as a growth opportunity no matter what the final score. When you win, you must have done many things right. Review what worked well for you. Did you execute any new skills? Did you focus on consistency? Did you do your best every point? Did you stay in the here and now? When you lose, a review is equally beneficial. What do I need to develop in my game to compete more favorably in the future? What worked well? What needs improvement? It’s also a good idea to ask your opponents what you need to work on. Most likely, they will provide you with some valuable information.
One last mental tip is to write down what you worry about during competition and then review the list. Which items are legitimate concerns and need to be addressed? What are detrimental to your performance and should be eliminated? Let’s say one of the items on your list is “I don’t want to let my partner down.” In this case, remind yourself that all you can do is give 100% when you play and that everything else is incidental. Then cross this concern off your list.
© Greg Fowler