Captaining while playing

[SGM1980]

We completed our first match last night (and won 4 of 5 courts!) but I found that I was totally scattered during warmup and it took me two entire (lost) games to get my focus on the match when I finally started playing. I was thinking about where everyone was and how they were doing, and if the pairs I had put together we working out...

Does this get better? Do I need to just sort of check-out of other people's problems? Do non captains understand that we're dealing with our own nerves at the time, or are you angry if we're distant before a match?

 

[coyote]

We completed our first match last night (and won 4 of 5 courts!) but I found that I was totally scattered during warmup and it took me two entire (lost) games to get my focus on the match when I finally started playing. I was thinking about where everyone was and how they were doing, and if the pairs I had put together we working out...

Does this get better? Do I need to just sort of check-out of other people's problems? Do non captains understand that we're dealing with our own nerves at the time, or are you angry if we're distant before a match?

I can honestly say it does not get better. I am completely incapable of captaining and playing. I play just atrocious when I am captaining as I have too many things to consider. I am a very time conscious person and I ask my players to be there one hour early so they will at least be there 30 minutes early and I still have half the players show up five minutes early. Puts me in a very bad frame of mind.

 

[1HBHfanatic]

i dont know about Usta play, but in club play its much more relaxed, but not much more
i hated this in usta play, since their was money and/or points lost when people arrived late and/or if they did not show
in club play, i assigned people to their courts and "purposely forget about them", while im playing..
thats the only way i find, "i have to be", to be able to focus on my own game

 

[J_R_B]

We completed our first match last night (and won 4 of 5 courts!) but I found that I was totally scattered during warmup and it took me two entire (lost) games to get my focus on the match when I finally started playing. I was thinking about where everyone was and how they were doing, and if the pairs I had put together we working out...

Does this get better? Do I need to just sort of check-out of other people's problems? Do non captains understand that we're dealing with our own nerves at the time, or are you angry if we're distant before a match?

Here's a tip I learned early on. Have someone meet you to warm up 30 mins before you told your team to show up (so 45 or 50 mins before the match or whatever). There were always guys on my team who wanted to get there early and get some extra hitting in. Loosen up then, so when the others get there, you are at least warmed up and will have hit some. Between making sure everyone is there, making sure everything else is set up, meeting the opposing captain, and getting the lineups straight, you will never have time to warm up with the rest of your team right before the match.

Once everyone is on the right court and the match starts, you have to mentally block out the rest of the stuff (i.e. is my lineup working, are the other players OK, etc) and just play your match. It's not easy, but you'll be able to do it eventually.

 

[OrangePower]

We completed our first match last night (and won 4 of 5 courts!) but I found that I was totally scattered during warmup and it took me two entire (lost) games to get my focus on the match when I finally started playing. I was thinking about where everyone was and how they were doing, and if the pairs I had put together we working out...

Does this get better? Do I need to just sort of check-out of other people's problems? Do non captains understand that we're dealing with our own nerves at the time, or are you angry if we're distant before a match?

I struggled with this when I first started captaining. Over the years I've developed a routine that helps me:

I set my lineup and print it out ahead of time, typically a couple of days before. Some captains like to wait until they see which players the opponents have at the match. But I've found that this does not help me. Even knowing who is there, it's a guess as to who will be playing which line, etc. So I prefer to focus on my own lineup ahead of time, discuss with the guys playing, agree, and then everyone knows who they are playing with and at what line. One less thing to deal with on match day.

Also, because it was done well in advance, there is no second guessing once lineups are exchanged. It is what it is. Once lineups are exchanged, I can focus exclusively on my own match.

On match day, I don't get together with the opposing captain until 5 mins before the match. I ask my players to get to the match site 30 mins early. For home matches, I come 45 mins early, and use the first 15 mins to set stuff up. Home or away, 30 mins before I am focused on warming up with my teammates.

Invariably, one or more players will still not be there 10-15 minutes before the start. I ignore it. I know and trust my teammates well enough - if they are going to be really late and miss the start time, they will call or text. If they are not there 5 mins before and I've not heard from them, then I call them. But I have very rarely had to do so, so not worth worrying about prematurely.

5 mins before is when I end my warmup and go exchange lineups with the opposing captain. Then its just a matter of telling my guys which court they are playing on, who their opponents are, and wish them luck. After that things are out of my hands and I am completely focused on my own match.

 

[eelhc]

Unless you are a worrier by personality (not insinuating anything... some people just worry more than others, too much sometimes and some people don't worry enough) it'll take a few matches to get comfortable with this.

I think it's best to have a captain or co-captain available but not playing to address disputes and such... Do you have a co-captains(s)?

 

[BreakPoint]

I can honestly say it does not get better. I am completely incapable of captaining and playing. I play just atrocious when I am captaining as I have too many things to consider. I am a very time conscious person and I ask my players to be there one hour early so they will at least be there 30 minutes early and I still have half the players show up five minutes early. Puts me in a very bad frame of mind.

Agreed. Don't think it really gets much better. Just too many other things to have to think about other than focusing 100% on your own match when you are also captaining.

 

[struggle]

Heck no.

Why worry?

It's just league tennis.

 

[Possum]

If your adult players can't organize themselves, you need to leave them behind and get some people who can take care of themselves. Just my two cents. I've captained a mixed ALTA team and had no issues at all when it came to having to hold people's hands! You just need to get in to your match 100%! That's why multitasking is such a bad thing...put 100% focus in to ONE thing instead of 10% of you in to TEN things.

Good luck!

 

[lobman]

20+ years a captain and only in last few years has it gotten easier to focus significantly on my match. Even now when something like a player showing up right at match time with no warning it throws me off my match focus for a few games. Hang in there and try a beer before your match!

 

[g4driver]

In the spring, as a male captain and player, we rarely get the luxury of warming up more than the allocated 10 minutes with our opponents as we start our matches after the women's scheduled 6 pm matches finish. Sometimes we start at 730 pm as scheduled but that is extremely rare given the women in our area have gotten so terrible at starting on time, they were put on notice by our local leagues to start matches on time, or expect grievances against the female Captain by the male teams following them. Yes, it was so bad, our league warned the ladies to start on time and stop warming up for 45 minutes.

Most often we start at 8 pm, 830 and yes later, so we exchange lineups at 730 pm and send guys to courts based on who has a early meeting, flight, sick kid at home.

Our league matches are Monday- Thursday nights, with the 40+ women getting Sat or Sun afternoon, and the 55+ crowd with many retirees taking the coveted Sat am slots. Don't get me started on how dumb this is.

I just exchange lineups at match time and then assign courts as get them. Warmups are such a rare thing for us, I treat them like a State/District match where you only get 10 minutes. Dealing with multiple rainouts and rainouts of makeups are much more hectic for me as a Captain and player.

 

[SGM1980]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Obviously it's a common concern!

I do have a co-captain, but as I'm playing in nearly all of our matches I thought it would be weird to ask her to act as captain if I'm there as well. I think I will reconsider this and ask her to be acting captain for at least some of our matches.

I think it'll be easier at the home matches, as I at least won't be worrying about which courts we're on and whipping out my permit that says I can kick some poor souls off their courts for a league match (which I had to do on Tuesday, as they were played on public courts!)

Hopefully it'll get better as the season goes on and I get used to the process before the matches. I never really realized what my captain was dealing with back when I was just a player!

We have our second match tonight - wish us luck!

 

[Jim A]

(Co) Captaining for the first time this year but have stuck my nose into things before....

Most of our matches are fairly close geographically. We often have an alternate assigned in case someone gets stuck in traffic, etc along the way. Normally that is someone who isn't playing and lives somewhat close to the courts. As a co-captain I'll probably be at all of them anyway and would be the alternate when not scheduled.

Once we get going though, I dont' think about anyone else, only hurts your own game. They have to figure it out on their own and if it's not their day, nothing I can do about it.

The other captain does a good job setting lineups and getting it out in advance. We know who the big 2-3 teams are each year that will likely decide our flight.

Just don't be tight, keep the boys loose and they will respond in kind.

 

[BreakPoint]

Actually, I think there's even more to worry about when playing home matches than away matches because you have to make sure you have the courts reserved, are playing on the correct courts, have to supply the balls, have to make sure every player brings food/drinks, have to find open courts if any of your matches run over the allotted time, have to reschedule matches if it rains before or during a match, etc. If you're playing an away match, it's the other team's captain that has to worry about all of these things.

 

[BMRSNR27]

This is my 9th year as a captain, and while it's gotten better, I still get thrown off when people don't show up on time, etc. Happened to me at districts this year, actually. I blew a match because my guys didn't follow through on what they promised and I let it affect me.

It will get better, but I can't promise that it will ever be easy! I'm often told by people who go play for other captains that they appreciate the effort I put in with communication and organization - as they didn't appreciate it at the time. If you're overly organized like I've become, it makes it easier to concentrate come match time because you don't worry about things being in line.

Where I still struggle is in big matches in local league. I can get overly excited and let that throw my game off. Therefore, I won't schedule myself in such situations. I build my teams to where I'm expendable!

 

[Bionic slice]

I've played for several diff types of captains, from not knowing if you were singles or doubles, line 1,2 or 3 which sucks to playing with player/capt to playing with on a team where the captain is just the captain. It can be done but you the captain normally plays dubs, he can warm up with 3 other guys and gets his singles guys to warm up on a court and other doubles guys to warm up or alternate.
Get there early, get the other guys to talk and make sure the team is there so you can warm up a bit. Take a break and confirm. We normally ask people to arrive 40 mins early to talk, confirm no injuries or sickness, make sure they are good to go and move on the courts.
If people cant make it or don't communicate....well... they don't get to play much.

 

[PBODY99]

After over 20 years of being a captain

I ask my players to arrive for home matches 1 hr early. I warm up with the 1st players that show up, after I have checked the courts.
After you have set things up, you have to trust your team.
Enjoy your season.

 

[eelhc]

I ask my players to arrive for home matches 1 hr early. I warm up with the 1st players that show up, after I have checked the courts.
After you have set things up, you have to trust your team.
Enjoy your season.

1Hr???!!?

These players have jobs and families?

 

[BreakPoint]

I ask my players to arrive for home matches 1 hr early. I warm up with the 1st players that show up, after I have checked the courts.
After you have set things up, you have to trust your team.
Enjoy your season.

1Hr???!!?

These players have jobs and families?

Exactly. Wouldn't your players tire themselves out before the match if they warmed-up for an hour?

 

[J_R_B]

I ask my players to arrive for home matches 1 hr early. I warm up with the 1st players that show up, after I have checked the courts.
After you have set things up, you have to trust your team.
Enjoy your season.

I tell my players to show up 15-20 mins early. There are always 1 or 2 who want to show up an hour early to get extra hitting in before the match.