it's tough being a tennis parent

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

That thread was a really different issue. I'm talking about encouraging the players and cheering good play. It's part of sport. It's part of why players compete. It's a big part of the fun. Kids should have fun. Tennis should be fun. That doesn't mean hit and giggle. You can't train hard, play hard, have big goals. Competing should be fun. Just my opinion that the fear of coaching or cheating really stifles the sport at the junior level.

You are right but cheering, and encouraging is part of what parents go through at Jr tennis, this whole thread is about tennis parents and so was your thread.

That is the problem, it is not as fun as you think it is in the U12-U18. At some point the serious kids know they are going to work, it is their job and some even hate it deep inside. When you start competing at this level and you see the crazy parents, the cheering and the encouraging between points, it is a big turn off. The lack of respect, it gets ugly. Sometimes you just want to quit.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

You know, it's funny. We have all these threads debating how to get more kids to play tennis.... and yet comparing a tennis tournament to a chess tournament. We want more kids, not less.

you would be surprised how many entered that tournament. There were over forty four kids. The good thing is girls can play against boys, we do have co ed at the u8 level in Jr Tennis maybe we should extend that to U10. In the end chess is a strategy game (100% mental), you have to be patient and quite to win, similar to tennis which is 90% mental and only 10% physical.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

Yeah, but that's with orange chess pieces... wait 'till he gets on regulation!

no only back and white the mind is an organ that a 6 year old can use to beat an adult in chess. My sons coach was #1 in the nation by age 6 in his age group. Now he is 5th in the nation and 15? in the world; at age 16, it is scary. He plays tennis like he plays chess.

[High Rustler]

Good read. I was never a fan of cheering clapping, anything, and do my best to keep totally quiet during a match. I beleive in the kids setteling it on the court completely free of distraction or influence. I do the fist pump to my kid when he makes a great shot. I will occasionally cheer a good point, but I beleive it's extremely difficult to do so without favoring your kid, and I try not to do it at all.

I've come to appreciate like-minded parents.

[andfor]

Originally Posted by High Rustler

Good read. I was never a fan of cheering clapping, anything, and do my best to keep totally quiet during a match. I beleive in the kids setteling it on the court completely free of distraction or influence. I do the fist pump to my kid when he makes a great shot. I will occasionally cheer a good point, but I beleive it's extremely difficult to do so without favoring your kid, and I try not to do it at all.

I've come to appreciate like-minded parents.

Continue to reinforce giving his best effort in practice and match play. Really all a tennis player can control is their effort and attitude. Focus on improvement, max effort and a good attitude over results. It has to be fun on some level to stay out there long enough to have productive practices leading to the improvement.

Here's some good stuff on how to play a pusher from, shhhhh, it's from the USTA. http://www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Gam...inst_a_Pusher/

The best advice I've heard when playing a pusher is to serve them out wide and run them back and forth over and over. Attack the second serve and don't make unforced errors. Many true pushers don't like to hit on the run.

Here's a link to the best mental stength coaching I've come across. I'd recommend you listen to it before giving it to him. The author is legit.
Purchase the "Fearless Tennis". I have not listened to his "The Best Tennis of Your Life" but I bet it's also great. http://www.mentaledge.net/

[BMC9670]

Originally Posted by andfor

Continue to reinforce giving his best effort in practice and match play. Really all a tennis player can control is their effort and attitude. Focus on improvement over results. It has to be fun on some level to stay out there long enough to have productive practices leading to the improvement.

Here's some good stuff on how to play a pusher from, shhhhh, the USTA. http://www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Gam...inst_a_Pusher/

The best advice I've heard when playing a pusher is to serve them out wide and run them back and forth over and over. Attack the second serve and don't make unforced errors. Many true pushers don't like to hit on the run.

Here's a link to the best mental stength coaching I've come across. I'd recommend you listen to it before giving it to him. The author is legit.
Purchase the "Fearless Tennis". I have not listened to his "The Best Tennis of Your Life" but I bet it's also great. http://www.mentaledge.net/

Jeff is great. I've read "The Best Tennis of Your Life" and re-read various chapters for reference, reminders, and inspiration. This book would be great for a young tennis player as well, maybe age 12 and up. It's an easy read and each chapter is a "strategy" for the mental game and are no longer than 2-3 pages. Easy to remember and apply.

[andfor]

Originally Posted by BMC9670

Jeff is great. I've read "The Best Tennis of Your Life" and re-read various chapters for reference, reminders, and inspiration. This book would be great for a young tennis player as well, maybe age 12 and up. It's an easy read and each chapter is a "strategy" for the mental game and are no longer than 2-3 pages. Easy to remember and apply.

I like Jeff's "Fearless Tennis" so much and recommend it so often, one might think I am Jeff or getting something for recommending it. I'm not, it's just great stuff for any level tennis competitor.

I'm going to get "The Best Tennis of Your Life" now. Thanks