Motivation and Measure of Success?

[rabidturtle]

Hi TT,

How do you define success in the USTA? (Matches played, winning record, improvement in a year, end of year rating, national championship, sandbagging, most beers after a match, etc)

My goals are to win a national championship and get bumped as high as possible. Last year I was able make a run at nationals and finally got bumped up to 4.5.

What fuels your drive?

[floridatennisdude]

I want to make claims to a 120mph serve out wide and argue it to death. That is all.

[KoaUka]

Originally Posted by rabidturtle

Hi TT,

How do you define success in the USTA? (Matches played, winning record, improvement in a year, end of year rating, national championship, sandbagging, most beers after a match, etc)

Most beers DURING a match!

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by floridatennisdude

I want to make claims to a 120mph serve out wide and argue it to death. That is all.

Does this have anything to do with that "Estimate Speed" thread going on... in like every section of the forum...?

[Cindysphinx]

You're fueled by the drive to win a national championship? To me, that's akin to being fueled by the drive to be struck by lightening. Getting to nationals is so friggin' difficult and random that I cannot imagine anyone having it as motivating, but YMMV.

Me, I just want to keep getting better. I don't tend to place a lot of emphasis on W/L because . . . well, I don't have much control over that.

For instance, I rarely if ever partner myself with the strongest player on my teams. I feel like it is better for team morale if the captain does not hog the best players for herself. If I really cared about W/L I would cherry-pick my partners and cherry-pick the weakest opponents, and if I did that I would rarely lose.

And I soon wouldn't have a team either.

[IA-SteveB]

For me it is simple. Getting off the lowest court in Sunday night league.
For USTA, just staying competitive is enough to drive me. As long as you are competitive, wins will come.

[Mongolmike]

I'll admit, I want to win. I won't do ANYTHING to get the win, but I go out on the court (talking league/tourneys) with the sole intent to win. I have fun and am not a jerk, but league matches is not where I "work" on something.

However, I do take lessons or drills, and hit a lot on my own with the ball machine to work on specific repetitive shots, or hit 100 serves... that is where my obvious goal is to improve or discover something about my stroke. And this is to improve my game and increase my chances to win and move up.

If winning isn't important, why join a team in a league (unless the team's stated goal is just to have fun, like mixed, I get that and am ok with that)... but if a team's goal is to win and advance, and that is not your goal... aren't you hurting the team?

[Alchemy-Z]

Over all goal : Stay fit healthy and enjoy life

Small goals: Improve my game

Other goals: We have a few guys that are over the top cocky, I have a winning H2H against them..and I admit I put a little more into those matches because I like to serve humble pie.

Regular Match I'd be happy to win 7-6 7-6 against any one in the league, against those guys

I want to feed bagels and bread sticks

[OrangePower]

Originally Posted by Alchemy-Z

Over all goal : Stay fit healthy and enjoy life

Small goals: Improve my game

Exactly the same for me.

[slowfox]

I often wonder what it is about tennis that captures my attention so much. I'm almost obsessed with this sport (look at all the time I spend on this forum...

Staying fit is definitely a motivation, but I also enjoy the process of building my game, getting better (which will always be since there will always be something to work on).

[tennisjon]

In league play, my ultimate goal is to win nationals. This, however, is a team sport and one person does not win the entire match or league. Therefore, winning nationals is out of my hands. I can contribute, but ultimately, it is a team effort.

I am on a 4.5 team that should have made nationals. Most of the guys (not me) are on another team that went to nationals the weekend before in a different sectional. The best players on my team got injured and were unable to compete. I wound up playing 4 of the 5 matches instead of 2 or 3. We ultimately didn't make it. Most of the guys, however, are still going with the other team.

I felt left out and let down since I have been on this team for years and didn't join the other team. Nevertheless, I realized that in order to make nationals I was going to have to rely on the best players on the team winning and for myself to hopefully just hold down the fort on my end. In a way, it was a bit selfish because I knew my personal goal came because I relied on better people to accomplish it.

Now, my goals are to improve different aspects of my game as a player so that eventually, I move up to 5.0.

[NTRPolice]

Originally Posted by rabidturtle

Hi TT,

How do you define success in the USTA? (Matches played, winning record, improvement in a year, end of year rating, national championship, sandbagging, most beers after a match, etc)

My goals are to win a national championship and get bumped as high as possible. Last year I was able make a run at nationals and finally got bumped up to 4.5.

What fuels your drive?

I want to be good at everything, and if I cant, I want to say I had to good run and a good time trying.

"Success is the perfect balance between ambitions, accomplishments and happiness."

(I made that up myself. Feel free to distribute it lol)

To be successful you have to realize those three concepts continuously and you have to be able to make them real consistently.


As far as "success in the USTA" I want to be a 4.5 eventually. I think thats a level that's both ambitious and realistic. I also can have a good time doing it as long as I stick to my guns. I setup my Youtube channel as a visual progress meter. I actually found this forum and thought it would be a great academic place for discussion. While I have had a hard time here so far im trying to not let it discourage me.

[kylebarendrick]

NTRPolice - I do think you can have a lot to add here. We need some controversy to keep things interesting.

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by tennisjon

In league play, my ultimate goal is to win nationals. This, however, is a team sport and one person does not win the entire match or league. Therefore, winning nationals is out of my hands. I can contribute, but ultimately, it is a team effort.

I am on a 4.5 team that should have made nationals. Most of the guys (not me) are on another team that went to nationals the weekend before in a different sectional. The best players on my team got injured and were unable to compete. I wound up playing 4 of the 5 matches instead of 2 or 3. We ultimately didn't make it. Most of the guys, however, are still going with the other team.

I felt left out and let down since I have been on this team for years and didn't join the other team. Nevertheless, I realized that in order to make nationals I was going to have to rely on the best players on the team winning and for myself to hopefully just hold down the fort on my end. In a way, it was a bit selfish because I knew my personal goal came because I relied on better people to accomplish it.

Now, my goals are to improve different aspects of my game as a player so that eventually, I move up to 5.0.

Awww. Buck up, mate.

I played on a 3.5 team that went to Nationals. My partner and I played six matches over three days in 90-degree heat. We won all six matches and only dropped one set. Alas, the team lost the final in a 10-point tiebreak. It completely and totally stinks to get that close and have it come down to someone else not winning a tiebreak, but that's team tennis for you.

Don't feel bad or feel left out. Gotta just take comfort in the fact that you did everything that could possibly have been asked of you.

[blakesq]

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

[floridatennisdude]

Originally Posted by kylebarendrick

NTRPolice - I do think you can have a lot to add here. We need some controversy to keep things interesting.

Couldn't agree more. I like the guy's journey. And his way with words makes things exciting.

As for me...

I define my USTA success by being a sought after player. Could be due to talent, reliability, or what not. I have the opportunity to play on multiple teams during every season.

Winning matches, advancing in playoffs, trophies and medals...they are nice, but not necessary. I certainly play to win, but not at the risk of tarnishing my name.

I like to play tennis with people who love the game. League tennis puts me in touch with those people.

[dizzlmcwizzl]

Originally Posted by KoaUka

Most beers DURING a match!

MOST beers BEFORE the match starts

[dizzlmcwizzl]

My motivation is to get better .... now Orange has disagreed with me on the semantics of whether getting better can actually be motivation (that is ok, I still love you man) ....but the fact of the matter is I get geeked up when my backhand goes from a liability to dependable to a strength. Or when I transform my game from strictly baseline play to nearly 100% serve and volley. It is making those goals, working towards them and getting there that motivates me.

Also, I really want to go to nationals ... just once please. I don't even have to win, just wanna go baby.

[OrangePower]

Originally Posted by dizzlmcwizzl

My motivation is to get better .... now Orange has disagreed with me on the semantics of whether getting better can actually be motivation (that is ok, I still love you man) ....but the fact of the matter is I get geeked up when my backhand goes from a liability to dependable to a strength. Or when I transform my game from strictly baseline play to nearly 100% serve and volley. It is making those goals, working towards them and getting there that motivates me.

Also, I really want to go to nationals ... just once please. I don't even have to win, just wanna go baby.

Ok, I can agree on the backhand bit

Forehand has always been my money shot. Then I went through a period where my forehand was slumping... forced me to do more with my backhand... now my forehand is back PLUS my backhand DTL is killer... life is good!