My 12 year old son is very good during practice matches but is a choke artist at tournaments and loses to very low ranked players. He hits cross court shots all the time in practise but when they switch to playing sets, he starts to hit to the middle. I dont know if that is a mind set but it is driving me crazy as this has been the pattern for 2 years now. We were told that this will change with age and maturity but I don't see that happening. At academy, when they are playing drills, he hits amazing cross courts and this changes the second they change to sets. We have spoken with the coach and coach says that we need to wait it out until it clicks. I think I am running out of patience now...please advise.
Thanks
So, he has the tools to hit the ball correctly, but it doesn't happen in the match?
Couple of thoughts - sports is suppose to be fun for a 12 year old, right?
But if "you are running out of patience" and "going crazy",
I think you might be draining all of the fun out of the sport.
Now, some of the posters here have their kids going pro, so this thought process of "fun for a 12 year" old wouldn't work for them........
But, if your son is playing for himself and for his own enjoyment, your attitude might kill it.
He knows what to do..... and he has the tools to do it.
So, eventually it is up to him, right?
You brought him to the water, now it's up to him if he wants to drink it.
I would hope the long term goal here is for him to have a sport that he could play for a lifetime.......
Imagine he is a grownup in his 40's, 50's ( your'e not around in this picture)
and he is playing tennis and has a network of good friends and a healthy passion.