From the outset, I was striking the ball clean, utilizing my legs to drive every ball, moving exceptionally well, hitting with pace and penetration, etc, etc. To my surprise, and likely Coach Rodgers’, I even managed to flatten out my forehand.....a difficult task for one whose forehand has always been hit with heavy (for a girl at least) topspin. The result? I was painting the baseline with power.....in other words, I now know what it feels like to be Michelle Schupbach (one of our top players on the women’s side)! On top of that, I was in control of most points from an aggression standpoint, which is NOT my style of play.....most of my recent success on the tennis court stems from my athleticism and ability play defense.
The conclusion? As a coach, I have always considered one’s emotional state of mind to be of importance on the tennis court. However, I have never experienced (or perhaps simply was not previously aware) just HOW MUCH impact emotional control / awareness can have. After all, being aware of the emotionally charged state of mind I possessed today, and attempting to replicate that in the future, MAY allow me to add a new dimension to my game? If so, I need to put even more time into my off-court training......it was quite DEMANDING to play at the peak of my game, both physically and emotionally. I suppose the strain on my body could be attributed to the aging process, but I’m definitely not ready to admit that!
Coach Rodgers promised he'd provide his perspective from the other side of the net! Check back in the near future for his response.
Coach Kris
And so you want to know how it felt on the other side of the net? Ha! I've been hitting with Kris for the better part of 12 years and I have NEVER seen her in such a mental state on a tennis court before. She was sharply focused, fast, furious, powerful, overwhelming.....borderline insane!
As I was trying to combat her tennis, I recalled that a few times I had reached that mental state and even aspired to reach it, because being in that mental "zone" did allow me to produce the best tennis I was capable of. Kris is correct, playing at "peak" emotion requires playing at "peak" physicality. Often it is difficult to perform at "peak" for an entire match or practice session.
I am convinced though that every player can learn to play at his or her peak. I think this requires the daily practice of the emotional side of tennis. Just like we practice our shots, our physical training, and plan tactics, we should be working on using our emotions in a positive manner daily.
Oh, and what did I try to do to thwart Kris' hot streak? Well, first of all I acknowledged (to myself!) that she was playing extremely well. Then I challenged myself to match her level. Once accepting that task, I began to search for ways to accomplish that, and I found that being more aggressive with my own footwork, moving in a circle with a larger diameter, helped me strike a higher quality ball. Physically, this was difficult to sustain, so I was forced to make tactical adjustments that I knew were lower percentage in nature. I used dropshots and moonballs to slow down the pace and to force Kris into covering more court. Trying to hasten her physical demise as it were! In addition, I also attacked more, going to net, and attempting outrights early in rallies as openings for my down the line FH occurred.
The morale of the story? Work on your emotions daily so you too can play at your "peak" more often. And, if your opponent is the one playing at "peak", then do what you can physically, and with tactics to "ride out the storm" until your opponent reverts to a more normal level of play.
Coach R
And so you want to know how it felt on the other side of the net? Ha! I've been hitting with Kris for the better part of 12 years and I have NEVER seen her in such a mental state on a tennis court before. She was sharply focused, fast, furious, powerful, overwhelming.....borderline insane!
As I was trying to combat her tennis, I recalled that a few times I had reached that mental state and even aspired to reach it, because being in that mental "zone" did allow me to produce the best tennis I was capable of. Kris is correct, playing at "peak" emotion requires playing at "peak" physicality. Often it is difficult to perform at "peak" for an entire match or practice session.
I am convinced though that every player can learn to play at his or her peak. I think this requires the daily practice of the emotional side of tennis. Just like we practice our shots, our physical training, and plan tactics, we should be working on using our emotions in a positive manner daily.
Oh, and what did I try to do to thwart Kris' hot streak? Well, first of all I acknowledged (to myself!) that she was playing extremely well. Then I challenged myself to match her level. Once accepting that task, I began to search for ways to accomplish that, and I found that being more aggressive with my own footwork, moving in a circle with a larger diameter, helped me strike a higher quality ball. Physically, this was difficult to sustain, so I was forced to make tactical adjustments that I knew were lower percentage in nature. I used dropshots and moonballs to slow down the pace and to force Kris into covering more court. Trying to hasten her physical demise as it were! In addition, I also attacked more, going to net, and attempting outrights early in rallies as openings for my down the line FH occurred.
The morale of the story? Work on your emotions daily so you too can play at your "peak" more often. And, if your opponent is the one playing at "peak", then do what you can physically, and with tactics to "ride out the storm" until your opponent reverts to a more normal level of play.
Coach R
Borderline insane? Reverts to a more normal level of play? I will consider the previous two statements motivation to perform at my "peak" more often : )
In all seriousness, Coach is right. Peak performance requires a combination of tactics, shot making ability, physical ability and emotional control / awareness (the latter often receives lip service, but is rarely practiced on a daily basis). Lesson learned.
Coach Kris
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