We have all heard the aphorism that winning is all about what takes place in the six inches between your ears. To win, one must know how to manage the mind but the real question is how this is done. Most athletes turn to the latest tips on coping skills like deep breathing, positive self…
Sometimes, as a tennis player, you exist on an island. Alone, solo, under the lights of your local club or drenched in the sun, there you are … between the lines, either gaining the accolades of glory hitting the winning shot or facing the weight of a loss. There are no teammates to pass to;…
There are five primary reasons people choose to play the game of tennis. Let’s explore each. 1) One of the most common reasons that prompt the choice of tennis is exposure. If you happen to be a part of the upper middle classes you will have been exposed to tennis at your country club. And…
Sometimes, as a tennis player, you exist on an island. Alone, solo, under the lights of your local club or drenched in the sun, there you are … between the lines, either gaining the accolades of glory hitting the winning shot or facing the weight of defeat. There are no teammates to pass to; no…
In full disclosure, this series of articles for 2025 will focus on pickleball. Now, please don’t stop reading because you are a tried-and-true tennis player. Rather, recognize the similarities of all racket sports. On an applied level, there is much to learn from other sports which require a racket or paddle. And from a mental…
Like many of you, I was excited to learn that Roger Federer was giving a commencement speech. How fortunate for Dartmouth that Tony Godsick, his agent, had a daughter in the Dartmouth University 2024 graduating class, which is also Godsick’s alma mater. Much like Federer’s career, the speech went viral. Some described it as motivational,…
Every athlete wants to play “in the zone”, but this state of mind rarely occurs. All athletes are familiar with the term, “the zone”, that calm, energized, protected state of mind that screens out all distractions. Long-distance runners and swimmers regularly enter the zone since their sport is so solitary and has relatively few external…
Sports are supposed to be fun. They are a recreational activity and they give a person the chance to use their body, and find zest and excitement in life. When the young tennis player starts out, they fall in love with the game and can’t get enough of it. But after a period of…
I hear it all the time…a parent, coach, friend, or even the athlete themselves explain away poor behavior because “they are so competitive”. Or, “they don’t like to lose!” Now, in the most extreme cases, a player will get defaulted in a match. This happened to John McEnroe in the 1990 Australian Open in…
One of the great myths in sports is that great athletes are “dumb jocks”. This could not be further from the truth. I have been lucky enough to work with and know some of the best athletes on earth, and one thing they all have in common is keen intelligence. I’ve administered 100’s of…
