Competition
04/04/2012 | Written by: uspta
Click Video Highlight:
Competition
Description:
The video features USPTA Master Professional Jack Groppel, Ph.D., discussing competition and the importance it has in a player’s life.
Tip:
As athletes, we live our lives in a continuous process of trying to be better than others, better than our former selves, and trying to win or stand out in different areas of our daily activities. We find ourselves in a continuous competition. It’s part of our life. It’s what drives us as human beings.
For tennis players the competitive aspect is even more ingrained. It may begin at home if family members have played competitive sports, or simply by competing against their siblings on a regular basis. It continues with the competitive environment at school, the tennis club or academy, and continues if they move on to tournaments and rankings.
Competition is good. It is unavoidable and everywhere. However, the goal for developing a good competitive attitude is not simply to win but to improve skills, to become better than yesterday and to do our absolute best at anything we do. A “winning at all costs” approach will tempt you into cheating and doing things you shouldn’t be doing. The healthy way of competing is to learn to savor the moment and love the battle, as Jack Groppel describes.
Tennis is a very competitive and mental game that involves a lot of intense moments, followed by short breaks for recovery. It’s a sport that emphasizes the present – playing in the moment, staying in the zone and focused on the few things you can control: how you think, how you move, and how you hit the ball. Focusing on the things that you can’t control will distract you and interfere with your performance, just as in real life.
Watch more videos on competition by visiting TennisResources.com. You will find a large number of videos and articles that can help expand your knowledge. Simply enter “competition” into the Quick Search field and a list of resources will come up. You can also choose the Advanced Search, by clicking on General performance components-Environmental and clicking on Competitive. Expand your horizons and learn more about the game you love!
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