What’s in your frame?
If you had a picture frame for tennis, what would you put in it? Would it be a photo of you and your tennis friends/teammates? A photo of your favorite pro player or a memory of a pro event in which you attended? An image of you hitting a shot? A picture of you in your favorite tennis outfit? A photo of you with a trophy or award?
As the spring season approaches, many players are preparing for additional competitive opportunities. Juniors will be trying out for school teams and participating in more junior tournaments. Adults will be playing on USTA teams or with groups and leagues outside.
What goals do you have as you enter the spring season? Will the pleasant weather provide opportunities to improve your fitness level? Do you want to learn a new shot, move more efficiently on the court or make better shot selections? Consider meeting some new players to add to your group. Join a new team or a league. Try a private or group tennis lesson so that you can experience playing with people who have different styles of play. The outdoor courts at PRC provide you the opportunity to try playing on two different surfaces: hard and clay courts.
After a tennis match, try not to use the end result (winning/losing) the main factor in evaluating a match. Even though you may have lost, you may have performed very well. “Reframe” your thoughts and identify what you did successfully, not only physically but emotionally or mentally. Maybe you fought back and didn’t give up. Possibly, your opponent made an incorrect call or acted in an unsportsmanlike manner. If you maintained emotional and mental control, you were victorious in not letting their behavior negatively impact your performance.
Sometimes, we surprise ourselves. After all, aren’t some of our most successful shots in tennis ones that were not planned? Often, our most effective shots may be mishits that were hit on the frame. So, dust off your frames, and replace the picture with a new one this spring.