Hobson Performance Tennis

Sense arena training in the break!!
Sense Arena for Tennis

Huge weekend of competing - Tunisia, Battle of Boca and UTR at IMG!

SA team working hard!

AT LEAST, LOSE THE RIGHT WAY

“It is all OK if you lose the right way.”

That phrase gets the attention of players and parents. But it needs to be understood.

Losing the right way means:

1. Play the way you are taught and the way you train.
2. Do not choke the racquet. Loosen the death grip.
3. Respect the time your parents and coaches invest in you.
4. Respect the financial investment your family makes.
5. Do not spend match after match developing the wrong instincts.
6. Play principle-based tennis. Practice like you play, and play like you practice.
7. If you had a crystal ball and knew you would lose before the match started, you would still choose aggressive-percentage tennis.
8. Do not rely on a game style that will not help you become the best player you can be.
9. Do not compromise. Go for the right shots.
10. Compete with purpose, even when the score is not going your way.

During ball pick-up, ask players to come up with their own phrase that supports the message: “At least, lose the right way.”It takes only a minute to explain and a minute to gather answers, but simple messages must be fully understood.

Too often, kids overthink while they play and underthink while they pick up balls.

Winning feels great. But junior players can become confused when they win with poor technique, poor tactics, or habits that will not hold up as the level rises. We sum it up with one question:

Who wins when Crummy plays Crummier?

Crummy wins—and can become totally confused.

Parents and coaches should not put unnecessary pressure on junior players to win. Players should not create self-inflicted pressure either. The goal is to compete, learn, and keep building a game that will last.

This is not a way to lower expectations. It is not reverse psychology. It is a way to help players perform under pressure with the same instincts they use in practice.

Too many young players can hit an overhead out of a basket, but rarely hit one in a match. The issue is not only technique. The issue is programming. Practice often happens under minimal stress; matches happen under maximal stress. Players need repetition, match-play experience, and permission to use the full range of their game when it matters.

When a player accepts and understands the phrase, “At least, lose the right way,” they become a better competitor. And better competitors win more over time.

Minimize pressure.
Play free.
Stay loose.
Compete regardless of the score.

Winners never lose. Sometimes they just run out of time.

Thanks for liking and sharing,

Steve Smith | Founder
GreatBase Tennis
EDUCATION