Sports Psychology

I remember it like it was yesterday, coaching the Zonals for the 16 & Under age group. The competition was fierce with top kids from the country. Inevitably, various issues came up before matches. For example, I received a late-night text from my number two player saying her friend, our number...Read more

One of a player’s greatest tools is confidence, yet very few know how to develop this state of mind. Most tennis matches are won or lost before the first serve is struck based upon who holds the most confidence. It’s true that practice, excellent ground strokes, a powerful serve, good coaching,...Read more

Choking is one of the biggest fears of many athletes in competitive sports, and it is caused by thinking about the outcome, rather than the process. This causes the explicit (controlled) learning system to dictate the player’s actions. When the player first learns to hit a ball, they usually think...Read more

There is ample proof that tennis players often have difficulty controlling their emotions. This even holds true for players who have obtained greatness. Roger Federer was prone to anger and temper tantrums until he reached the age of 20 and well into his professional career. McEnroe was famous for...Read more

Oftentimes, the most difficult opponent to face during a tennis match can be yourself. Tennis is one of the most challenging sports from a mental and emotional standpoint as you are often out there on court all by yourself. Long Island Tennis Magazine discussed a number of common scenarios with...Read more

During my years of coaching, I have noticed a lack of knowledge with American tennis players at all levels as to how well they understand the game and how well they understand their own game. These players have been working on their technique for years and have been handfed balls as their training...Read more

The yips are one of the most devastating and embarrassing afflictions that an athlete can experience. Stories of athletes plagued with the yips occur in a variety of sports, including tennis, golf, gymnastics, football and baseball. Chuck Knoblauch, the Gold Glove Award winning second basemen for...Read more

Over the last two years, I have received countless e-mails about my first book, Tennis Inside the Zone: 32 Mental Training Workouts for Champions . I have enjoyed the feedback on how it has helped junior players stay focused, adapt and compete like a champion under the most difficult situation...Read more

There are very few careers which essentially allow you to go to work, tell your boss what to do and then get paid for it. Tennis coaching just happens to be one of the few industries that can be characterized by this unusual dynamic between employer and employee. One of the primary oddities of...Read more

It is no secret that the competitive tennis environment demands a great deal of mental toughness, yet so many players fail to enlist a professional mental coach. Instead, they rely on personal experience and the advice of those around them, which although helpful, it is missing the valuable mental...Read more