They swing violently back and forth or explode suddenly. For many, the thrills during competition can even destroy the fun of their close friends. As a coaching authority for over 25 years, the author will discuss the nature of the problem, how professional athletes handle it, and provide some concrete ways in which overly competitive players can calm emotions that damage their “playing time” and problems. Bears.
We’ve all seen it happen to an individual during competition. More often it is men who exhibit these behaviors. The causes are due to both nature and nurture, but this discussion will remain non-gender specific.
Often, it starts with the player starting to complain or complain that “things are not going the way they are today”. Frustration gradually increases during a team sport or an individual sport such as table tennis, tennis, or racket. Suddenly it explodes.
A racket goes flying, or a ball goes over the fence, or worse, a friend or acquaintance becomes a target. A person who is generally kind by nature changes suddenly during competition.
Given the sheer number of contests, this rarely happens to professionals. Those who make a living from sports, especially individual sports, have made some major “emotional adjustments”, often with outside help. They do this because they MUST be competitive, to earn a living.
Unfortunately, recreational players are often not so lucky to receive outside help or be forced to change. This article will explore some of the behind-the-scenes “emotional adjustments” that professionals make, but first, it helps to see the personality that needs them and the exact reasons for doing so.
Victims of “Ping Pong Emotions” generally see themselves as high achievers and often work in another competitive environment from 9 to 5. The recreational sport they choose, be it table tennis, tennis or basketball, it is a passion that deserves the same intensity as them. carry each task. The result of each individual effort within that contest is a measure of achievement, a test of your self-esteem.
A psychologist would call them “too reactive” or what used to be called a classic “type A personality.” Tactically, in tennis and other sports, there are several BIG reasons to stay calm on the court that are NOT personal. That is why tennis professionals, for example, strive to change, as displays of negative emotions cost them matches and a lot of money.
First, emotions are not the enemy here. Every human being has them. The mission here is to keep them productive, not destructive. Recreational players, like professionals, should briefly celebrate successes at key moments in the competition. Especially in tennis, some points are more important than others, some critical. Creating positive emotional expressions after an important sequence helps build momentum, but negative emotions are best hidden for tactical reasons and limited to personal reasons.
Tactically, showing negative emotions encourages your opponent AND gives him tactical advice. It gives you what a poker player would call a “say”. The strategy against someone who is desperate, or on the verge of emotional collapse, is different than the strategy that a great competitor would choose if the opponent seems stable.
The best competitors maintain a “poker face”, a business demeanor. Essentially, a game of tennis should be played like a polite game of poker with no “signs.” Celebrate winning a “big jackpot”, but get back in business after that.
In a team sport, such as doubles tennis, your team’s success REQUIRES you to maintain a positive, cooperative, and encouraging attitude in the face of adversity, AT ALL TIMES. Anything less is destructive behavior to your teammate, therefore your team. A coach MUST bench any player whose behavior harms the team. Simple enough?
You and your partner / teammate are in this together. Humans read body language very well. Sagging shoulders, pulling away from them, or biting their lip when they fail hurts the team. Dr. Allen Fox, the great coach, tennis champion, and sports psychologist, says that if you wince when your partner makes a mistake, it’s because of your own insecurities.
Errors and mistakes are inevitable. Great teams are measured by how they progress after that. Great teammates ALWAYS cheer on their teammates after a mistake for two big reasons. First, the team will need better performance from that person as soon as possible. Second, if the roles were reversed, you would want to be supported and treated like you are valuable and about to play better at any moment.
It is important to realize that outward signs of frustration isolate and disorient your teammates. It makes them feel powerless to help you. Then after having that feeling, they have to execute correctly and who wants to have to do that? Gross!
Because outward signs of frustration hurt your team, that in itself should be additional motivation, take the necessary steps to calm down about reactivity during competition. In the next article in this series, we will examine specific methods that large competitors employ to do just that.
