Stop the Drama Mama!
Rallies, Rackets & Recommendations: Serving up - Off the Court- Tennis Tips for Ladies Rec League Players
Stop the Drama Mama! (Part 1)
Alright, ladies, this week’s tip is…well, a bit of a plea on behalf of rec league players everywhere. You know who we’re talking about—the ones who want a great game, some friendly competition, and maybe even a few laughs.
I get asked a lot (I mean, just last week alone!), “What’s your best advice for dealing with players who call questionable line calls, argue over every other point, make up rules, and generally make the match feel like a courtroom drama?” So, today, let’s take a different approach. Instead of tips for what we can do in response, this post is a heartfelt plea to those players to look inward.
Now, before you shrug this off thinking, “Who, me?”…take a breath, humor me, and give it a quick read. This is your little secret; no one knows you’re here. Pretend you’re reading it for someone else—you know, for that “friend” who just might need it. (And, hey, if you really do know someone who could use this, consider passing it along!)
So, Let’s Ask a Few Honest Questions:
- Do you genuinely have fun during a match? Like, fun that doesn’t depend on a win?
- Do you find yourself arguing…a lot?
- Is your partner enjoying herself, or have you noticed she might look a little uncomfortable?
- Do you come off the court thinking, “Wow, that was a good match with some amazing rallies!” or are you more likely to be muttering about arguments and poor line calls?
If you’re nodding along toany of these, it’s possible that sometimes—just sometimes—it’s not all “them.” It might actually be…you.
But here’s the great news: if it’s you, that means you can fix it. Imagine coming off the court after a competitive match where you still have fun, respect your opponents, and feel good about the game and the win.
No one’s asking you to never question a line call—let’s be real, even the pros rely on Hawk-Eye for a reason. But if you’re the one whipping up a storm over every close call, it might be worth considering a new approach.
So now that you see how important it could be to stop the drama-
Come back next week for:
Three Tips for Dialing Down the Drama
