Do YOU or Your EMOTIONS Win On The Court?

Rallies, Rackets & Recommendations: Serving up -Off the Court- Tennis Tips for Ladies Rec League Players

Do You or Your Emotions Win on the Court? 

Tip #1: Controlling Your Emotions on the Court

Welcome to the very first edition of Rallies, Rackets & TIPS!

 I’m Kim Woj, founder of Rallies & Rackets, and I’m blending my background in business / health coaching with my lifelong love of tennis to help you UPLEVEL your rec game. Full disclosure: I’m not a certified tennis coach, but I’ve always noticed the crossover between what I’ve taught my clients and how it applies to tennis. Like you, my game is a work in progress, and I’m using ALL of these tips myself—so I know they’ll help you too!

Let’s dive into Tip #1, which I personally find SO. DARN. HARD.

Controlling your emotions on the court. 😬

I love tennis—it’s my ultimate stress relief. But it’s also the thing that can make me absolutely lose my mind! Sound familiar?

Just last week, I lost a match because our opponents made a questionable call on a crucial point. My partner and i could tell they were going to argue and we didnt want to.. So we let it go. But did we?  I was furious. And guess what? I stayed mad. My partner and I lost that game, and my frustration only grew and I already told you how that ended.

But let’s be real: there are endless opportunities to get emotional during a match. Here are a few of the classics:

• You’re making uncharacteristic errors. (Why?! You never miss that shot in practice!)
• Your partner is making mistakes. (Yup, it’s definitely their fault, right? SO frustrating!)
• Your opponents are playing dirty, or well— there’s so many things your opponents could be doing that are making you emotional. If you don’t already follow us be sure to  follow us on Instagram to laugh at all those ways.. . (Some days, even good people can get sneaky when they’re desperate to win.)
• You’re already in a bad mood, and losing is just salt in the wound.
• FYI Our RR Instagram account shows you weekly experiences to lose your cool on the court.

There are 10 billion chances in one match to lose your mind. And here’s the thing: you can practice all day, be the best player on the court, but if you let emotions take over—if you get mad, frustrated, or annoyed—you’re DONE.

So, what can you do? I could give MANY MANY tips on this but ill start with these three steps:

1. Awareness
   In all of my coaching, I always say: you can’t fix what you’re not aware of. If you don’t acknowledge that emotions are affecting your game (spoiler: they affect ALL of us), you can’t fix it during a match. So, start by being aware.
2. Have a plan
   And this is before you get on the court What’s your game plan when frustration strikes? Staying mad isn’t it. Once you lose a point or notice you’re getting emotional, ask yourself: What’s my next move? So create this plan BEFORE You step on the court. 
3. Utilize your partner
   (Yes, they’re good for more than just winning points or taking the blame when they dont!. Walk over to your partner and pretend you’re strategizing. Tell them, “Hey, make me laugh,” or “Let’s fake this strategy talk while I take some deep breaths and get my focus back.” Or sometimes what I do, let me drop some F bombs and then I’ll feel better. Sometimes, just breaking the intensity for a moment can reset your mind.

We ALL want to win—or at least play well—and every time you step onto the court, your emotions have the potential to steal the show. Next time you’re in a match, be aware of those moments, think ahead and create a plan for what you’ll do when those feelings strike.

And here’s your challenge: after your next match, come back and comment on this blog! Tell us how it went. Remember, it’s a work in progress—trust me, I know! But now, you have something new to work on. And it might just change the outcome of your game.