The ins and outs of tennis can be tough, especially watching from the sidelines where you aren’t allowed to talk to your child. There are many different reasons we see parents get frustrated with their child, whether it’s due to their behavior, their commitment or lack thereof, or just their overall game. Not seeing the results you want for your child can be tough, but you have to realize sometimes it’s tougher on them.
Growing up myself in a tennis family I was lucky, my father always knew how to talk to me after my best and my worst matches. Some children don’t have that luxury, and sometimes the “soccer mum” comes out in you. Which is totally okay to be your child’s number one fan.
There are many points to this post that I’d like to touch on, but my main point would be that
children feel pressure just like the rest of us. They just don’t quite understand how to deal with that emotion, so it comes out in different ways such as bad behavior, poor shot making ability, decreased effort levels, etc. If you aren’t familiar with tennis, sometimes the better option is to speak to their coach and let them know what is happening.
Communication between a coach and a tennis parent is vital, and without it there are mental and physical barriers that your child may never overcome. Speak up, get involved to a point to set
your child up for success. Below is a link that I think most tennis parents should read.
https://www.tennismindgame.com/child-tennis-and-you.html
I have also added a link to one of the best tennis books I recommend for any tennis parent, called The Tennis Parent’s Bible. If you are really looking to help your child along their journey in one of the toughest individual sports, I highly suggest you give this a read.
https://www.amazon.com/Tennis-Parents-Bible-Second/dp/1523255935
Check out our Tennis Page to see everything that is going on at the club!
“Dre” (Andre) Mick, grew up watching his father play professional tennis. He moved to the US to play Division I tennis at Cleveland State and graduated with a communications degree. His favorite part about working at Wembley is working with all ages and abilities and creating a fun experience for everyone on the tennis court. In his spare time ,he enjoys watching the Cleveland Browns play, playing with his dog, a golden-doodle named Archer “Archie” Mick and winning the odd pickleball tournament.