Compete Control

No, that's not a typo. When we compete, there are so many things out of our control. We have little or no control over what court we are on, who our opponent is, what the traffic was like on the way to the facility, what the temperature is, which brand of ball the organizers provide, how far the bathroom is from our court, whether or not they sell our favorite flavor sports drink, what volume our opponent's Mom whines at, barking dogs, crying babies, gusty wind, blinding sun, odors from the neighboring cattle ranch, hip hop from the passing cars, or any number of other distractions, inconveniences, or outright disadvantages.

That is one reason it is critically imporatnt to control the things we CAN, in order to compete at our maximum capability.

Let's look at some of those:

1- Effort - Many juniors may yet understand this, but we have complete control of our work rate, our willingness to fight, and our dogged determination. Success is not about winning, it's about trying to win - and there are a million articles written, and to be written, about how to best achieve this. But one thing is for sure, with training and mindset, we do have the opportunity to control our effort.

2-Preparation-How much time you spent practicing your semi-open backhand or the kick serve to the body is up to you. True, that our lives often limit how much time we can devote to any one task, but by prioritizing what needs the most preparation, we have the ability to prepare properly - and proper preparation leads to success, which leads to confidence.

several prolific quotes come to mind:

"Practice makes perfect"

"Practice makes permanent "

and from the legendary Arthur Ashe, "An important key to self-confidence is preparation"

3- Hydration- whether you have hydrated your body well enough is entirely up to you. It has to start days before competition, and it has to be maintained during competition, You can't wait until you are thirsty. The body doesn't feel thirst until apx 4% dehydration, but our muscles lose 20% of their performance capabilities at only 2% dehydration. It's no surprise that the pros drink steadily, routinely, and religiously despite temperature, location, or duration of the match. Watch on changeovers - do you ever see someone not drink?

4-Nutrition- Pre- match and post match meals, between match snacks, and general diet are all things we can control. It takes information and discipline to get it right, and some planning and preparation - but your body is your tool, your instrument, your weapon. Treat it properly to get peak performance out of it. You are what you eat. Period.

5-Sleep, rest, recovery - This is another topic that I, or any million more educated writers could write infinitely on. What is important is that we can control this. In our crazy busy lives it sometimes feels like we have no control over this, but like other elements discussed here, prioritizing becomes key. In a nutshell, make sure you are getting proper sleep leading up to competition, Not just the night before, but for the three nights prior. And if you compete all day for three days, like the typical Junior tournament, then you absolutely should not be hitting balls on the following day or two. You could have some light exercise like a bike ride or a swim, but you must find a way to

allow your body to recover, restore, replenish.

6-Awareness of conditions- Though issues like sun and wind may be out of our control, KNOWING about them BEFORE competing is totally controllable. Before stepping foot oncourt at any tournament facility, find a flag and take note of wind direction, speed, and steadiness (is it solid or gusty, one direction or swirling, etc?). This is not only vital info for choosing sides after the racquet spin, but for shot selection and tactical decisions as you change sides throughout the match. The same for the sun location, level of cloudiness, overhanging trees, etc. Check it out - take note - and keep aware of changing conditions.

7-Equipment - If you need your lucky t- shirt or floppy socks, then make sure you have them. I don't think any junior player above the age of 10 or 11 should be relying on their parent or coach to carry, pack, or re-stock their racquet bags. Take responsibility for yourself, and take CONTROL of preparing your equipment. Sure you will need help travelling to and paying for the stringer, buying and cleaning socks, sweat bands, visors, extra shirts, energy bars, sunscreeen, vibration dampeners, journal, music source for relaxation, etc.; but whether or not it's in there already is up to you. If one thing isn't there that you want or need, your concentration can be completely destroyed, leading to sub-par performance. And carry it yourself. Roger and Serena do!

These are just a few of the key things we have complete control of, if we choose to take that control. Each of them deserve full articles and research by themselves, but simply beginning to take control of them will help you perform at your peak. Take control of the things that you can, to help you cope with the things you can't. You'll perform better, compete better, and undoubtedly enjoy better results.