A coach plays a vital role in the learning and development of a player as do parents in the support that they provide. However, along the development journey, a player who learns to take ownership of their own development, not only showcases key qualities of inner motivation and self reliance, but also creates an accelerated path for their improvement. Below are a few strategies that players can adopt to drive their own learning and growth.
Make some notes on key learning areas
Whether it be practice or a match, every time the player is on the court playing, it’s an opportunity to learn. Players who take a few minutes to jot down some notes summarizing the coaches tips or the points they learned, will be developing a powerful habit of learning and reflection. The notes will come in handy as reminders and to keep players focused on the areas that they need to improve on.
Develop a few specific goals
In our program, we follow a collaborative approach with players on goal setting where players take the coaching feedback received and develop a few specific goals for their improvement. We see this approach as providing an opportunity to positively lead players forward on not only thinking more deeply about their game and improvement areas, but also in feeling more ownership over their development path. As a coach, anytime I can get players to feel and take more ownership of their own learning and growth, I see it as a powerful and sustainable path for the player’s training and improvement.
List out drills that can be practiced
Players who proactively think about their improvement by listing out the drills that they can practice, are developing the ability to take an insight and create it into an actionable plan for improvement. This valuable process will help them to become strategic thinkers on the court, a key aspect for success in competitive environments such as tennis match play. Players can review the drills with their coaches to gain valuable feedback.
Ask thoughtful questions
Players who ask questions take their learning a step further by showcasing the desire to learn and improve. Recently, after a practice, I had a player come up to me and ask what they could work on to improve. This action stood out in my mind as it showcased the player’s own drive and willingness to learn and to put in the work to improve. Therefore, developing one’s learning from passively receiving information to actively engaging with the coach and seeking out insights, is another powerful way to move forward and to reach higher levels of play.
Practice with effort and intensity
My view on training is that each practice is an opportunity to move one step forward on the journey of development. Therefore, when players practice with their best effort and intensity, they are maximizing the time and opportunity for learning and growth from the training. They are also being efficient and highly productive with their effort during the time they have for the game.
Become a student of the game
In an earlier paragraph, I shared about asking questions to learn more about one’s game and ways to improve. This along with watching the game, whether it be one’s school teammates or the local college team or professional tennis on TV – are all great ways to learn from watching others and by analyzing their games. Additionally, reading about the game and closely related aspects such as physical fitness or nutrition or the mental game, can help players to enhance their training in areas that drive higher levels of tennis performance. Therefore, by making the time to become students of the game, players will be taking valuable steps to broaden their learning and to develop the perspective needed to achieve higher levels in the game.
Below is a self evaluation that players can take to gain insights and motivation to drive greater self learning.
| Self Learning Strategy | Put a “1” if currently doing this activity |
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Making notes after practices and matches to capture key learning points. |
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Developing specific goals for improvement. |
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Creating a list of drills or exercises that you can work on. Reviewing these with your coach. |
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Asking thoughtful questions about your game and improvement areas. |
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Making it a habit to train with effort and intensity. |
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Putting in some time on a regular basis to become a student of the game. |
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Total Score |
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I hope the above strategies are helpful for players to develop a more proactive and self-driven approach for their improvement and growth in the game.
All the best!
Harsh Mankad
Note about the author: Harsh Mankad grew up in India and reached the pinnacle of U.S. Division 1 College tennis by winning a National Singles Title. He reached a Top 200 ATP professional ranking including wins over Top 100 players and appearances at the world’s biggest events such as Grand Slams and Davis Cup, all without the resources for a full-time coach and support team. His journey is an example of a player who drove his own learning and improvement to reach the highest level of the game.
excellent post well done thank you