Creating the Mentality of a Champion

by Dr. Jorge Valverde

Champions know that they have the freedom to choose their own attitude in any given circumstances and they choose to have an attitude of total confidence in their gifts and abilities. They realize that they need to be prepared and practice in the way they want to compete and compete in the way they practice. Champions feel totally prepared because they do all the little things daily that lead to greatness. They realize that total confidence takes courage, bravery, ownership, belief, self-acceptance and discipline. Champions are driven by passion and purpose and realize that perceptions are more powerful than reality, so they develop the ability to find something positive in everything they see or experience.

Champions realize that adventure is not outside, it is within, so they focus on a journey that reaches the deepest parts of their souls and hearts where they find the inspiration to transcend and fly like eagles, the only bird that will fly in a storm. Champions, like eagles know that they cannot fly without the resistance of air under its wings.

Champions realize that confidence is determined by what they focus on and they focus on only those things and steps that lead toward their destination.

Champions know the importance of giving a little bit more than what they receive. They know that they cannot receive anything without giving much more than other consider possible. Champions understand that nothing very wonderful happens in life until a person goes beyond the point of no return and decide to go for the extra mile. They are willing to do all the things that others were unwilling to do. Champions accept the risk that they need to take in order to go to a higher level and even though sometimes they do not have everything in perfect order, they keep moving forward with what they have, knowing that the rest will fall into place as they go. They are willing to give up what they have at the moment in order to go for something that they believe to be better. Champions realize that they need to get out of their comfort zone in order to have a breakthrough and sometimes they need to give up who they are in order to become the person they want to be.

Southern's

TEAM SPONGE BOB

I had the pleasure of attending the Boy's 12's Southerns in Columbia SC. It was my second time around. I had been there 4 years straight previously, about 4 years ago. Nothing much has changed. The site has been improved a bit, but our MS Juniors are still struggling. We honestly do not have the numbers to competitively compete on that level. Don't get me wrong, there are exceptions. However, the majority of Junior players need others on their level or better to compete against on a regular basis in order to get better. We need more Junior Tennis Players. Let's work on this problem.
Also, there is obvious miscommunication about who qualifies. Because of this miscommunication we never have had all of our top juniors participate. There is a misconception that you much end up in the top 6 in the MS Qualifing Event to qualify for Southerns. Not necessarily..... Say you have worked all year to establish a ranking of #3 in MS and you have a bad tournament at the Qualifying event.... you are not out! It goes by the quota (which needs to be increased, see Important Comment on Home Page). If 7 kids are endorsed that leaves one spot for you, even if you don't have your best tournament. You still deserve it. There were 4 or 5 top ranked boys 12's, at least, that were not at Southern's that should have been there. If it is financial, we need to car pool and share rooms, share costs.....something to get them there. I would put money on the fact that it was the same in all other age groups. Let me know your thoughts.

Ms Junior Qualifying

I had the chance to hang out at the Ridgeland Tennis Center this past weekend. I used "official Tournament Photographer" as my excuse. Actually I just enjoyed being out there. I think the best match I saw was between Travel Bell and Brighton Lowther in the 10's finals. Both of these boys played exceptional tennis, were good sports and fought to the bidder end. Travis ended up on top 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-4 in the 3 and one half hour match. Good Luck to both of them at Southerns's.

The most improved player that I saw since last year is Will Freeman. Last year Will didn't even qualify to go to Southern's, this year he was a finalist in the boy's 18's against Aaron DeCamp. Congratulations Will!

Advice for Parents

Some of the absolute advise that I ever received from a Parent to a Parent was from Wayne Bryan. Wayne is Bob and Mike Bryan's dad. They are currently No 1 in the World in doubles and have been very successful. The advise he gave me 6 years ago was to make sure my young tennis player (10 at the time) was playing where the most kids were and where he would have the most fun playing the game. The abosolute best advise was, that if my son ever said, "I don't want to go to tennis today" Don't ask questions, just say OK no problem. Then it becomes about them, not about what we want for them.... It is NOT about us! Very Important!