The Pro:
Rob Polishook, MA, CPC is a Sport Psychology Coach. He is the founder and director of Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group. Rob works directly with tennis players, coaches, parents and teams at all levels. He is a regular speaker for the USTA and USPTA and has spoken internationally in Israel and India. He was recently awarded USPTA Eastern 2008 High School Coach of the Year.
The Tip: Mental Toughness - The Towel is your Friend!
How many times have you seen the pros toweling off during a match? Often professional players towel off between every point. Some may walk towards the ball boy or ball girl to retrieve the towel, while others may make funny hand signals, simulating a windshield wiper going left to right, expecting the ball person to deliver the towel regardless of where they are on the court. Regardless of their idiosyncratic method, pros use the towel for much more than it appears.
When you’re playing in a match, how often do you reach for your towel? In tight situations, do you take the time and walk over to your towel to give yourself a break from the action? Although the pros have the luxury of the towel being delivered to them anywhere on the court, you have to make a choice of where to place your towel. How many times do you find yourself on the deuce side and your towel is nestled in the corner on the ad side? Thoughts of “I can’t take the time to go over there, its going to take too much time” or “I wish the towel was on this side” run through your mind.
Next time, take the extra time to retrieve your sacred towel. It can be your best friend on the court. In addition to the fact that it mops off the perspiration on your face and arms, your towel is much more than you may have realized! It’s a built-in break, a separation from the pressure of the match. No, it’s not like going to your favorite ice cream shop or the beach, but it can provide you the necessary time you need to relax, bring your heart rate down, slow your breathing, and most importantly, decompress and get yourself centered for the next point. As a ritual, retrieving your towel breeds a familiarity that keeps you comfortable on the court and helps you stay in the present. It also can help you control the pace and rhythm of the match.
As a player, you are unable to directly control future points because you are unable to control your opponent. However, you can control whether you walk up to the line to serve or return serve on your terms (within the 25 seconds time limit) in a focused and centered place.
So next time you play that long, physical point, take the time to retrieve your towel. Clear the sweat, your mind, and take a break. Incorporate the towel into your between-point ritual. You might even consider placing a towel in the two corners on your side. That way you don’t have to walk from the ad side to the deuce or vice verse. It’s almost like you have your own personal ball person delivering your friend to you!