Pre Match Set-up

Published: 14 Jul 2004 - 18:08 by rippa rit

Updated: 15 Aug 2006 - 22:04

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Before an important match it is possible to set-up a pre-match, addressing all the technial and tactical difficulties that may be experienced during the "big" game. This is, of course, easier to do if you know the opponent and/or have watched them play before.

In our preparation section, there are lots of tips on how to be ready for a competition match.
Also, visualisation and rehearsal were part of this exercise.
Taking this a step further, it is possible to almost pre play the match given sufficient information about the opponent's game/strokes. I had an up and coming student playing in the final of a State Championship who was very anxious to do well. So we arranged to do a session beforehand addressing all the aspects of the opponent's game that could cause a problem, eg

returning the serve to the best possible spot on the court,
returning boasts to gain the best result, which shots to attack,
when to be patient, etc.

How did we do this?

I (the Coach) set up:-

...the types of serves that the opponent would play, and we replayed them over and over, and with other variations as well.
...boasts from the position the opponent was most likely to play them.
Again we practised them over and over and with slight variations.

By the end of the session we had covered most possibilities, and practised the ideal executions.
And, what happened on the night of the real match?
It looked to me that my student had played the game before.
The result was positive.
A new State Champion had emerged.
And, after speaking to that player almost 20 years later, the match was still a memory of a great performance.
My other comment is, it is always easier to discuss problems, fears and solutions the day before a match, as opposed to the few seconds allowed between games on the day.
The early coaching session also gave the player a stronger focus during the match resulting in better concentration.