Mental Toughness

Most Sports can be readily divided in to 4 categories – which you will all be aware of

·         Technical  ( how to hit it)

·         Tactical ( where and when to hit it)

·         Physical ( Fitness – speed ,stamina ,strength)

·         Mental  ( focus , concentration)

We could say that your ability as a player is made up of 25% of each. You might go further and even assess yourself in each category, for example – “fitness  15/25, need to do some more court sprints”

However, most of us have also heard and probably believe, the saying that the higher your playing standard then the more “it’s in the head”.  As such it’s not too surprising that current world champion Nick Matthew is regarded as the “mentally toughest player on tour”

Most Coaches are skilled in showing you how to hit the ball. Most Coaches will also be able to provide you with fitness and training programmes to enable you to get fitter   (they may even be daft enough to train with you)

An experienced Coach should also be able to describe tactics, patterns of play, game plans to help you win more matches.

However, what about the coaching of the mental side – difficult to undertake in a 40 minute session and surely your coaching session should be all about hitting the ball?

However, what about the mental side – which you are hopefully realising, has been totally neglected in your improvement as a player?

Mental toughness is a learned skill- you are not born with it – it comes from

·         Hard work

·         Understanding

·         Practice

·         It requires a specific kind of energy , a thinking style and mental focus

So, be aware when you see someone or even feel yourself, losing it on the point of victory (choking/ bottling it) or getting so frustrated that you scream, swear and throw your racket. – These and other symptom s like anxiety are not character traits.

No one is a born “bottler” or racket thrower – it’s a question of knowing what to think and how to control those thoughts.

This my current field of study in the ESR elite coach development programme – if you want some help then you know where to find me

Bob Maison

ESR –Regional Coaching Team

 

Our first team made it to Cambridge First paper

If you want to read the paper online visit http://www.cambridgefirst.co.uk/home/e-edition

 

 

Coaching tactics - Knock-up

Dear Members, Hope you got to see some of the recent County Championships and took note that the club had 8 finalists with a further 3 who come to train and practice at the club.

We are clearly doing something right!!  I hope you also got to see the victories by Tom Blair and Mark Longbottom . These boys play "new style" high intensity, pushed forward all out attack but with a strong tactical base. So what tactics to use? Its all in the "knock up" - are you prepared and reading your opponent like a book? or are you sending him/her a big message that you're not ready? Read on-

PS - No I didnt forget you Seth - Congratulations on your County title - You always were and still are tactically smart!!!

 

“You can’t win the match in the Knock up” – Think Again!!!

So, hopefully you know enough by now that you are not treating the knock up as a warm up. Your physical and mental preparation should have been done earlier.

So what is it you are trying to achieve- we can divide this up into 2 areas

  1.      Preparing yourself to perform the way you want to in the match + sending your opponent a message.
  2.      Seeing how your opponent is preparing himself and seeing what messages he/she is sending you.

So how do you want to perform?Hopefully something like this-

 

  •        Pushed well up on the T
  •          Up on your toes ready to move in any direction
  •          Watching well and trying to predict what your opponent will do next
  •          Racket up and looking to volley at every opportunity
  •          Positive body language –letting your opponent know you are “up for it”
  •          Getting a feel of the ball onto your racket and going through all your shots.
  •          What shots? Volleys long and short ; drives long and short plus slow and high
  •          What about when the ball goes to your opponent? What are you looking for?
  •          Are they more accurate on forehand or backhand, how are they with the high ball – are they comfortable volleying.
  •          What if you throw in a cross court drop or a boast – are they moving for it
  •          All the above info will influence your game plan

 

 

So what’s your opponent doing? Well if it’s like the above you are in for a battle. However, this is unlikely. Your opponent will most likely be doing the following

  •          Standing towards the back of the service area
  •          Not watching ( they know you will hit the ball to them eventually)
  •          Racket down – not far enough up the court to worry about volleys
  •          Flat footed – nobody runs in the knock up anyway do they?

Note – If this how you knock up be aware that you will have given your opponent a big clue as to how to beat you.

Based on the above you will have seen already that your opponent is hanging back and not watching. You will have probably seen they are right handed and are more accurate on the backhand than the forehand and they are not too confident on the volley.

Any thoughts about your game plan so far? What are your strengths? How will you use them to counter your opponent?

1)      You have seen your opponent hangs back and doesn’t watch – Tactic – Push them back with good serve or return and look to go short as early as possible – volley drops or attacking boasts work well. They will be stunned and will almost certainly panic or tell themselves they are playing poorly – you are well on the way.

2)      Your opponent is strong on the backhand and expects everything to be hit to the backhand because that’s how most people play- You are probably good on the backhand as well however – Tactic- Concentrate on their forehand- they will probably be loose and will end up boasting if you get the ball deep. Straight away you have lots of opportunities to attack – make sure you take them!

Your opponent will want to get the ball back onto the backhand by going cross court –Tactic-look for it and you will have opportunity to attack long or short with volleys.

If you keep attacking the forehand your opponent will be forced to move further over to cover the forehand side. BINGO –Tactic-Now there is a bigger gap down the backhand side for you to use your real strength to pound the ball straight

3)      Whatever you do you must not let your opponent settle –Tactic-so set up the rallies with some straight drives and then break up their rhythm with some attacking boasts – the ball will be going into the opposite diagonal and you know they hang back so this is a great way to attack

4)      Play in groups of 2-3 points and focus on your tactics –don’t worry about the score and don’t worry if you play some bad shots – everybody does- just don’t dwell on them.

 

 

 

Cambridge Squash Club Junior Coaching,Doubles Tournament and Pro Exhibition Day – 17th December 2011

 

On the Saturday 17th of December 2011, the Cambridge Squash Club held its first open squash day with activities organised for players of all ages and abilities. The day started with the club catering for junior squash with local England Squash coach Bob Maison and First4Squash’s Steve Davies teaching the basics to local school children from the City and surround villages. The morning was a great success with both children and parents worn out through all the activities laid on and unexpected parent participation!


Lunchtime saw the arrival of the entrants of the fun open doubles competition with players coming all the way from Kent to Sheffield, as well as many members from the club and other Cambridge squash teams. Each pairing played at least 5 matches over a 4 hour period with Phil Scully and Dan Busby from the Hallamshire Club (World no.1 Nick Matthew’s home club) in Sheffield winning the tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The highlight of the day though was the exhibition match between two English squash professionals, Leamington Spa’s Chris Ryder (World ranked 41) and Hull based Laurence Delasaux (Former World no. 62). The club has held exhibition matches in the past, but not for 10 years and in that time professional squash has become a more attacking and higher paced sport. Both players did not fail to disappoint with some perfectly executed volley drops, deceptive cross court flicks and flat-lined kills into the front court nicks. After 4 close fought games, Delasaux came out the winner in the 5th and final game, winning it 11-8 with a total match time of 55 minutes. Both players were exhausted from their efforts, but still had time to sit down with the crowd and answer many questions about squash, life on tour and why squash still isn’t an Olympic sport!

 

 

 

 

 

Both players were able to come to the club during a hectic playing schedule courtesy of their sponsor Harrow Sports, whose UK distributor Kentbridge Sports is based in Cambridge, with a specialist squash shop at the club.

 

It’s all in the head!

Well I’m sure you’ve all heard that term about many Sports and it becomes even more true in high intensity Sports like Squash.

As Coaches we will often divide the game into 4 areas – Technical; Tactical; Physical and Mental.

Most Coaches can advise on the first 3 but very few on the last one!

This is regrettable since it leaves a huge potential area for improvement untapped.

However, if you feel that you might benefit from work on your mental approach then please complete this excel spread sheet questionnaire and return to Bob Maison.

Put an x in the box which you feel most appropriate for you in each section. This will enable me to “build” a picture of your Squash personality and its potential strengths and weaknesses.

Help is at hand!

Bob

 

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