Locker Room Power
by David Sammel
Would it surprise you to learn that many matches, at all levels of the
game from the youngest juniors to highest touring pros, are won or lost even before the
first ball is served. I call this locker room power. So, what is locker
room power? Locker room power is the term I use to define the difference
between players who consistently win things and those who do not. It is
part of the formula for success I have developed and understanding its
ramifications can improve your game and your chances of winning matches
and tournaments.
The Formula for Success
Desire (D) + 2 Weapons (W) + Belief (B) (which grows with winning) =
Locker Room Power (LRP)
Justine Henin already had the speed and weapons but it was her
great desire and the hours she put in with trainer Pat Etcheberry that
pushed her to the top. |
D + 2W + B = LRP
Let me unlock the power of this formula by explaining in more detail how
it works.
Desire
This gives a person the motivation to do all the hard work involved to
reach their goal. It is the desire to do whatever is needed for however
long it takes. It is the glue, the ability to compete and run for every
ball and the strength to carry on during the ‘low times.’
Weapons
A player needs to develop at least two weapons that really hurt
opponents. These are two attributes that win points and that strike fear
into opponents.
Belief
This develops over time when it becomes obvious why a player is winning
matches. It is born of a great intent to hurt opponents with their weapons
and the execution is consistent enough to cover their weaknesses.
Budge’s backhand was so formidable it forced every opponent he
faced to drastically alter their tactics and rethink the way they
played the game. |
Locker Room Power
The fear factor that is needed to seep the desire and belief away from
opponents so that many matches are won before a player steps on the court.
LRP causes opponents to lose confidence during a tough match or doubt to
creep into their mind in a crisis.
How does LRP manifest itself at different levels? Sport is not an exact
science so the use of ages or terminology is adjustable. Below are
examples of the common reasons why certain juniors are better than others
or why a player is effective at club level or indeed what it takes to win
a Grand Slam.
Juniors Under 14 Years
D + 2W + B = LRP
In general the two weapons used to win at junior level will be either:
- Consistency and foot speed (good movement).
- Earlier maturity so there is an element of power with the
consistency.
- Consistency and maintaining a mature level of concentration ahead of
the others.
- Consistency and touch (the ability to drop shot, hit angles, change
length and lob fairly accurately.)
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Both Lleyton Hewitt and Michael Chang combined
consistency with outstanding foot speed. |
Physical strength and growth/coordination limitations conspire against
other children trying to build different weapons that will eventually be
power based or attacking based weapons. However as these players move
towards 14 there will be a growing evidence of their ability to win points
and matches over the consistency players. If consistency is going to last
as a weapon, use of accuracy and length combined with outstanding foot
speed is essential.
Andy Roddick had great talent along with huge weapons but it took
Brad Gilbert to make him believe. |
Club Players:
D + 2W + B = LRP
The best player in a club or league is often identical to an under
fourteen player, with
desire being the critical factor. How hard is an adult playing for
recreation prepared to push in order to win? Since strength is available
there are many combinations of weapons that players possess that are
effective.
- A good serve and good forehand.
- A good serve and good volleys
- A good slice backhand with a devastating drop shot.
- Great touch with an ability to rush opponents.
The list can go on and on but the successful player will have harnessed
their desire into a relaxed focus (a mature level of concentration) to
consistently execute whatever weapons they possess. It is worthwhile
analyzing your opponents and getting a clear picture of what their two
weapons are and how they use them to win. Using this knowledge you can
learn not only how to defend against the weapons but also how to find a
way of introducing your own weapons into the game.
The Pro’s
D + 2W + B = LRP
Based on this formula it is easy to understand when players have LRP and
when they lose some power. Current examples of LRP on the up and LRP
waning would be Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi. Roddick has the desire
(done the work) + 2 weapons (serve and forehand) and belief (helped by
Brad Gilbert which started with winning Queens followed by 2 Masters
Series after Wimbledon) = LRP (which helped him steamroller many players
and get him through the crisis match with Nalbandian) Also his win over
Roger Federer in Montreal sent a clear message to the tour that he was
still improving quickly.
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Injury is also a factor that hurts LRP and Serena Williams will face an
eager Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne with renewed belief that
they have closed the gap. |
Agassi may still have the desire + 2 weapons (early ball and precision) +
belief (he has done it so many times before) = LRP. However LRP is based
on winning and perception and the perception is that he has lost half a
yard in speed.
Whether it is true or not is irrelevant because he gets
less easy matches because many players believe they can beat and are
prepared to test Agassi longer and harder. This means longer and tougher
matches so he has less recovery time when he is at an age in his career
when recovery is slower which is a double whammy. The fact that Andre` has
more than two weapons plus experience explains why he is still a force and
can possibly re-establish momentum to win another Slam.
Injury is also a factor that hurts LRP and Serena Williams will face an
eager Justine Henin-Hardenne plus others with renewed belief that they
have closed the gap. They will want to test her for vulnerabilities when
she returns.
In every players careers the LRP is stronger at different times and
sometimes it seems so strong as to make a player invincible for a period
or a tournament. Pete Sampras had it for 6 years, lost some of it for 2,
then on the back of wins over Greg Rusedski (who by his own admission had
too much respect having played through the height of Pete’s LRP) and Tommy
Haas, and re-established his LRP for one last Grand Slam. It is remarkable
how great champions retain LRP for several years and establish great
rivalries when they clash with each other with equal amounts of LRP – they
truly play with belief and confidence and without fear.
It is possible to reinvent yourself as a player and add a weapon to your
game. For example if Lleyton Hewitt emerged in the new year going to the
net more with greatly improved volleys and won a few tough matches he
could re-establish the fear factor.
Locker Room Power is a mixture of unconscious desire and conscious
work to manifest this desire.
Although desire is an essential ingredient of success it is also
something that can grow over time and often becomes a burning ambition
once a player is a good way down the road. For this reason it is practical
to identify your two weapons first and possibly find out something about
your desire by how hard and methodical you are at improving these weapons.
For six years, Pete Sampras seemed invincible. He walked on the
court expecting to win and he usually did. |
Whatever level you play at you can work on improving your LRP. The first
step is to get clear in your mind what your 2 weapons are and when they
are most effective.
Secondly you need to have the desire to do some work (or lots of work if
you want to be a pro) to be good enough to engineer points so you can use
your weapons. You need to work on your weapons so you can execute
consistently?
Thirdly identify whether you are still losing because you have one or more
major weaknesses. This can cause your game to break down too early in
points before you have a chance to use your weapons. Fourthly do you believe in what you are doing? It is important that
opponents have a perception that you are going in the right direction and
as you win more matches they begin to realize why you are tougher and
start to worry about your weapons before they walk on the court. When
other players start to make comments about your weapons LRP begins to
grow.
Here are a few examples of what I teach to build LRP:
- Attitude! Attitude is the number one key. Teach players to
become an advertisement for themselves. It is not about what they cannot do but
rather ‘I can do this and I will improve in that.’
- Video yourself walking onto the court. Is your demeanor showing
someone confident and keen to play or does it show someone nervous and
scared?
- Manage locker room language. Never underestimate opponents or
talk in a manner that can be used as an excuse. Locker room walls have
ears. Remember the club lounge; the gym and restaurant are all part of
the locker room.
- Put out positive publicity if it is true. For example if you
have just finished a tough physical bloc and are fitter than ever
before, drop this fact into the odd conversation. This only becomes
powerful however, if you show in practice a desire to chase every ball
and especially if you show extra speed and endurance in matches. LRP is
cemented when an opponent thinks ‘Wow this guy wasn’t kidding when he
said he was fit’ and further more tells other players after the match,
whether he won or lost.
- LRP starts with substance. LRP is the ‘mystique’ on top of
the substance when people begin to exaggerate the depth of your weaponry
and begin to feel that opponents need to play above themselves to
compete. On any level this is double edged. Opponents think you are
invincible and in turn you begin to feel invincible and your confidence
becomes immense. This combination is very hard to beat.
Coming into a match against Agassi, opponents knew how fit he was
and how hard they would have to work. |
If you advertise a bad product well it can work a little against easily
impressed players but the great thing about sport is that bluff is not
sustainable in the long run.
LRP is a formula and every part of the formula is important. LRP can be
learned by smart training and smart use of language. It is the putting
together of an advertisement that reflects a great attitude towards competition
and a clear belief and understanding of the formula and how to build your
personal power from the formula.
The bottom line underpinning the whole formula is the desire to do the
smart work. The formula is a help for players to be clear about what work
is needed as it is no use working hard in the wrong direction.
Many
players hope to be successful but this hope is undermined by the bare fact
that deep down they know they are not working hard enough and this very
fact causes them to hand over LRP to those players they know are doing the
work. Coaches and trainers attempt to find ways for players to believe in
themselves but they ignore LRP at their peril. It is important to
understand this factor because most matches and tournaments are still
being won by the momentum of building LRP.
Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about David Sammel's article by emailing
us here at TennisONE.
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