The Winner Was Deaf

FROGS

Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs.... who arranged a running competition.

The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.

A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants....

The race began....

Honestly:

No one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower.

You heard statements such as:

"Oh, WAY too difficult!!"

"They will NEVER make it to the top."

"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!

The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one....

Except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher....

The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!"

More tiny frogs got tired and gave up....

But ONE continued higher and higher and higher....

This one wouldn't give up!

At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!

THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally want ed to know how this one frog managed to do it?

A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal?

It turned out....

That the winner was DEAF!!!!

The wisdom of this story is:

Never listen to other people's tendencies to be

negative or pessimistic.... because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart!

Always think of the power words have.

Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions!

Therefore:

ALWAYS be....

POSITIVE !!!

And above all:

Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams!

Always think:

God and I can do this!

Committed To Your Success

Alex Gomes
Contact:
9824060060
alexgomesee@gmail.com

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Rain, Rain Go Away Little Ruju Wants To Play

Hi Buddies

It has been raining since last five days and hence there has been no tennis. Not going to the tennis court is disheartening because you are losing a valuable practice day. However, I received calls from my tennis warriors i.e. Ruju, (under 10 years) Ronit (under 12 years) and Jilani (under 12 years) for practice.

We have no infrastructure for practice or fitness for such kind of weather. Mostly during such periods we do some shadow practice, ball toss, skipping etc., and if it is drizzling then have fun out on the tennis court by playing mini tennis. Tennis balls bounces pretty ‘ok’ in the wet and once you get used to it then it becomes more thrilling and altogether a new feeling….. but don't practice footwork.

To be away from the tennis court for five days is a big gap and which can defocus the player. I request my tennis warriors to read the stuff (tennis and motivational) given by me, which helps them to keep the fire burning and keep up the passion for their game and sport.

Ronit, watches Rocky movies and reads tennis related books. His father helps him in the Gym, specifically working on his legs. Allan does more of cardio work out in gym, which does help him in longer matches.

Whereas, Jilani watches the recorded tennis matches. Jilani initially had challenge in his swing path and hence he gives good amount of time on shadow drills. Jilani loves to do Skipping and is a master at it. He always skips with a smile because he has been told that skipping will improve his first step towards the ball, while helping his split step in a big way. Above all he is motivated by Allan’s Five thousand skipping every day.

Shivani too practices all her shots in front of a mirror, because she knows it is the best way to get the stroke into muscle memory. Why mirror? Because mirror will give you a feedback on what improvement has to be made in your stroke.

Me and Shivani use to work out in the St Xavier’s Loyola School pavilion and play Table tennis game at the School Table tennis Hall, where my younger brother Anthony Gomes is the Chief Coach. Besides the fun, the game helped her to improve her reflexes, hand eye co-ordination.

I used to instruct Shivani and Jilani to clean up their tennis bag. These school going players are on a tight schedule, hence during this period they can get rid off the empty cans, the dirty napkins and what not. One can re-arrange the bag with necessary things.

So True:

It is not God-given talent alone that ensures success, but instead the utilization of that talent that requires sacrifice and hours of hard work that leads to superstar success. - Vince Dooley

Ok guys … waiting for the Sun to come out…..

To Your massive Tennis Success

Alex Gomes

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'Support System'

Recently I had a discussion with a senior experienced coach Shri Ranjit Sir, and a highly qualified coach Shri Narendra Sir (under his banner I give personal coaching) about what it takes to make a champion player. There was a very meaning full dialogue and thoughts were exchanged and shared. However, it was concluded that in Gujarat it is not the lack of infrastructure or talent leave aside the association but the vital element in making a champion was the SUPPORT System. The support system of the child i.e. parent.

So true - The support system is the parent. It is not the coach nor the player fizzle out from the ‘making of champion progression’ but the support system i.e. the parents. This is because of the thought process going on during the progression of a player and coach does not match with parents and hence the parent is out of the track of the progression. There are other reasons also worth noting it but this cause seems to be of vital importance as the child has no say in the progression. The parents are sole decision maker. They hardly consult the coach or the child about the progression instead they only focus at the end result ‘Winning’. The child has the passion and talent for the game but he is at the mercy of the parents. It is unheard that an association in India has program or a system to breed champions, not a single instance to quote, it is only the parents individually at their own cost, patience, finance and lots of sacrifices have produced champions, e.g. Leander Paes, Amritraj, Krishnan, Bhupati, and there are lot more excellent achievers who have not come to the lime light and have been molded by their parents.

I work and coach on the Principles of Positive and 100% Commitment principles and I am in opposition to a “win-at-all-cost” mentality.

One should not conclude from the above sentence that my coaching is not meant for winning, it is for winning but I give more focus on progression, the amount of hard work student has to put up, the effort, ready to learn and enjoying the improvement attitude, commitment, love for your game, respect for coaches and opponents, accepting mistakes as a feed back and above all honouring the game.

The below lines are for the ‘Support System ‘ to ponder with -

Parents should look at the child playing as if they were learning ‘life lessons’ at this young age (innocently), which will help them to be a winner in the game of life. Life is a totally a different ball game, and it can never be learned through the coded education of our schools or tuition classes.

I always tell the parents “You are the ‘Basic Coach, of your child, you are the emotional ‘Ganga’ which can totally convert and mould your child not only into a winner, but turn him/her into champions of champions.”

Parents need to know that they are required to learn ‘Emotional Management’, which is very vital to help their child to excel in the game and life. I myself was a ‘Tennis Parent’ but changed myself after getting lessons from Akhtar Ali the Padma Shree Awardee. He taught me not to advice Allan (my son who is a prominent tennis player of the Gujarat State) after he lost the match. One should point the positive points first and then the mistakes. This will lead to the positive points boosting his confidence, while the negative ones will be taken care as a feed back to practice and improve upon. Always encourage the efforts of the child at every stage. Criticism may work, provided it is done once in a blue moon.

It is the responsibility of the Parents to get involved in the child’s tennis program. It is the responsibility of the parents to take the child to the court for practice in time and also pick up in time. Be a good role model. Be sporty, cheer both the players when good shots or points are played. Never criticize the coach in front of the child; the child will lose the respect and enthusiasm for the coach and the game.

Whenever a player who is not my student asks me for a tip I tell them, first tip is to love and respect everybody. Tennis is not being good in mind and body but also heart and soul.

I have observed that many parents avoid making their child play competition, but a healthy competition is must for the self-development of a player and without competition; one cannot grow and improve one's skills. In fact, competition makes a meaningful life.

In nutshell, it is the responsibility of the parents to help the child to focus and on sharpening the competitive edge which will raise his/her level. The Personal Brand of the player will be developed through parent’s motivation, encouragement, care and lots of love.

“Play inside the line, think outside the box’.

Positively
Alex Gomes
9824060060
alexgomesee@gmail.com

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