Physical fitness is one of the great essentials of match play. Keenness can only be acquired if the physical, mental, and nervous systems are in tune. Consistent and systematic training is essential to a tournament player. Regular hours of sleep, and regular, hearty food at regular hours are necessary to keep the body at its highest efficiency. Food is particularly important. Eat well, but do not over-eat, particularly immediately before playing. I believe in a large hearty breakfast on the day of a big match. This should be taken by nine-thirty. A moderate lunch at about one o’clock if playing at three. Do not eat very rich food at luncheon as it tends to slow you up on the court. Do not run the risk of indigestion, which is the worst enemy to dear eyesight. Rich, heavy food immediately before retiring is bad, as it is apt to make you “loggy” on the court the next day. It is certain injury to touch alcoholic drink in any form during tournament play. Alcohol is a poison that affects the eye, the mind, and the wind three essentials in tennis. Tobacco in moderation does little harm, although it, too, hits eye and wind. A man who is facing a long season of tournament play should refrain from either alcohol or tobacco in any form. Excesses of any kind are bad for physical condition, and should not be chanced. “Staleness” is the great enemy of players who play long seasons. It is a case of too much tennis. Staleness is seldom physical weariness. A player can always recover his strength by rest. Staleness is a mental fatigue due often to worry or too close attention to tennis, and not enough variety of thought. Its symptoms are a dislike for the tennis game and its surroundings, and a lack of interest in the match when you are on the court. I advocate a break in training at such a time. Go to the theatre or a concert, and get your mind completely off tennis. Do your worrying about tennis while you are playing it, and forget the unpleasantness of bad play once you are off the court. Always have some outside interest you can turn to for relaxation during a tournament; but never allow it to interfere with your tennis when you should be intent on your game. A nice balance is hard to achieve, but, once attained is a great aid to a tournament player. The laws of training should be closely followed before and after a match. Do not get chilled before a match, as it makes you stiff and slow. Above all else do not stand around without a wrap after a match when you are hot or you will catch cold. Many a player has acquired a touch of rheumatism from wasting time at the close of his match instead of getting his shower while still warm. That slight stiffness the next day may mean defeat. A serious chill may mean severe illness. Do not take chances. Change your wet clothes to dry ones between matches if you are to play twice in a day. It will make you feel better, and also avoid the risk of cold. Tournament players must sacrifice some pleasures for the sake of success. Training will win many a match for a man if he sticks to it. Spasmodic training is useless, and should never be attempted. The condition a player is, in is apt to decide his mental viewpoint, and aid him in accustoming himself to the external conditions of play. All match players should know a little about the phenomenon of crowd-psychology since, as in the case of the Church-Murray match I related some time back, the crowd may play an important part in the result. It seldom pays to get a crowd down on you. It always pays to win its sympathy. I do not mean play to the gallery, for that will have the opposite effect than the one desired. The gallery is always for the weaker player. It is a case of helping the “under-dog.” If you are a consistent winner you must accustom yourself to having the gallery show partiality for your opponent. It is no personal dislike of you. It is merely a natural reaction in favour of the loser. Sometimes a bad decision to one play will win the crowd’s sympathy for him. Galleries are eminently just in their desires, even though at times their emotions run away with them. Quite aside from the effect on the gallery, I wish to state here that when you are the favoured one in a decision that you know is wrong, strive to equalize it if possible by unostentatiously losing the next point. Do not hit the ball over the back stop or into the bottom of the net with a jaunty air of “Here you are.” Just hit it slightly out or in the net, and go on about your business in the regular way. Your opponent always knows when you extend him this justice, and he appreciates it, even though he does not expect it. Never do it for effect. It is extremely bad taste. Only do it when your sense of justice tells you you should. The crowd objects, and justly so, to a display of real temper on the court. A player who loses his head must expect a poor reception from the gallery. Questioned decisions by a player only put him in a bad light with the crowd and cannot alter the point. You may know the call was wrong, but grin at it, and the crowd will join you. These things are the essence of good sportsmanship, and good sportsmanship will win any gallery. The most unattractive player in the world will win the respect and admiration of a crowd by a display of real sportsmanship at the time of test. Any player who really enjoys a match for the game’s sake will always be a fine sportsman, for there is no amusement to a match that does not give your opponent his every right. A player who plays for the joy of the game wins the crowd the first time he steps on the court. All the world loves an optimist.

The first and most important point in match play is to know how to lose. Lose cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman. This is the first great law of tennis, and the second is like unto it to win modestly, cheerfully, generously, and like a sportsman. The object of match play is to win, but no credit goes to a man who does not win fairly and squarely. A victory is a defeat if it is other than fair. Yet again I say to win is the object, and to do so, one should play to the last ounce of his strength, the last gasp of his breath, and the last scrap of his nerve. If you do so and lose, the better man won. If you do not, you have robbed your opponent of his right of beating your best. Be fair to both him and yourself. “The Play’s the thing,” and in match play a good defeat is far more creditable than a hollow victory. Play tennis for the game’s sake. Play it for the men you meet, the friends you make, and the pleasure you may give to the public by the hard working yet sporting game that is owed them by their presence at the match. Many tennis players feel they owe the public nothing, and are granting a favour by playing. It is my belief that when the public so honours a player that they attend matches, that player is in duty bound to give of his best, freely, willingly, and cheerfully, for only by so doing can he repay the honour paid him. The tennis star of today owes his public as much as the actor owes the audience, and only by meeting his obligations can tennis be retained in public favour. The players get their reward in the personal popularity they gain by their conscientious work. There is another factor that is even stronger than this, that will always produce fine tennis in championship events. It is the competitive spirit that is the breath of life to every true sportsman: the desire to prove to himself he can beat the best of the other man; the real regret that comes when he wins, and feels the loser was not at his best. The keen competitive spirit that stimulates a match player also increases the nervous strain. This should be recognized by tournament committees, and the conditions of play should be as nearly standardized as weather permits. The first thing to fix firmly in your mind in playing a match, is never to allow your opponent to play a shot he likes if it is possible to force him to make one he does not. Study your opponent both on and off the court. Look for a weakness, and, once finding it, pound it without mercy. Remember that you do not decide your mode of attack. It is decided for you by the weakness of your opponent. If he dislikes to meet a netman, go to the net. If he wants you at the net, stay back and force him to come in. If he attacks viciously, meet his attack with an equally strong offensive. Remember that the strongest defence is to attack, for if the other man is occupied in meeting your attack, he will have less time to formulate his own system. If you are playing a very steady man, do not strive to beat him at his own game. He is better at it than you in many cases, so go in and hit to win. On the other hand, if you find that your opponent is wild and prone to miss, play safe and reap the full crop of his errors. It saves you trouble and takes his confidence. Above all, never change a winning game. ————————————— Always change a losing game, since, as you are getting beaten that way, you are no worse off and may be better with a new style. The question of changing a losing game is a very serious thing. It is hard to say just when you are really beaten. If you feel you are playing well yet have lost the first set about 3-6 or 4-6, with the loss of only one service, you should not change. Your game is not really a losing game. It is simply a case of one break of service, and might well win the next set. If, however, you have dropped the first set in a 2 out of 3 match with but one or two games, now you are outclassed and should try something else. Take chances when you are behind, never when ahead. Risks are only worth while when you have everything to win and nothing to lose. It may spell victory, and at least will not hasten defeat. Above all, never lose your nerve or confidence in a match. By so doing you have handed your opponent about two points a game a rather hard handicap to beat at your best. Never let your opponent know you are worried. Never show fatigue or pain if it is possible to avoid, since it will only give him confidence. Remember that he feels just as bad as you, and any sign of weakening on your part encourages him to go on. In other words, keep your teeth always in the match. Don’t worry. Don’t fuss. Luck evens up in the long run, and to worry only upsets your own game without affecting your opponent. A smile wins a lot of points because it gives the impression of confidence on your part that shakes that of the other man. Fight all the time. The harder the strain the harder you should fight, but do it easily, happily, and enjoy it.

In basketball, you want to make sure that every dribble and move that the team members make will lead to the basket and the win. If you are working towards teaching each time member to have different tricks for dribbling, then you can begin by teaching them basics and moving up into developing more advanced techniques as you go. The first thing you will want to teach anyone who is learning the basics of dribbling is where to set all of their strength. Many beginners will try to use their palms when they are beginning to dribble. Instead, you will want to focus on teaching how to use and strengthen the fingertips for better dribbling. The wrist will then be able to control the movement of the fingers, giving more possibilities for controlling the ball. You will also want to teach beginners how to dribble a lower ball, giving them the ability to maneuver through defense with more options. While they are dribbling lower, you will want to make sure that they are able to keep their head up and away from the ball so they can make their next move. After you have the basics of dribbling down, then you can add extra techniques into the bounce. The first of these is learning how to pivot while dribbling. When you are doing basic dribbles, your feet will be hip width apart and your knees will be bent. When you pivot while dribbling a basketball, you will be able to turn your body while you are dribbling into a completely different position, giving you more lead way to get past defense and make a basket. Another maneuver that you can do will combine foot work with the dribble. For example, you can fake moving one way, then turn to move the other, giving you an open shot at a basket. You can do this same thing by feinting, meaning that you dribble the ball enough to move the defense out of your way, giving a clear shot to the basket. Dribbling beyond the basics is learning how to combine footwork with the way that the ball is moving. When you begin to teach others how to move with the ball and how to combine different actions of movement with the game, you will have the ability to give options for moving past the other team and into the basket you want to make.

I trust this initial effort of mine in the world of letters will find a place among both novices and experts in the tennis world. I am striving to interest the student of the game by a somewhat prolonged discussion of match play, which I trust will shed a new light on the game. May I turn to the novice at my opening and speak of certain matters which are second nature to the skilled player? The best tennis equipment is not too good for the beginner who seeks really to succeed. It is a saving in the end, as good quality material so far outlasts poor. Always dress in tennis clothes when engaging in tennis. The question of choosing a racquet is a much more serious matter. I do not advocate forcing a certain racquet upon any player. All the standard makes are excellent. It is in weight, balance, and size of handle that the real value of a racquet frame depends, while good stringing is, essential to obtain the best results. After you have acquired your racquet, make a firm resolve to use good tennis balls, as a regular bounce is a great aid to advancement, while a “dead” ball is no practice at all. If you really desire to succeed at the game and advance rapidly, I strongly urge you to see all the good tennis you can. Study the play of the leading players and strive to copy their strokes. Read all the tennis instruction books you can find. They are a great assistance. More tennis can be learned off the court, in the study of theory, and in watching the best players in action, than can ever be learned in actual play. I do not mean miss opportunities to play. Far from it. Play whenever possible, but strive when playing to put in practice the theories you have read or the strokes you have watched. Never be discouraged at slow progress. The trick over some stroke you have worked over for weeks unsuccessfully will suddenly come to you when least expected. Tennis players are the product of hard work. Very few are born geniuses at the game. Tennis is a game that pays you dividends all your life. A tennis racquet is a letter of introduction in any town. The brotherhood of the game is universal, for none but a good sportsman can succeed in the game for any lengthy period. Tennis provides relaxation, excitement, exercise, and pure enjoyment to the man who is tied hard and fast to his business until late afternoon. Age is not a drawback. The tennis players of the world wrote a magnificent page in the history of the World War. No branch of sport sent more men to the colours from every country in the world than tennis, and these men returned with glory or paid the supreme sacrifice on the field of honour. The following order of development produces the quickest and most lasting results: 1. Concentration on the game. 2. Keep the eye on the ball. 3. Foot-work and weight-control. 4. Strokes. 5. Court position. 6. Court generalship or match play. 7. Tennis psychology. concentration. ————– Tennis is played primarily with the mind. The most perfect racquet technique in the world will not suffice if the directing mind is wandering. There are many causes of a wandering mind in a tennis match. The chief one is lack of interest in the game. No one should play tennis with an idea of real success unless he cares sufficiently about the game to be willing to do the drudgery necessary in learning the game correctly. Give it up at once unless you are willing to work. Conditions of play or the noises in the gallery often confuse and bewilder experienced match-players playing under new surroundings. Complete concentration on the matter in hand is the only cure for a wandering mind, and the sooner the lesson is learned the more rapid the improvement of the player. The surest way to hold a match in mind is to play for every set, every game in the set, every point in the game and, finally, every shot in the point. A set is merely a conglomeration of made and missed shots, and the man who does not miss is the ultimate victor.

The forehand drive is the opening of every offensive in tennis, and, as such, should be most carefully studied. There are certain rules of footwork that apply to all shots. To reach a ball that is a short distance away, advance the foot that is away from the shot and thus swing into position to hit. If a ball is too close to the body, retreat the foot closest to the shot and drop the weight back on it, thus, again, being in position for the stroke. When hurried, and it is not possible to change the foot position, throw the weight on the foot closest to the ball. The receiver should always await the service facing the net, but once the serve is started on the way to court, the receiver should at once attain the position to receive it with the body at right angles to the net. The forehand drive is made up of one continuous swing of the racquet that, for the purpose of analysis, may be divided into three parts: 1. The portion of the swing behind the body, which determines the speed of the stroke. 2. That portion immediately in front of the body which determines the direction and, in conjunction with weight shift from one foot to the other, the pace of the shot. 3. The portion beyond the body, comparable to the golfer’s “follow through,” determines spin, top or slice, imparted to the ball. All drives should be topped. The slice shot is a totally different stroke. To drive straight down the side-line, construct in theory a parallelogram with two sides made up of the side-line and your shoulders, and the two ends, the lines of your feet, which should, if extended, form the right angles with the side-lines. Meet the ball at a point about 4 to 4 1/2 feet from the body immediately in front of the belt buckle, and shift the weight from the back to the front foot at the MOMENT OF STRIKING THE BALL. The swing of the racquet should be flat and straight through. The racquet head should be on a line with the hand, or, if anything, slightly in advance; the whole arm and the racquet should turn slightly over the ball as it leaves the racquet face and the stroke continue to the limit of the swing, thus imparting top spin to the ball. The hitting plane for all ground strokes should be between the knees and shoulders. The most favourable plane is on a line with the waist. Never step away from the ball in driving cross court. always throw your weight in the shot. The forehand drive from the left court is identically the same for the straight shot down your opponent’s forehand. For the cross drive to his backhand, you must conceive of a diagonal line from your backhand corner to his, and thus make your stroke with the footwork as if this imaginary line were the side-line. In other words, line up your body along your shot and make your regular drive. Do not try to “spoon” the ball over with a delayed wrist motion, as it tends to slide the ball off your racquet. All drives should be made with a stiff, locked wrist. There is no wrist movement in a true drive. Top spin is imparted by the arm, not the wrist. The backhand drive follows closely the principles of the forehand, except that the weight shifts a moment sooner, and the R or front foot should always be advanced a trifle closer to the side-line than the L so as to bring the body clear of the swing. The ball should be met in front of the right leg, instead of the belt buckle, as the great tendency in backhand shots is to slice them out of the side-line, and this will pull the ball cross court, obviating this error. The racquet head must be slightly in advance of the hand to aid in bringing the ball in the court. Do not strive for too much top spin on your backhand. I strongly urge that no one should ever favour one department of his game, in defence of a weakness. Develop both forehand and backhand, and do not “run around” your backhand, particularly in return of service. To do so merely opens your court. If you should do so, strive to ace your returns, because a weak effort would only result in a kill by your opponent. Do not develop one favourite shot and play nothing but that. If you have a fair cross-court drive, do not use it in practice, but strive to develop an equally fine straight shot. Remember that the fast shot is the straight shot. The cross drive must be slow, for it has not the room owing to the increased angle and height of the net. Pass down the line with your drive, but open the court with your cross-court shot. Drives should have depth. The average drive should hit behind the service-line. A fine drive should hit within 3 feet of the baseline. A cross-court drive should be shorter than a straight drive, so as to increase the possible angle. Do not always play one length drive, but learn to vary your distance according to your man. You should drive deep against a baseliner, but short against a net player, striving to drop them at his feet as, he comes in. Never allow your opponent to play a shot he likes if you can possibly force him to one he dislikes. Again I urge that you play your drive: 1. With the body sideways to the net. 2. The swing flat, with long follow through. 3. The weight shifting just as the ball is hit.

The batter is only one step from a home run, and it is your position to make sure that they don’t get to the final step. As the third baseman, you will need to prepare yourself to stop the opponents from getting all the way to the end. If you become familiar with some of the situations, then you will easily be able to work towards a better game and getting the opponents off the field before they get to far. Like any other players on the field, you always want to make sure that the third baseman is prepared. Unlike other players, they will not be moving in a large amount of space, or as fast. Instead, they will be in charge of knocking down the ball and making a final play. Most likely, this means that not only will the third baseman have to maneuver slightly different than the other players, but will also mean that he has to walk in prepared differently. Because the main objective is to stop the ball, having a larger glove is often required in order to finish the job. There are two major plays that third baseman should always be prepared for. The first is to tag the player coming towards the base. By standing in a ready position, this will make it easier to get the ball from whatever angle is needed and to get the player out. Knowing how to stand in the right position in order to tag or cutoff the play is one of the most important things that a third baseman needs to learn. Another possibility that a third baseman should look out for is bunts. Usually, it can be determined what type of hit will take place simply by watching the batter get ready. If you see a bunt coming your way, the first thing to do is angle yourself so you can get the ball and throw it to first along the line. By doing this, you will be able to get one of the players out from the bunt. With the third baseman, the most important thing to remember is that the baseball will be coming for you at a certain angle. By being prepared on every side, it will be easier for you to make a good move and get the opponent out. By taking the right moves and being ready for every type of play, the third baseman will have the ability to get the ball and the opponents back to first without the points.

If you are the shortstop of any baseball game, you will want to make sure to not stop short. By understanding your position on the field, you will be able to see the plays through and stop the opponents in their tracks. By knowing some of the techniques to see through with every play, the shortstop will have the ability to run the field against the other team. The number one rule for any shortstop is to keep communication open with the other players. Shortstops, unlike the players on the bases, have the ability to see the field from a different perspective, giving them the ability to see the entire situation and what needs to be done. Because of this, it will be important for the shortstop to be a link between the second and third bases, as well as see which way the ball needs to go. The shortstop will also need to keep open communication with the pitcher to see what type of ball is being thrown, so there can be anticipation about how to respond. Another communication duty of shortstops is to let others know when they have the ball. Teaching shortstops to say things like “I got it” can help to move the game at an easier pace. After the shortstop is able to see the entire picture of the play and communicate with other players, it will be time for them to step up to the plate for the different plays that may occur. One that should always be looked for is the ground balls. If there is a ball that is coming towards the shortstop on the ground, they will have the ability to move out of their position and move to a spot in the field where they can get the ground ball. Unlike basemen, the shortstop needs to have the ability to maneuver around a larger amount of space in order to pick up the speed of the game. Of course, the other plays that may occur may also affect the way that the shortstop reacts. The first is a double play. If the shortstop sees that the second baseman is throwing a double play, for instance, the shortstop will need to be sure to catch the ball and pivot in order to either get the player out or get the ball to third base. With an appeal play, the shortstop, instead of throwing the ball to another base will get the player out himself. The techniques for knowing when to do this and how to get the opponent will most likely require more activity than other bases and are important to practice. If you are working on the position of shortstop, then knowing how to call the plays is the basis for success. By doing this, the one which is playing that position will have the ability to keep the team in line with each other and to get past the bases and into better plays. Knowing the focus for the shortstop will help to determine what moves are best made.

The role of the pitcher is an integral part of every baseball game. For beginners and advanced players alike, it is always important to work on improving the game. If you are trying to find the most effective way to get the ball in the air, and keeps the game moving, then knowing some techniques can help you to reach your goal. The beginning to doing anything effectively is to be grounded. One of the best secrets to effective pitching is making sure that you are standing right. For beginners, you will always want to have one leg in front of the other to balance properly. The leg that is in the front will be the opposite side that will be used to throw the ball, giving you more power when you are getting ready to throw. Having the right stance will always be about finding the right balance in your feet, then moving up from there. This means leaning in at the right angle as well as keeping the strength in your legs to throw the ball. After you have the basic stance down, you can begin to experiment with the various types of throws and types of pitches that you can throw. All of these will depend on the outcome you want from your throw and how you want the batter to respond. If you want the batter to strike out without having the ability to run to bases, then you will want to concentrate on putting the ball either lower or higher and at different speeds. One of the easiest ways to do this is by making sure you have the right grips for each type of ball that you throw, as well as the right stance. If you are learning how to pitch, there are several things to keep in mind in order to control the ball that you are throwing. Everything from the way that you hold the ball to the balance that you have when throwing will make a difference in the effectiveness of your throw. Learning the different angles and possibilities that the ball can take will help you in learning how to be more efficient when someone is up to bat.