Gamesmanship

We just returned from backtoback tournaments so we're swamped with videos (THANK GOODNESS), but I wanted to take a moment to add to this very new and very exciting blog, lol. I'm stepping slightly away from the theme of this blog (for a moment) to share something with you because it happened recently and, actually, it happens ALL THE TIME. Hopefully, this will be of interest to you and you may have some thoughts that you'd like to share with others...The specific details don't actually even matter but I need YOUR advice on what to say when parents approach me for MY advice: How should they handle it when their player is the victim of gamesmanship?

Hmmm...So what is gamesmanship anyway? I don't know officially, but here's what I think it is - when Player A deliberately does whatever it takes to 'get in the head' of Player B - kind of like a form of mental manipulation - and then Player B is so distracted and disturbed that Player A wins the match (which was the intention).

A good tennis parent supports their tennis players by letting them solve the problem of how to win the match. But when gamesmanship enters the equation, all bets are off...and parents wonder how to best guide their players. I've heard the whole range of approaches, from "we'll probably stop playing competitive tennis" to "my player will have to toughen up to play this sport" to "this is part of life and if the other player resorts to this kind of behavior, I'll advise my player that they'll just have to start dishing it back".

I just shake my head and say that I'm really sorry about it but they are not alone. Seriously, this happens ALL THE TIME...What are your thoughts on this??? Remember THE VERY LAST THING we want to do is generate any controversy whatsoever. If you include a name in your post, it will be promptly deleted. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.