From: cscomp@rabbit.inesc.pt (Area do CSC)
Subject: Controlling Temper (was: Racket thrasher needs help)
Organization: INESC - Inst. Eng. Sistemas e Computadores, LISBOA. PORTUGAL.
Distribution: rec.sport.tennis
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 19:16:00 GMT


This is the thrasher himself.

 To those of you who responded, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

 One thing everybody associated my racket thrashing with a match,
 but I do that even in practice...

 Some points were very good, some other I already tried but to no
 avail, and one person hit the nail with two points that I think
 will trigger more discussion :

 Charles Lin suggested:
  1.Hit myself with the racket.
    R: I sure did and still do, but does not work!!

  2.Tell partner to refuse to play if I yell.
    R: I'm very short on partners already, so can't risk loosing 
       the one I got.

  3.Pay money to partner when the thing comes 
    R: Did that also, no good!


  4.Straightening the strings, stomp my feet, shadow stoke repeat 
    R: I already do all that, and man what a show that is....


 Manuvir Das suggested:
  1. Find something to do every time I hit a bad shot like wyping
     myself with a towel
   R: Point taken, I'll try that! but I used to settle myself with the
      standard 20 or so seconds during the next serve, but people 
      complained I took a long while to serve so that put me off !


 Lawrence Larson suggested:
  1. Give up the game or learn to grow up.
     R: Well, I gave up the game twice (right after the first and
        second racket died), but I just love tennis too much, funny
        thing is, I came back much better technically every time...
        


 But Greg Buechler hit the nail:

> By your posting, I'd probably say that tennis is not related to your temper,
> rather that your temper is very short, and this is just one area that you
> allow it to show its ugly head.

 I'm not flaming you Greg, only after I read that, did I realize how
 true that is. My keyboard also suffers a great deal, 
 well how can I work on that particular aspect (on court that is) ?

 Your next paragraph describes EXACTLY what triggers my tantrum:

> STOP playing matches until you reach a level that you comfortable at.
> Practice, practice, practice your strokes until you can get them in
> a high percentage of times. Once you can do this, you won't be upset
> because you won't be missing so many.

 Up until a year or two ago, I just practiced a lot and match played
 too little, so when I went into a match with any kind of player (much
 better than me, or much worse) I missed the shots I knew perfectly
 well I COULD do them, I knew my mistake, but I couldn't avoid the
 error! THats when I get really furious with myself and well you know
 the rest. That's when it all happens.
 
 Since those one or two years ago, I started match playing much much
 more, I got much better at that kind of situations, and it got to a point
 where I thought I got the act together, I started to win matches against
 people I previously lost like : 6-0 6-1.

 THen a couple of weeks ago, I all came back to me ...

 If you're still with me, can we continue this thread ?
 
 Thanks a lot again to everybody who took the time to awnser.

 Hope to read from you again..

-----------------------------------------------
   Shafik Mahomad (the thrasher)

Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis