Tip of the week #8: Are you a supportive doubles partner?

Everyone thinks they are, but not everyone is.

What do you think? Are you a supportive partner?

There is value in being a supportive doubles partner. If you can make your partner feel good they will relax and most players play better when relaxed. On a more personal level, to judge another or consider oneself better or worse than another is ugly and ultimately, does not feel good.

One indicator of support is when your partner makes an error. What is your response to your partner’s error? The error can be off a simple shot or a difficult one, it could be off the first shot or after a twenty ball rally? It could be the first error they made or the twentieth. No one intends to make an error and when it happens the individual already feels some mix of doubt, frustration, disappointment, anger, fear, etc. Your reaction can help ease the pain or make it worse 

What is your reaction?

Of course, what ever your honest feelings are will be reflected in your reaction. This reaction will tell you much about yourself if you are honest.

The other side of the coin is to observe your reaction to your partner’s reaction. If you have a supportive partner, how do you feel? If your partner is critical in any way, how do you feel? Is your entire experience based on someone else? If so, how free are you?

Of course, it would be wonderful to have a supportive partner, but that is not always possible. How dependent is your well-being on a partner that is supportive? Do you fall apart if your partner gives you an un-approving gaze or worse still, says something in a negative tone?

The more you learn about yourself through simple observation, without judgment, the ‘free-er’ you will become.

Enjoy the journey………………

happy hitting!

 

 

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