Competitive readiness is a combination of each of the eight mental subcomponents to create a supreme level of mental and physical performance in a match. Before competition, players must be prepared in all aspects of the game. They must be mentally ready to compete in a high-stress situation and remain mentally focused in difficult moments.
According to Jim Loehr, Ed.D., “There are a whole series of factors that ready you so that you are in the best possible position to absorb stress.” Such factors may be fitness, sleep, nutrition, hydration, recovery, confidence, mental toughness and knowing an opponent’s game and what to expect. When the combination of these factors allows a player to be at his best possible state of preparedness, mentally and physically, then he is competitively ready for a match.
USPTA Master Professional David Porter, Ed.D., adds, “Competition is an attitude. Some people like to compete and others don’t. I think if you’re ready to compete, then you know what it takes to be prepared.” Competitive readiness involves getting mentally focused on the match at hand and ignoring all other outside influences that have no bearing on the match. |
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