In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the transition from an athlete-centered perspective to one of athlete ownership. This concept is particularly important for junior players as they strive to take more ownership of different aspects of their tennis journey while they progress. By taking more of an athlete ownership approach, young athletes learn to be responsible for their training, tournament schedule, and ultimately their journey as a tennis player overall. Parents and coaches are integral in this process. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership ..read more

In tennis, there are a number of routines and rituals that players can use to bring out their best performances. However, not all players use routines as effectively as they could. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss some of the challenges with using routines, and offer suggestions for how to commit to these important practices. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show ..read more

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss what tennis players can do when nothing is working for them in a match. The co-hosts examine different strategies and tools that tennis players can use in these moments, and also consider broader mindsets and perspectives that can be helpful to apply in these situations. Topics discussed include going back to a player’s fundamentals, targeting an opponent's weakness, and finding ways to relax and relieve physical tension. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and ..read more

Ryan Harrison is a former professional tennis player and Head Coach at Harrison Tennis Academy. With a playing career spanning over 15 years on the ATP Tour, Ryan Harrison stands as a Grand Slam Champion, clinching the Roland Garros men’s doubles title in 2017 with Michael Venus. His journey in professional tennis has seen him reach a career-best singles ranking of No. 40 in the world and No. 16 in doubles. Ryan has showcased his prowess on the global stage, competing in the ATP World Tour Finals in doubles and proudly representing the United States in both the Olympics in London in 2012 and a ..read more

Dr. Cathy Utzschneider is the founder of the coaching practice, MOVE! - a method of goal achievement that helps all kinds of coaches and executives assist others with their goals. Cathy's 25 years of experience as a national- and world-class masters athlete, as well as her doctoral dissertation on goal achievement and excellence, support the method. A certification program for the MOVE! method has created a community of professionals focused on helping others. Cathy is also the lead faculty for sports leadership and coaching for performance at Boston College. A professor since 2005, she is a n ..read more

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss different aspects of motivation relative to self-determination theory, and how tennis players can be clear about what motivates them in terms of competence, autonomy, and relatedness (basic psychological needs). They also examine how people are generally motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, rather than being wholly intrinsically or extrinsically motivated. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to T ..read more

It's commonly believed that tennis players learn more from their losses than their wins. But is that actually true? In this episode, Josh and Brian highlight the benefits of studying your wins and your best performances. Don't take those successes for granted; learn to replicate them. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about the show or questions on the mental game in tennis you can ..read more

In this episode, Brian and Josh discussed how tennis players can be experiments and students on their tennis journey. The co-hosts examined the ways that tennis players can benefit by experimenting more, and how experimenting rather than committing to changing/fixing things tends to be easier because it doesn’t present a permanent change. This protects the player’s identity and doesn’t threaten their ego in the same way as the feeling that they have to make major permanent changes. Additionally, the co-hosts considered how players can commit to being a lifelong student, and how it is helpful t ..read more

Before a match begins, everyone wants to win, but maintaining that desire throughout the match is not easy. Similarly, we all want to play to win during a match, but that has its own challenges. In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss the relationship between the "desire to win" and "playing to win," and the challenges associated with each. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tennisiqpodcast/membership To learn more about Josh and Brian's backgrounds and sport psychology businesses, go to TiebreakerPsych.com and PerformanceXtra.com. If you have feedback about t ..read more

In this episode, Brian and Josh discuss various sport psychology themes from the Netflix movie Hustle. The movie stars Adam Sandler as a NBA scout who identifies a talented basketball player from Spain, and then brings him to the United States. The movie includes various themes related to mental performance including work ethic needed to get to the next level, the improvement and development process of an athlete, the coach-athlete relationship, the importance of moving on after missed shots, and that competition is about YOU vs. YOU. Tennis IQ Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/tenni ..read more