Your Mind Needs A Job

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A sports psychology idea I've been sitting with lately, in my own game and with the players I coach, is that your mind needs a productive job when you compete. We're a bit like herding dogs. Left to our own devices we can become restless and scattered, but give us a job and suddenly we're calm and focused.

We talk so much about not overthinking, and that's true. But trying not to overthink will almost certainly cause you to do exactly that.

Here's what I've noticed: most players naturally focus on what they don't want to do. Don't pop it up. Don't miss the drop. Don't speed up the wrong ball. Don't make bad decisions.

But that's not a place where your mind can settle and find flow.

You need a positive focal point - a controllable - to stabilize and support you when things get noisy.

You may or may not be surprised how often I ask a student what they're focusing on and they tell me, "Not doing X" or "Not doing Y."

The brain naturally gravitates toward the negative. Instead, I want you thinking in short, direct "to-do's" (not "to-don'ts") that you can carry from point to point.

For me, it might be "load into my leg," "stay behind the ball" on drops and drives, or simply "energy."

A few words, max.

The goal isn't to think your way through a shot. It's to give your mind a place to land: something brief, simple, and actionable.

Worth thinking about:

What are your cues right now? What are the phrases that, when you say them to yourself, your body can actually respond to?

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Speaking of giving yourself something productive to focus on...that's exactly what we'll be working on at this month's intensives.

My goal isn't just to give you more information. It's to help you leave with a few clear priorities you can take straight into your games.
*Plus they're fun

🏓 Bonus: Every participant will be entered to win a CRBN Barrage 4 paddle. One paddle will be raffled off at each intensive courtesy of my peeps at CRBN.

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No Weak Spots: A Half-Day Camp for 3.0 Women

Saturday June 13 | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM

Build a more complete game from the ground up. We'll sharpen the first four shots, improve footwork and positioning, clean up stroke mechanics, and make better decisions under pressure.

The final hour will be coached split-ladder play so you can put everything together in a game environment.

$219 through June 5 | $249 after
​For 2.75 - 3.49 Women ​
​Limited to 16 players | Maximum 8:1 student-to-instructor ratio

Register

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Smart & Dangerous: An Offensive Intensive for 3.5–4.5 Women

Sunday June 21 | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM | California Smash

Stop guessing when to attack. Learn how to create offense, recognize attackable balls, and turn speedups and counters into reliable weapons.

We'll spend the final hour in competitive games so you can apply the concepts immediately and leave with a clearer offensive game plan.

$219 through June 11 | $249 after​
​3.5+ DUPR or instructor permission​
​Limited to 16 players | Maximum 8:1 student-to-instructor ratio

Register

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I'd love to see you on the court this month.

Warmly,

Coach Jess
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p.s. reply to this email with...anything!

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