Coach Fran Davis
Does your record matter? Real winners know that when they lose they need to work on specific skills, strategies, techniques, drill more, read more mental toughness books, and sharpen the area that cost them the match. They are not losers in life because they lost a match; they are winners in life because they are willing to go back to the trenches and work even harder on their game. Every obstacle in your life is offering you a lesson to be learned. The courageous athletes say, “Bring it on!”
The key is to know you are a champion all the time and you ALWAYS do your best. It has nothing to do with your win–loss record. Do not personalize your losses, just keep analyzing your matches and keep working on your game.
There are many topics on Mental Toughness in my book, Championship Racquetball in Chapter 9.
All my athletes from Rocky Carson and Paola Longoria who are presently playing the pro tour, to my junior champions Jordan Cooperrider, Wayne Antone Ingrid Robledo and Mitchell Turner and legends Jason Mannino and Sudsy Monchik, when they were playing the pro tour, all have/had a “Bring it on” attitude.
Here’s how my Championship Team PROVES that a “Bring it on” attitude is a critical part of performing at their best:
Rocky Carson:
At the Galaxy Custom Printing ProAm Atlanta, GA, November 3-6, he had one of the worst tournaments of his career as he lost in the first round (the 16’s) in singles and in the semifinals of doubles. After I spoke with Rocky I told him he didn’t seem sharp as he was missing his serves and shots, plus his return-of-serves were inconsistent. He informed me his Dad was in the hospital and he spent several weeks with him at the hospital and not on the courts. Well that made sense as he wasn’t totally 100% engaged physically or mentally. I told him, “I totally understood why you played the way you did in Atlanta and that wasn’t a true indication of Rocky Carson.” He agreed.
So when Rocky got home from Atlanta, he regrouped and spent the next two weeks drilling, playing, talking to me, and focusing on his game for the St. Louis for Racquetball Winter Rollout Tournament. What a great turnaround as he made it to the finals, beating Jansen Allen in the quarterfinals in three games and Alvaro Beltran in the semifinals in four games before losing in the finals to Kane Waselenchek in three games.
Rocky surely had an obstacle in his life and he learned a very valuable lesson: losing in Atlanta did not brand him as a loser as when he got home. He told me and his sparring partner, Dob Richardson, “Bring it on. I am ready to work.”
I am so proud of ALL MY ATHLETES, Rocky, Paola, Wayne, Jordan, Ingrid and Mitchell for achieving their goals.
Their “Bring it on” attitudes are yet another required skill set on the road to championship racquetball. ALL of the players I coach, from the professionals led by Rocky and Paola to the amateurs, know just how important it is to “bring it on.” Their records speak for themselves…Rocky and Paola are BOTH two of the most decorated athletes in racquetball. Paola finished ranked #1 for the 6th time on the LPRT, 6X US Open Champions, 5X World Champion and 4X Pan American Champion. Rocky finished ranked #2 for the 8th time after the 2015-2016 IRT Season on the men’s professional International Racquetball Tour (IRT), 5X World Champion, 2X Pan American Champion and US Open Champion.
In the next issue, I will continue to build your Championship Racquetball Game one level at a time so you too can be ready to become the champion you always dreamed of becoming, by giving you the tips and tools to make it a reality. Rocky and all my athletes “Championship Racquetball Games” stem from their focus on ALL 3 sides of the triangle working together so they can develop into top competitors. Without a shadow of a doubt, they KNOW just how important it is to do the work. They are living proof it works and their titles substantiate it.
For details on more personalized instruction/video lessons, a weekend camp, instructional DVD’s and our book, Championship Racquetball) ALL which covers all aspects of the Sports Racquetball Triangle and more, please visit www.FranDavisRacquetball.com. Fran Davis is a 2004 racquetball Hall of Fame inductee; Racquetball Woman of the Year 2009; Coaches #2 IRT Pro Player / 1X US Open Champion / 5X and present World Champion, 2X and present Pan American Champion, Rocky Carson; Coaches #1 Women’s LPRT Pro Player / 6X and present US Open Champion & 5X and present World Champion, 2X and present Pan American Champion, Paola Longoria; Coaches Jr. World & National Champions, Jordan Cooperrider, Wayne Antone, Mitchell Turner and Ingrid Robledo; Master Professional Instructor/Coach USAR-IP.
