First Tournament Tips – Part 1
I work with a lot of players that are just transitioning into their first few tournaments and we see a lot of the same mistakes, so if you’re out there playing your first tournament or two I’ve got a couple of tips for you to get more comfortable preparing for the event.
Learn The Rules
Make sure when you go into a tournament, you’re prepared to have a referee that creates your rules. One of the most common mistakes is something as simple as, forgetting your referee has to call the entire score before you start your service motion.
Plan For A Long Day
Another thing to think about is you are playing an entire draw in the same day, so be prepared to play all day long. That means you need snacks, you need to hydrate, you need to be in an area that you can rest and relax in between your matches.
A lot of players want to play a lot in their off time and then there are too tired, or they end up cramping. You are playing for a full day, it’s a long day, so make sure that you’re hydrated, you’ve got food and you’re relaxed as you go through your day.
Use Your Timeouts
The last thing to think about is making sure that you’re prepared to utilize time outs. Timeouts are one of the most important factors in momentum. You have two timeouts per game if you’re playing two out of three, and they’re one minute long, and in between games you have 2 minutes.
So, when you have a time out you can communicate with a coach or another person and talk about your match, and if you’re changing sides you are not allowed to talk with your coach. I often see players on the outside trying to coach people when they’re in the middle of a game. A timeout is key to being able to think about your strategy, but also your momentum.
I often get stubborn about it and don’t want to utilize a timeout, but there’s huge factors. If you’re at 2-10 and you haven’t used a timeout, use it. Get comfortable using them and utilizing them for strategy as well as mental focus.
