Story of the Week
During our mental skills training on Tuesday—fittingly inspired by our wild weather—I brought this concept to life with a surprise on-court drill.
We began with a standard baseline groundstroke game to 10 points. Even early in the morning, the students’ competitive energy was palpable.
But just as they were about to begin, I threw them a curveball: They had to play the game using their opponent’s racquet.
Eyes widened. Murmurs of confusion spread across the courts.
As play began, it was fascinating to watch the reactions.
Some students laughed and embraced the challenge (Wouldn’t it be great if we always responded to difficulty with joy?). Others were noticeably less amused. The irritated comments rolled in:
“This racquet is too heavy…”
“This racquet is too light…”
“I can’t play with this thing…”
“What’s the point of this exercise?”
After regrouping and unpacking the experience, we had the perfect opportunity to talk. Flexibility. Adaptation. Resilience. Toughness. These were the themes that emerged.
And I reminded them of one of our core principles at Colossal Tennis: being comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Please don’t confuse this with suffering!
While physical endurance is certainly part of every player’s development, this principle is about something deeper: Adapting to unfavorable conditions—embracing them, and even finding ways to turn them to your advantage.
There are many parts of competitive tennis life that you can prepare for. And planning ahead reduces stress when things go wrong:
- Playing in the heat? Bring a hat, towel, and cooling rags.
- Worried about your strings? Get your racquets restrung at your preferred tension before a tournament.
- Facing a long day of matches? Pack plenty of food and water.
Plan it—don’t panic. Take care of what you can control to reduce risk and set yourself up for success.
But what happens when the unexpected happens—and all your plans fall apart?
That’s when you need to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
A Windy Example
Let’s say a strong wind suddenly picks up mid-match.
Most players groan. “I can’t play tennis in this wind!”
But a player who’s trained for chaos gets excited. This player has logged hours practicing in messy, windy conditions. They’ve adapted.
Even more importantly, they believe they can play well in the wind.
And that belief makes all the difference.
Learn to Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
So how do you actually train to become comfortable being uncomfortable?
Simple: Take any tennis condition you’ve ever complained about—and throw yourself into it.
- Strings must be perfect? Try playing with them too loose or too tight (within reason!).
- Need your grip just right? Grab a racquet with an old, worn grip—and make it work.
- Only comfortable indoors? Time to hit the outdoor courts (hello, Minnesota!).
External conditions are a goldmine for adversity training: Heat, cold, sun, wind, noise—you name it.
Do you need silence to hit a serve? Go to the Baseline outdoor courts and train your concentration with traffic buzzing nearby.
The opportunities are endless. And every time a player embraces one, their confidence and resilience grow. It’s one of my favorite ways to challenge my students—and I’m constantly amazed at how much they improve when they embrace the mess.
Final Thoughts
So my challenge to you this week is: Embrace the mess.
As I remind my students daily: “We aren’t seeking perfection—we’re seeking correction.”
Find something that makes you uncomfortable on the court—and lean into it.
Hope you find this week’s essay helpful—and if you like the Aces and Faults newsletter please share this sign-up link with a friend!
Stay dry out there, Minnesota! ☔
