The Role of Coaches in Teaching Resilience, Not Just Technique

Tennis coaches play a crucial role in fostering not only technical skills but also resilience in junior players, helping them handle setbacks, stay focused, and build mental toughness for long-term success.

The Game for Life (GFL) framework reminds us that tennis teaches skills that extend far beyond the court—patience, problem-solving, respect, and adaptability. While technical ability may fade, resilience shapes how kids approach challenges in school, friendships, and future careers.

Why Resilience Matters in Junior Tennis

Tennis constantly challenges players with “mini-adversities”—a double fault in a tight moment, a lost tie-break, or the frustration of missing a routine shot. For juniors, learning to bounce back from these moments is just as important as perfecting their strokes.

One of the coaches in India, Devendra Busari, once told me that the best thing about tennis—or any sport—is that kids learn to accept success or failure and be back on the court the very next day. In exams, by contrast, they only face success or failure once every semester. Sport teaches resilience much faster than any school, because it compresses the cycle of challenge, reflection, and renewal.

Coaches as Mentors, Not Just Instructors

Coaches are more than stroke technicians—they are role models. Juniors carefully watch how their coaches respond to mistakes, difficult sessions, or unexpected challenges. When a coach stays calm under pressure, responds with encouragement instead of frustration, or adapts drills when conditions change, players learn those same behaviors.

My mentor and coach, Nandagopal Balasubramaniam (Nandu), once told me: “As a coach, you also have to put yourself in the player’s shoes to understand how they are thinking, and then adjust your coaching style to spark their interest. The player should also have fun along with their progressions in tennis.”

This combination of joy and resilience is what keeps kids engaged for the long run.

Examples of Building Resilience in Junior Tennis

Building resilience works best when it happens progressively, starting with small wins and moving toward bigger challenges. In my own coaching, I’ve seen how short-term goals immediately lift confidence. For example, I often challenge a junior to land five serves in a row inside the service box before we move on. The moment they succeed, their energy changes—they’ve created a small win they can build on. These early successes prove that progress is within reach.

Once juniors taste those small wins, the next opportunity is helping them respond quickly after setbacks. After a player loses a set badly, I avoid overloading them with long analysis. Instead, I focus on one actionable change—such as using more topspin or improving footwork. By applying just that single adjustment, they often return sharper in the very next set. This teaches them that mistakes are temporary and can be turned around with clear, focused action.

When players begin to trust their ability to respond, I introduce controlled adversity in practice. For example, I might start them down 0–30 in a game and ask them to focus only on winning the next point. Later, the challenge expands—first to winning two points, then to turning the entire game around. By gradually raising the difficulty, they build resilience step by step, learning that pressure can be managed in manageable pieces.

At this stage, players also benefit from routines and mindfulness that stabilize emotions. A simple exercise I use is asking them to take a deep breath and bounce the ball three times after an error during a five-minute rally. This small ritual helps them reset quickly, shift their focus forward, and keep emotions in check. Over time, routines become anchors they can rely on when the match intensity rises.

Finally, juniors need to strengthen their self-talk and confidence. I once had a player who constantly said, “I’m terrible at volleys.” We worked on changing that to “I’m improving every volley” and celebrated small wins, like scoring one or two extra net points each session. Before long, volleys transformed from her weakness into one of her favorite shots. This progression—from changing language to noticing results—shows players how their mindset directly shapes growth.

Key Attributes Coaches Help Develop

When resilience is built through this kind of progression, juniors develop powerful mental habits:

• Humility: Accepting setbacks and turning them into growth.
• Grit: Persistent effort despite challenges.
• Adaptability: Adjusting tactics, routines, or mindset when conditions change.
• Support Systems: Learning to rely on coaches, peers, and family.
• Action Orientation: Responding with solutions instead of excuses.

Short Wins Toolbox

Just like resilience itself, short wins can be structured progressively so players build confidence step by step.

The starting point is creating simple, achievable targets. For example, ask a player to hit three serves in a row into the target box. When they succeed, celebrate it before raising the challenge to four or five. These early successes prove to juniors that improvement is within reach and give them an immediate confidence boost.

Next, encourage players to recover quickly from mistakes. A bounce-back exercise works well: after every error in a rally, the only goal is to win the very next point. By focusing narrowly on the next ball, juniors learn that a setback doesn’t mean the game is lost—it’s simply a chance to reset.

Once they grow comfortable with quick recoveries, introduce short challenges that build consistency. A mini-volley rally of ten in a row with a partner is a great example. It demands focus, but it’s still attainable. When players succeed, they see that concentration and effort lead to progress, even in tasks that require control under pressure.

After consistency comes controlled adversity. Start a tie-break at 0–3 and set the target of reaching 2–3 before worrying about the rest. Small comebacks like this help juniors understand that no situation is hopeless—they can fight their way back one point at a time.

Finally, reinforce resilience through recognition of effort. Award “hustle points” when a player chases every ball in a rally, regardless of the outcome. This teaches them that resilience isn’t just about results; it’s also about attitude, persistence, and refusing to give up.

By following this progression—from small successes to managing setbacks, then handling pressure and valuing effort—coaches can create an environment where juniors consistently experience growth, confidence, and resilience.

Parents and Coaches: A Shared Role

Resilience develops best when parents and coaches deliver the same message. Parents can reinforce what coaches are already teaching by:

• Praising effort, not outcomes: Ask about attitude and persistence rather than scorelines.
• Modeling calmness: Stay composed after tough matches to show kids how to handle pressure.
• Encouraging independence: Let kids pack their own tennis bag or manage their routines.
• Asking constructive questions: “What did you enjoy?” or “What did you learn?”

When coaches and parents align, juniors feel supported, valued, and more willing to keep trying after setbacks.

Conclusion

By integrating small goals, quick turnarounds, controlled adversity, routines, and supportive reinforcement into training, coaches do much more than improve strokes—they cultivate resilience. This resilience helps juniors thrive under pressure, recover quickly from mistakes, and persist through challenges.

Ultimately, tennis becomes a powerful teacher of grit, humility, adaptability, and accountability—qualities that prepare juniors not just for success in sport but for life beyond the court.

👉 Coach’s Quick Activity for Next Session

Ask each player to win three “next points” in a row after making an error. Celebrate success immediately. These short wins build belief quickly and set the foundation for long-term resilience.