Tennis mental coaching

Tennis mental coaching

MISSION

I have been working in the world of tennis for 20 years. Alongside my training as a sports psychologist/psychotherapist, I have also pursued a career as a tennis instructor. Today, I am a FITP National Coach and a Level 2 Mental Trainer. I am currently enrolled in the first year of a Master’s degree program in Motor Sciences, specializing in LM-67.

Until the age of 24, I primarily worked as a coach, training children from beginner to specialization levels. For the past 12 years, I have been working full-time as a coach for professional female players. From 2014 until 2023 (the year she retired), I coached Giulia Laura Gatto Monticone, who is now part of our staff. In our 8 years of collaboration, Giulia went from a ranking of 520 to achieving her best ranking of 148 WTA, fulfilling her goal of playing in 13 Grand Slams and representing the national team in the Billie Jean King Cup. In 2022, I founded the private tennis coaching team “Kokoro Tennis”. Today, together with my staff, I coach Federica Rossi (best ranking 606 WTA) since 2021, Deborah Chiesa (best ranking 143 WTA) since 2023, Melania Delai (best ranking 512 WTA) since 2022, and Chiara Fornasieri (best ranking 1245 WTA) since 2023.

As a mental trainer, since 2016, I have mentally coached over 50 professional tennis players, as well as young competitive players. In 2016, I presented at the European Congress of Sport Psychology “The contribution of motor imagery and action observation on sport performance: between theory and practice,” the first app developed by my team 10220NeuroLab for the modification of automated motor gestures in tennis.

In 2016, I served as the head of the mental area at the “Le Pleiadi” tennis club in Moncalieri (Top School). For the past 7 years, I have been the head of the mental area at the Sisport club in Turin (Top School), and for the past 3 years, I have held the role of head of the mental area in the regions of Piedmont and Aosta Valley at the Peripheral Training Center (CPA) for the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation. Since 2020, I have been the head of the mental area at the Circolo della Stampa Sporting in Turin (Top School).

Since 2022, I have been working as a consultant for the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, with the role of trainer and mental trainer in national training camps for U12, U14, and U16, as well as in international category competitions.

 

 

METHOD

My working methodology comes from the experiences accumulated over the years, for exemple the neurophysiological imprint of my research work, my study trips to American academies, almost ten years of WTA tour attendance, my training as a cognitive psychotherapist and tennis coach, my curiosity for new technologies (my 1220neurolab development team creates and develops apps for mental training in tennis). The path I study for athletes includes objective monitoring of my work through texts and physiological measurements, to guarantee a scientifically validated quality path. My training allows a constant and unavoidable alternation between classroom and field work.

TECHNIQUES

  • Cognitive and laterality tests: set of specific tests that take place throughout the course in order to measure the tennis player’s cognitive abilities and to be able to monitor them during the course.
  • EMDR protocol: the EMDR protocol is a structured psychotherapeutic method that facilitates the treatment of problems related to both traumatic events and more emotionally stressful common experiences. I am an EMDR certified therapist (Level 2), recognized by the EMDR Europe Association and member of EMDR Italy for 3 years. I use this treatment with athletes during rehabilitation after an injury or to help them manage stressful moments or memories that generate suffering.
  • Biofeedback: biofeedback is a psychophysiological psychotherapeutic technique. Using equipment and sensors, biological parameters inherent to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system (heart rate, muscle tension, breathing, skin conductance, brain waves) can be measured non-invasively and then it is possibile to teach to the patient how to monitor and voluntarily control unconscious biological processes. I studied at the BFE (Biofeedback Europe) association through a basic and advanced purely theoretical course and then I attended the technical-practical training course and took the European level 3 BFE certification exam. I use this technique to monitor the psychophysical profile of the athletes and implement their awareness and management of these parameters in the competition.
  • Neurofeedback: neurofeedback is a method that, through the use of electroencephalography (EEG) and the use of the principles of biofeedback draws a profile of the patient’s central nervous system and then works on brain wave control. It is a technique that I use in many types of situations, such as the treatment of anxiety and the thought under stress.
  • Safe and Sound Protocol: The SSP is a five-day intervention that allows significant improvements in the following areas: anxiety and post-traumatic symptoms, relationship and social difficulties, inattention and behavioural dysregulation, auditory hypersensitivity. This intervention is based on research conducted for more than twenty years by Professor Stephen Porges, Distinguished University Scientist at the Kinsey Institute and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. The treatment consists in listening to music specifically designed to re-tune the nervous system (state of regulation) and thus restore a psychophysiological balance.
  • ILS focus: The “focus” method is a non-invasive sport psychology intervention that allows to implement brain functions and integrate the mind-body system through multisensory input: listening to specially processed sounds and doing physical activity. It is indicated for the treatment of ADHD, autistic spectrum, physical rehabilitation therapies and for the improvement of attention and concentration.
  • VR Therapy: With my research group 10220Neurolab we have developed VR apps to train cognitive skills. I also use this powerful tool for training and for emotional management of the competition and to mitigate the impact of stress in the management of the competition. I also use other software produced by third parties for the development of the fundamental cognitive skills for the tennis player.

SERVICES:

  • Mental Training sessions (Athletes) : individual mental training sessions for amateur, professionals and juniors tennis players. Possibility of choosing between a Classic course consisting of cycles of 10 sessions. or personalized packages (for professional tennis players) that can be adapted, according to the needs of the athlete. The sessions can take place live or via skype. (Italy and abroad)
  • Classic Package: series of 10 sessions, renewable at the end of the course.
  • Pro “Flex” Package: Structured package for professionals or junior athletes of national or international interest. The Flex package guarantees the athlete the possibility to take advantage of sessions throughout the year by choosing their own scheduling at an advantageous price (minimum 20 sessions).
  • Pro “Full” Package: structured package for professional or junior tennis players who compete internationally. The full package has a duration of one calendar year (renewable) and guarantees the tennis player one session per week throughout the year at a very advantageous price.
  • Residential Package: this package for tennis players offers the possibility to spend 3 or 5 days (depending on their needs) at our training centre for a full immersion of technical and mental preparation. The athlete will do two sessions of mental training per day and one training practice on the field. (service available in Italy and abroad)
  • Series of mental training courses for tennis schools: mental training courses for tennis schools. The work is structured through 10 annual meetings to be scheduled (8 for the athletes, 1 for the staff and 1 for the athletes’ families) of a theoretical and practical nature. (Only in Italy)
  • Mental training internship for tennis schools: 3-days internship da organizzare presso la tua scuola tennis

 

  • Mental Training sessions for children: individual or group mental training sessions address especially to children up to 12 years of age. In these 10 session, sports psychology and mental training are introduced to children through theoretical and practical sessions.
  • Mental training sessions for families: individual or group sessions for families. The structure of the course can be customised according to the participants’ logistical needs and topics of greatest interest. The course is divided into classroom sessions.

 

  • Mental Training sessions for coach and staff: individual or group sessions for tennis clubs’ staff or for tennis coaches. The structure of the course can be customised according to the participants’ logistical needs and topics of greatest interest. The course is articulated into theoretical and practical sessions, that can happen live or via Skype.
  • Biofeedback training: set of training sessions through the use of biofeedback, useful to improve some of the psychophysical parameters involved in sports activity.
  • Neurofeedback training: set of training sessions through the use of neurofeedback, which works through awareness of brain activity on stress management and concentration.

 

  • Safe and Sound Protocol: structured intervention lasting 5 days based on Stephen Porges’ theory useful for the regulation of the autonomic nervous system.
  • ILS focus: set of sessions with “ILS Focus” system for the integration of body-mind system and the training of concentration and attention
  • VR Therapy: set of sessions structured through the use of virtual reality, in particular the app we have specifically created for the training of cognitive skills in sport.