Let the Games begin - Taking New Skills From Practice to Matches

How to take a new stroke, technical adjustment, or tactical plan and make it competition-ready.

• How do you get your new adjustments ready for the next local league match, tournament, or even a challenge/flex match?

• Are you truly prepared to put your adjustment to the test in competition?

• Can you separate your commitment to this new adjustment from your match result?

• Are you willing to trust the process, even if it means the scoreboard doesn’t swing your way the first time out?

For the sake of this blog, we’ll call any of the above—a new stroke, technical adjustment, or tactical plan—a “new adjustment.”

Let’s break down each of these key points and explore steps you can follow to maximize your next match or competitive event:

1. Confidence

There’s no way to implement a new adjustment under pressure if you’re not confident in it.

How do you build that confidence?

Through intentional preparation:

1. Know exactly how to execute the new adjustment.

2. Recognize when it’s appropriate to use it—and be ready in those moments.

3. Apply it in prior training sessions, starting with non-pressured hitting and point scenarios.

4. Develop the ability to self-diagnose: If it’s not working, understand what tweaks or adaptations are needed.

Confidence isn’t just wishful thinking—it’s earned through quality reps and honest feedback in practice.

2. Timing

Don’t rush into competition.

Give yourself enough time to integrate the adjustment in practice before relying on it under pressure. If it’s not ready, the odds of it holding up in a match are slim.

1. But don’t wait forever, either.

2. Sometimes, you’ve trained the adjustment enough, but self-doubt creeps in. Remember, you’ll never feel 100% ready until you put it to the test in real competition.

3. Evaluate your training honestly—if you’ve put in solid work and the adjustment is holding up in practice, it’s probably time to try it in a match.

3. Mental Preparation

Win or lose, the outcome of the match does not define the success of your new adjustment.

Focus on the feeling you’re aiming for with the adjustment. What should it feel like when executed correctly?

1. Define what a successful result looks like—not in terms of the score, but in the execution and consistency of your new skill or tactic.

   
   

2. When your focus is on the process, not just the result, you allow the new adjustment to become a real asset to your game, regardless of the match outcome.

Bringing a new adjustment from practice court to match play is a process that demands confidence, strategic timing, and strong mental preparation. Trust your training, be patient with yourself, and stay committed to your game development—win or lose. Every match is another opportunity to refine and strengthen your skills.

Let your progress—not just the scoreboard—be your measure of success.