By Susana Zaragoza, Social Media and Marketing Manager at Academia Sánchez-Casal, Florida
“The coach works with both the person and the tennis player, using tennis and education as a vehicle for personal development” Emilio Sánchez
Emilio Sánchez has spent more than two decades coaching tennis players, including the thousands of student-athletes that have trained at the Sánchez-Casal Academies in Barcelona and Florida, as well as the Spain Davis Cup team. He was the captain of the Spanish team when they won against their great Argentinian rivals in Mar de Plata in 2008, bringing together a dream team of players including Fernando Verdasco, Feliciano López or David Ferrer, among others. Together, they achieved a landmark victory in winning the Cup away from home after beating their opponents 3-1, giving Spain its 3rd Davis Cup title.
Last week, two ASC players, Ramkumar Ramanthan and Rudy Richter, participated in the first round of the Davis Cup 2017. Ramkumar is playing on the India Davis Cup Team, and Rudy Ritcher on the Guatemalan team.
By Mónica Monserrat, Psychologist at Sánchez-Casal Academy
The Sanchez-Casal Academy team has the challenge of educating successful young athletes. And the success of our tennis players goes beyond the sport itself, as it also encompasses the very important aspect of values. This includes social values such as respect, cooperation, friendship, and teamwork; and personal values such as self-discipline, fun, personal challenge, health improvement, perseverance, and humility, among many others.
We also know that in the evolution of young athletes, parents are important figures. In this great puzzle, they are central pieces who can help athletes to achieve their goals in a healthy way.
Therefore, the ASC sports psychology department offers parents the following guidelines for helping their children become not only successful, but also well-balanced athletes, who can enjoy their sports in a healthy and constructive way.
1.- Encourage and applaud all good qualities or techniques shown during training or competition. Value is not found only in results, and parents should emphasize and pay attention to the personal objectives that the player is obtaining. Support them when they make mistakes, as they are in the process of learning, and making mistakes is part of this process. Therefore, you have to let them experience the mistakes respectfully, and learn from them naturally.
2.- Respect the coach and let him be the one to give technical advice. Trust the trainer’s job and let him recommend and teach technical aspects to your child. Giving advice without knowledge, or contradicting the coach’s instructions, will cause confusion in your child and detract from the authority of the coach.
3.- Become a model of self-control. Teach your child to respect the rules, keep calm in the face of adversity, and respect others’ opinions even when he disagrees with them. This will help your child maintain concentration and composure during competition and training. If, on the other hand, you gesticulate, shout or insult, you will cause high levels of anxiety in your child, and this is not going to help him to be a good sportsperson or enjoy what he is doing.
4.- Create a positive sporting atmosphere by being friendly with the parents of the opponent. This will help avoid any disputes..
5.- Remember that sport should be enjoyable. Don’t put pressure on your child or disparage him. You will get the best from him if you extol his virtues and encourage him to overcome the difficulties you know are within his reach.
Never forget that the most important thing is the happiness of your child, and that achieving his athletic goals depends not only on him, but also on the coach and the family. It is important that all elements are working towards the same objectives, and therefore we are very grateful for your collaboration as a positive reference for your child.
Mónica Monserrat Psychologist at Sánchez-Casal Academy, Barcelona
“Tennis is not about playing well, is about finding your way to win the match”
#16 Trust the habits developed to save you in times of adversity
By Emilio Sánchez Vicario, CEO & Founder at Sánchez-Casal Academy
As he walks into the room, all the ASC Florida student-athletes stare at him. You can feel their admiration towards him and the curiosity about what he is going to explain to them.
It’s a Wednesday afternoon in December. On this day every week, Sanchez-Casal players have a group mental session, where they work on their short and long-term training and learning objectives.
Today the dynamics are different since there is a special guest speaker, former #4 ranked ATP player Robin Söderling. The Swede, who won a total of 10 ATP tournaments, may best be remembered as the man who beat Rafa Nadal at the French Open in 2009 and prevented the player from Manacor from winning his fifth straight Coupe des Mousquetaires.
By Sergi Bonillo, Food and Beverage manager at Academia Sánchez-Casal, Barcelona.
Dehydration is the factor that has the most influence on the reduction of an athlete’s physical performance during exercise. But how does dehydration affect an athlete’s health? Here are some of the effects:
Increases cardiovascular stress.
Decreases the aerobic energy developed by the muscles.
Decreases muscle strength and reduces skills level
Decreases the thermoregulatory capacity of the body.
Causes possible dizziness, cramps, upset stomach and increased body temperature.
Causes possible organ failure or heat stroke.
Moreover, the loss of 10% of total body liquid may cause serious, life-threatening risks.
During exercise we must rehydrate our body and restore proper nutrient and ion levels. This will balance out the fluids that were lost during the activity.
The amount of fluids lost depends on the individual and is determined by the type and especially the intensity of each activity. So, if an athlete finishes an activity with 1kg less weight than when the activity began, and during the activity consumes 1 liter of liquids, the total sweat loss is equal to 2 liters.
It’s important to know an athlete’s average amount of sweat loss during training, in order to prepare a personalized plan of liquid intake that fits his/her needs.
What kind of liquids should we consume during exercise?
Drinks that contain between 6% and 8% carbohydrates.
Drinks that contain electrolytes such as sodium and potassium.
Drinks that are not carbonated.
Drinks that have an enjoyable and appetizing taste.
What kind of drinks meet these requirements?
Sports drinks usually meet these requirements. It’s important to check the drink’s density of ions (osmolality of 270-330m0sm/kg) and the type of carbohydrates present in their composition. This is the main characteristic that will determine the drink’s quality, because the combination of carbohydrates and electrolytes in sports drinks is key to determining the absorption of liquids.
Carbohydrates also provide a great source of energy, which is particularly necessary given that the muscle glycogen supply runs low fairly easily.
If the intensity of our sporting activity begins to deteriorate, we could use other liquids such as water and juice.
General recommendations from the Sánchez-Casal Academy:
It is not advisable to try sports drinks for the first time on the day of the competition as they could cause intestinal discomfort and, therefore, compromise the competition.
It is not advisable to share bottles, in order to avoid the risk of any infections.
You should start drinking between 30 and 60 minutes before the activity, sipping small amounts of liquid (200-300ml) every 15-20 minutes.
You should consume a total of around 500-1,000ml of liquids per hour of exercise, and about 1.2-1.5 liters of liquid for each kilogram of weight lost.
Sergi Bonillo Food and Beverage manager at Academia Sánchez-Casal Barcelona
By Emilio Sánchez Vicario, CEO & Founder at Sánchez-Casal Academy.
#15 Mastery of your habits will give you confidence.
It’s August. 6am in the morning in Naples, Florida. Alarms start to go off in the players’ dorms. Sleepy faces emerge, excited about starting a new day of their new life at the Academy. There’s lots of emotions, worries and news… Thoughts like, ‘Am I going to like it?’, ‘Are the practices going to be really tough?’, ‘Who’s going to be my coach?’, ‘Who will be in my class at school?’, ‘What will the teachers be like?’ They are also excited about this new stage of their lives. A stage, which for almost every athlete at the Sanchez-Casal Academy, is hugely influential on their development as a person.
At 6:45am the players have to be eating breakfast, so they can be on the tennis courts at 7:10am to warm up. They play tennis until 10:30am, shower, and at 11:00am start school. They study until lunch time, go back to the classroom, and then finish the day with more tennis and fitness. At 6:30pm, they have dinner. After eating, they have study hall until 8:30pm and then go to their dorms to relax with their friends and the supervising coach.
River Hart enrolled at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona 11 years ago. She and her two sisters have been ASC student athletes at two of the three sites: Barcelona and Naples. They have developed both as people and as players whilst studying at the Emilio Sanchez International School.
Just like other players at the Academy, they have been learning about the healthy habits and values that life and sport require. Discipline on and off the court, respect, managing time and energy, self-control, social abilities, solidarity, perseverance and commitment, among other things.
The first few days are exhausting for the players. Indeed, the first few weeks can be very difficult until they get used to their schedule and responsibilities, the sensation of freedom from being away from the family home, living with other people, the code of conduct on court and the school rules.
Every player takes around 4 to 10 weeks to adapt. The technical-tactical, physical and mental demands are tough at the beginning. At the Academy, we carefully analyze this process and allow for a little more flexibility as we understand that the adapting to this new life is different for every student. Young players bring their own personal habits from their homes and cultures which differ from the routine at the Academy. Any doubts and insecurities at the start turn little by little into feelings of confidence and belonging. For us, it is very important to understand that this is all part of the process, so we never ask students to do everything perfectly in their first few weeks with us.
River had to adapt to the Academy rhythm, the new rules, the system and structure. It wasn’t easy for her, but just like the others, she adopted new habits that gave her feelings of security and self-confidence.
At the Sanchez-Casal Academy we help students to adapt and feel more self-confident in a number of ways:
Creating and maintaining a task-oriented climate. This means being focused on the goals that depend 100% on you. It is easier to learn new habits by following and respecting the process.
Introducing the Student Ambassador role.
With a Motivation program, where the points that are graded are aspects included in the players’ training: tennis, fitness, mental, school, ASC family and ASC facilities.
We create an environment of improvement and self-centered performance, allowing students to steadily adopt new habits and routines in a safe environment with support from the coaches, tutors and teachers. The players assimilate the Academy’s structure and routine that will be the base of solid self-confidence.
River has almost finished her time with ASC. Eight years have passed. She will leave behind the place which has provided her with the learning and experiences which will be hugely beneficial in her next step. In August 2017 River will be starting college, studying Architecture at the University of Minnesota. Thanks to these years of work, dedication and effort studying at the Emilio Sanchez International School, River has been awarded a scholarship for tennis and studies.
There she will continue her path and her training process that began long time ago with us at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona.
Thanks to Eva Borrás, co-author of this post.
Emilio Sánchez Vicario CEO & Founder at Sánchez-Casal Academy
By Daniel Muñoz Pozo, Head of Communications & Media at Sánchez-Casal Academy.
At Sánchez-Casal Academy, we believe that communication is the image and the nuance of each person, who, with mere silence or just a look, sends a message or reveals a simple intention.
Since childhood, each of us tries to argue in the best way we possibly can. As teenagers we observe other models of communication and copy those that seem to be most effective; then, we hone and refine those skills as adults.
But who teaches us to communicate better in our daily interactions, and in our personal and professional life? How much time do we actually spend on developing our communication skills, so that when we really need them, we can employ them to our advantage?
In the current competitive environment, if you want to stand out, good communication skills are critical, whether in conversations, via email, in a meeting, or on the personal front. Communicating effectively means weighing our words carefully; knowing not only what to say and when to say it, but also how to say it.
To develop our communication skills, we must learn when to use the right tone of voice, whether it is informative, expressive or convincing. We can then pair up the tone with other tools for effective communication, like body language, voice, and our physical image.
I saw a great example of this, coming from a former Sánchez-Casal alumni, Johanna Konta, who gave a great speech after winning the 2016 Bank of the West Classic Final.
Sometimes we are too focused on our conversation skills or on the physical impressions we make, and we forget how important it is to communicate well in writing. A well-structured email or a dynamic audio-visual presentation can also contribute to the image we project, and so we need to give equal importance to our communication skills when publishing.
How many times have we made a request, or been involved in a discussion or negotiation, and thought to ourselves afterwards that if we had just prepared the argument a little better, we would have been more successful? How often do we admire others for speaking well or writing something brilliant?
How about you? What value do you give to communication? What do you do on a daily basis to improve your communication skills?
Daniel Muñoz Pozo Head of Communications & Media at Sánchez-Casal Academy
College placement perspectives, from a father of four
#14 Practice your tools in stressful situations, so they become habits (Technical)
By Emilio Sánchez Vicario, CEO & Founder at Sánchez-Casal Academy.
It’s been 18 years since we founded the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona, and 4 since we opened our academy in the US. Our mission is very clear: to provide opportunities in both tennis and education. We have helped lots of students to go through college placement process and take advantage of the fantastic education system provided by the USA, which allows players that love a sport to practice it and attend college at the same time. In Spain and the rest of Europe, those possibilities quickly vanish. If you want to succeed in tennis or any other sport, you won’t find any infrastructure or competition.
By Susana Zaragoza, Social Media and Marketing Manager at Academia Sánchez-Casal, Florida
It’s 7:30pm in Naples, Florida. The sun has set, little bright lights twinkle all around the concert venue. As the first notes of Daniela Denmark play, people stand up from their seats and sway to the rhythm of the song. Just arrived from icy Vancouver, Jonathan Roy and his band are performing and their live sound is spectacular.
Enjoy the pressure. Feel it, like it, savor it. You’ve worked so hard to arrive to this moment and now you are READY.
By Emilio Sánchez Vicario, CEO & Founder at Sánchez-Casal Academy.
The Davis Cup is different. It is something special that arrives at the end of every year bringing incredible stories full of emotion. The result of this energy that turn out epic matches. This year, Argentina’s story touched my heart.
Back in 2008, I had the most amazing emotional victory of my long career captaining Spain’s Davis Cup team over Argentina. I was immensely happy, but at the same time I also felt sad for the Argentinian team. At the ceremonial dinner that took place after the final, I look at their faces and could see the grief in their eyes. It was a reflection of the disappointment of the most amazing crowd I have ever seen in a tennis match. The Argentina has by far the best fan base in the world. In the end, they accepted the defeat and were so respectful that gave us a standing ovation. I was moved by this gesture and on that day I became a fan of Argentina. I rooted, dreamed, and wished for them to win and have their hearts forget the loss in the 2008 finals. In a way this was natural as I was close to some of their players and coaches. I knew Juan Monaco from his two years training at my academy in Barcelona. You might not know it, but I also grew up with Martin Jaite, Argentina’s captain from 2011 to 2014.
Argentina made us wait eight years for them to win the cup. However, before they could do it, they had to fight through some tough times. But as in life, tennis will provide you with opportunities. By fighting through adversity, you always improve. And Argentina faced a lot of adversity as they lost again to Spain in the 2011 final and reached the semifinals in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015. They were so close every year.
Well, in 2016 they achieved the impossible. Daniel Orsanic, the man who replaced Jaite, found the way to bring his players to a state of grace. His manners, know how, spirit and inspiration made a difference and allowed the team to play freely and without limitations. He really did a fantastic job and what sets this achievement apart is that it marked the first time that a country won without having any players in the top 20. While many will say that Juan Martín del Potro has the potential to be in the Top 5, Orsanic was able to bring him to the next level. When faced without a traditional doubles team, Orasnic gambled that Delpo could be the solution and he was right. The Argentinian captain was wise enough to envision his team with Delpo. He was one of the few people that believed Delpo could come back from his wrist injuries and regain top form. Orsanic invested his time, energy, and expertise to support Juan Martín del Potro in his comeback. Looking back, I believe that the Rio Olympics helped them connect and provide them with an incredible ride that allowed their relationship to grow. Additionally, the injury setbacks during the previous three years taught Delpo to be grateful with his career.
This past year I had the chance to see Delpo on his return to the tour in Delray. We chatted for a bit and he took a picture with my son. This was in contrast with a meeting I had with him four years earlier. Then he rejected my request for a photo. While this might not be seen as significant, I believe that the adversity that he had to face due to his injuries not only made him a better player but also a better person. It is said that the game of tennis is a reflection of who you are. Delpo has evolved and his speech after winning the Davis Cup inspired me and I shared it with my son. Delpo has learned that what he loves is the fight and during the past six months he has had more prolonged fights and comebacks than in all of his career. Along with this came maturity and he became a leader with his performances inspiring his teammates: Delbonis, Pella, Mayer, Monaco, Olivo. He created an energy that was contagious spreading to the team, crowd, and press. Everyone began to believe, the Hinchada suffered during the final round and they played a big role by never giving up. When JMDP was playing, you could feel his followers’ presence and when it came to the must-win third set they were part of Delpo’s fight. It was as if the Argentian fans were playing alongside him. This is a great lesson for other countries to learn, how to inject energy and passion into your players. It was exceptional tennis.
While watching the match with my emotional state attached to the TV, I went back in time. I was not even able to send tweets as I was consumed with the match and had flashes from my team’s final 2008 in Argentina. Feliciano Lopez’s words came to my mind: “This crowd is so amazing that even when they sing using bad words, they do it so well that they give me goose bumps.” What a crowd, all these anxiously years waiting, and while at the edge of the precipice they were singing, believing, waiting for the miracle to happen, thinking about the past with Vilas, Clerc, Jaite, Mancini, Nalbandian, Coria and Gaudio. So many championship opportunities but that cup was slippery and never grasped. Nevertheless, they persevered and helped turn things away. In soccer, Spain had a similar scenario and after years of disappointment they finally got their cup. I believe that when you work hard, believe in yourself and combine this with talent, there is an energy created that makes things go your way. You become luckier, and opportunities arise. With this energy you can make history. Argentina was ready to take advantage of the Croatian players mistakes and their amazing run will forever change the mindset of these players and will have a lasting effect on their country’s tennis.
We saw this past year through the Argentinian team and their fan base how to enjoy the pressure, feel it, savor it, so that when your moment arrives, you are READY. Orsanic, Delpo, Delbo, … you will be remembered as the warriors that brought a first Davis Cup to your well-deserved fans.
I am so happy for my “brothers” from that country. Argentina has two motherlands, Italy and Spain, creating an explosive mix. In Buenos Aires, they refer to them as Gallegos and Tanos. Together they have so much passion that they don’t let you be indifferent, either you love them or hate them. I am inspired by your recent feats and as a proud Gallego fan I congratulate you!
Emilio Sánchez Vicario CEO & Founder at Sánchez-Casal Academy
By Daniel Green, Director at ES International School Florida
The month of November has been a special time here at Academia Sanchez-Casal. First, we had our alum Andy Murray capture the number one spot in the ATP rankings and later during the National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing period we had six student-athletes formalize their commitments to some of Division I’s top academic and athletic schools: River Hart- University of Minnesota, Victoria Emma- University of Florida, Edson Ortiz Tovar- University of Alabama, Zummy Bauer- Georgia Tech, Tristan McCormick- Notre Dame, Fletcher Scott- University of Illinois. For these high school students, this event marked an important milestone and sets them on a path to continue their tennis careers while also earning a quality education.
