Los Cab Sports Village

SEPTEMBER 2018 ❘ LOS CAB LIFE ❘ 7 PUT TO THE TEST ■ THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE IS TO COMPETE – HERE'S HOW TO GET READY W hile tennis is a fantastic way to stay ac- tive and fit as well as to socialize and meet new people, if you truly want to improve your game and give your body and mind the ultimate challenge, Mitch Bridge has one word for you: competition. Bridge is a former touring pro, founder of the Jack- son-Bridge Academy at Los Cab, owner and director of the Southern California Tennis Academy, and the USPTA's Orange County coach of the year. Practicing and playing tennis competitively are differ- ent both physically and mentally, Bridge says. One is about getting better; the other is about winning. He rec- ommends that players interested in tournament action start the process two months before their match. At that point, "you are game-building, or going through the gears, in working on your ground strokes and trying to shore up your weaknesses," he said. A month out, players need to focus on their strengths and how they are going to score points. A week out, players should focus on returns and serving and "trying to put it all together while also working on your mental game, and your formulas for playing," Bridge said. Then, after all this practice, you're ready for the test: tournament time. And that means more than using your physical skills. Game management techniques that help you dictate pace of play, staying positive, and knowing when and how to make adjustments are all essential in competitive play. But handling pressure is the biggest test. "You don't really have a shot unless you can perform under pressure," he said. "A lot of people will show up and win in practice, and because they are playing to im- prove, the result isn't necessarily real. Then they get into a tournament and it's an eye opener." Regardless how you perform, Bridge knows playing competitively is the best way to improve your game. "First, it can pique your interest," he said. "If you're in school and never have tests, you're bound to study less. Secondly, it makes you become a strategist and pre- pares you to play versus lefties, righties, lobbers, hackers and power players – whatever it is, you learn how to break someone down. It's hard to do that in practice." ...................................................................................... > VISIT loscab.com/tennis-events for tournament info. COMPETITIVE EDGE O ne of the most-anticipated weekends of the year at Los Cab Sports Village is just around the corner as the club's Roaring Twenties Cal- cutta Tennis Tournament & Casino Night is sched- uled for October 19-21. Friday the 19th features a Roaring '20s party from 6:30-10:30 p.m. that includes raffles, danc- ing and dinner. The main attraction that night is the revealing of the teams for the Calcutta, which takes place over the weekend. "The tennis tournament gets a little bit more competitive than usual in the adult division," said Events Director Thao Le. "I'd say it's our biggest event of the year, and almost all our members make sure to participate in the Calcutta." Call (714) 546-2900 by October 7 to sign up. EVENT BEGINS WITH A ROAR Preparing for competition is a process that begins well before the event gets under way. CALCUTTA COMING

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