Summer Camp Intake

 

  1. An intake interview so you can hear the player in their own words
  2. A questionnaire so you can spot patterns quickly across the whole academy
  3. A 10-week teaching plan so the summer has structure, progression, and purpose through the FBTL lens

I am going to assume this is for player intake first, with some optional parent input for the younger kids.

Summer FBTL Framework for a High-Performance Junior Academy

Ages 10–18 | 10 Weeks | Monday–Thursday | 9:00–12:00

Main Goal

To identify where each player needs the most help emotionally, mentally, behaviorally, and relationally, then use the FBTL platform to strengthen those areas in a practical tennis setting.

The emphasis is not therapy.
It is performance, self-awareness, emotional regulation, communication, resilience, and building better habits around the competitive tennis life.

1. PLAYER INTAKE INTERVIEW

Purpose

The intake interview should help you learn:

  • how the player sees themselves
  • what they struggle with emotionally
  • how they respond under pressure
  • how they learn best
  • what role parents and coaches play in their tennis experience
  • where they may need the most FBTL support

Best Use

  • 12–15 minutes per player
  • conversational, not clinical
  • younger players: simpler wording
  • older players: allow more detail
  • take notes under themes rather than trying to write every word

Intake Interview Script

A. Opening / Rapport

  1. Tell me a little about yourself as a tennis player.
  2. What do you enjoy most about tennis?
  3. What keeps you coming back to the game?
  4. What kind of player do you think you are right now?

B. Competitive Identity

  1. What do you feel you do best on court?
  2. What part of your game or mindset needs the most work?
  3. When you play your best tennis, what does that feel like?
  4. When things go badly, what usually happens first?

C. Emotional Awareness

  1. What emotions show up most for you in tennis?
  2. Which emotion gives you the most trouble: nerves, frustration, anger, doubt, embarrassment, fear, pressure, something else?
  3. Can you usually tell when your emotions are shifting during a match?
  4. What does that look like in your body, voice, or behavior?

D. Pressure and Adversity

  1. What situations make tennis hardest for you?
  2. How do you handle losing points you should win?
  3. How do you respond when you are behind in a match?
  4. What happens when you play someone better than you?
  5. What happens when you play someone you think you should beat?

E. Self-Talk / Inner Voice

  1. What do you tend to say to yourself during matches?
  2. Are you usually encouraging to yourself, hard on yourself, or both?
  3. After a bad mistake, what is the first thing your mind says?

F. Habits and Routines

  1. Do you have a pre-practice routine?
  2. Do you have a pre-match routine?
  3. Between points, do you have any system to reset yourself?
  4. What helps you calm down or refocus?

G. Coachability and Learning Style

  1. How do you learn best: by being told, shown, doing it, talking it through?
  2. What kind of coaching helps you most?
  3. What kind of feedback do you struggle with?
  4. When corrected, do you usually respond well or get discouraged?

H. Parents / Environment

  1. How would you describe the support around your tennis?
  2. What do your parents do that helps you most?
  3. What do adults sometimes do that makes tennis harder?
  4. Do you feel pressure from others, from yourself, or both?

I. Goals

  1. What do you want out of this summer?
  2. What do you want to improve most: tennis, mindset, emotions, confidence, discipline, match play, relationships, all of it?
  3. If this summer goes really well, what will be different by the end?

J. Closing

  1. What is one thing you wish adults understood better about being a junior player?
  2. What is one thing you want help with right away?
  3. Is there anything important about your tennis experience that I did not ask?

Intake Notes Template

For each player, write quick notes under these categories:

  • Primary emotional challenge
  • Secondary emotional challenge
  • Pressure triggers
  • Self-talk pattern
  • Routine strength
  • Coachability
  • Parent/environment notes
  • Confidence level
  • Main summer goal
  • Best FBTL support track

2. PLAYER QUESTIONNAIRE

This can be done on paper or Google Form on the first day or before the program starts.

Instructions to Players

“There are no right or wrong answers. Be honest. This is to help us coach you better.”

Use a 1–5 scale
1 = Almost never
2 = Sometimes
3 = Often
4 = Very often
5 = Almost always

FBTL Summer Player Questionnaire

Section A. Emotional Awareness

  1. I can tell when my emotions are starting to affect my tennis.
  2. I know the difference between nerves, frustration, anger, and fear.
  3. I notice changes in my body when I get stressed.
  4. I can usually name what I am feeling during competition.

Section B. Emotional Regulation

  1. I recover well after losing a tough point.
  2. I calm myself down quickly when upset.
  3. I let one mistake turn into several mistakes.
  4. I stay composed when a match gets tight.
  5. I can reset between points.

Section C. Confidence / Doubt

  1. I believe in my game under pressure.
  2. I compare myself to other players too much.
  3. I lose confidence quickly after mistakes.
  4. I trust my training when I compete.
  5. I get intimidated by certain opponents.

Section D. Self-Talk

  1. I talk to myself in a helpful way during matches.
  2. I am harder on myself than I should be.
  3. My mind gets negative when things go wrong.
  4. I know how to change my inner voice when it becomes unhelpful.

Section E. Focus / Attention

  1. I stay focused from point to point.
  2. I get distracted by score, opponents, parents, or coaches.
  3. I can return my attention to the present quickly.
  4. I focus on what I can control.

Section F. Routines / Preparation

  1. I have a strong pre-practice routine.
  2. I have a strong pre-match routine.
  3. I do things consistently to get mentally ready.
  4. I know what helps me get into a good competitive state.

Section G. Effort / Discipline / Character

  1. I bring good effort even when I do not feel great.
  2. I respond well to challenge and hard work.
  3. I take responsibility for my behavior and attitude.
  4. I practice with purpose, not just participation.

Section H. Communication / Environment

  1. I communicate well with coaches.
  2. I handle correction without shutting down.
  3. I feel supported by the people around my tennis.
  4. I sometimes feel too much pressure from others.

Section I. Match Play Readiness

  1. I know how I want to carry myself during matches.
  2. I have tools for dealing with nerves.
  3. I have tools for dealing with frustration.
  4. I have tools for dealing with doubt.
  5. I have tools for dealing with anger.
  6. I know what helps me play freer and closer to flow.

Open-Ended Questions

  1. The hardest part of tennis for me emotionally is: ________
  2. I play my best when: ________
  3. I struggle most when: ________
  4. One thing I want coaches to help me with this summer is: ________
  5. One thing I want to improve about myself as a competitor is: ________
  6. One word that describes me when I compete is: ________
  7. One word that I want to describe me by the end of the summer is: ________

3. HOW TO INTERPRET THE RESULTS

You do not need complicated data. You just need usable buckets.

Suggested FBTL Categories

After interviews and questionnaires, place each player into primary need areas:

1. Emotional Awareness

Player does not yet know what they are feeling or when they are shifting.

2. Regulation / Reset

Player knows what is happening but cannot stop the spiral.

3. Confidence / Doubt

Player’s belief system is unstable under pressure.

4. Nerves / Fear / Anxiety

Player gets overwhelmed by competing, expectations, or outcomes.

5. Frustration / Anger

Player is reactive, dramatic, negative, or loses composure.

6. Routines / Preparation

Player has talent but no consistent process.

7. Self-Talk / Inner Voice

Player’s internal language is harsh, panicked, or defeatist.

8. Communication / Environment

Player struggles with feedback, parents, coaches, or external pressure.

9. Character / Accountability

Player needs maturity around effort, attitude, resilience, and responsibility.

Simple Rating Method

For each player, give 1–5 scores in these areas:

  • Awareness
  • Regulation
  • Confidence
  • Focus
  • Self-talk
  • Routine
  • Coachability
  • Competitive composure
  • Accountability

Then identify:

  • Top 2 strengths
  • Top 2 growth areas
  • Immediate summer focus
  • Mid-summer focus
  • End-of-summer growth goal

4. TEACHING PLAN FOR THE 10-WEEK SUMMER

Overall Teaching Philosophy

Each week should have:

  • one FBTL theme
  • one emotional skill
  • one on-court behavioral target
  • one reflection prompt
  • one competition application

The idea is to make FBTL part of the academy rhythm, not a side lecture.

Suggested Daily Rhythm (Monday–Thursday, 9:00–12:00)

9:00–9:20

FBTL teaching block
Short talk, question, scenario, example, journaling, or group discussion

9:20–10:35

On-court training
Tie that day’s emotional theme to drills

10:35–10:45

Break / reset

10:45–11:35

Competitive play / situational sets / pressure games
Measure emotional behaviors, not just tennis outcomes

11:35–12:00

Debrief / journal / player share-out
“What showed up today?”
“What did you do well?”
“What needs work?”

10-WEEK FBTL SUMMER PLAN

Week 1: Awareness

Theme: Know yourself before you try to change yourself
Goal: Help players identify emotions, triggers, and patterns

Teach:

  • what emotional awareness is
  • why emotions affect performance
  • how to notice body language, tone, energy, and thought patterns

On-court emphasis:

  • recognize emotional shifts after mistakes
  • coaches ask, “What are you feeling right now?”
  • players label emotions in real time

End-of-week outcome:
Players can better identify what shows up for them in tennis

Week 2: Controllables

Theme: Put your energy where it belongs
Goal: Teach players to separate controllables from uncontrollables

Teach:

  • attitude
  • effort
  • preparation
  • body language
  • breathing
  • between-point behavior
  • response to adversity

On-court emphasis:

  • every player has 2 controllable goals per day
  • stop score obsession, opponent obsession, and perfection obsession

End-of-week outcome:
Players begin competing with more ownership and less emotional leakage

Week 3: Routines

Theme: Stability creates confidence
Goal: Build pre-practice, pre-match, and between-point habits

Teach:

  • routines as an emotional immune system
  • simple reset tools
  • preparation reduces chaos

On-court emphasis:

  • towel routine
  • breath cue
  • walk pattern
  • visual target
  • cue word before serve or return

End-of-week outcome:
Players leave with a personal reset routine

Week 4: Self-Talk

Theme: The voice in your head is part of your game
Goal: Improve inner language and reduce self-sabotage

Teach:

  • common negative self-talk patterns
  • difference between honest and harmful
  • building better cue words and self-coaching phrases

On-court emphasis:

  • replace “I always…” “I can’t…” “This is terrible…” with useful language
  • practice bounce-back scripts

End-of-week outcome:
Players begin catching and changing destructive self-talk

Week 5: Frustration and Anger

Theme: Emotion is real; drama is optional
Goal: Teach players how frustration hijacks performance

Teach:

  • frustration triggers
  • anger escalation
  • physical signs
  • how reactivity costs you points, energy, and clarity

On-court emphasis:

  • missed easy balls
  • bad calls
  • tough drills
  • fatigue moments
  • pressure games designed to bring frustration out

End-of-week outcome:
Players learn their “anger highway off-ramps” before full emotional meltdown

Week 6: Nerves, Stress, and Fear

Theme: Feeling nervous does not mean you are unready
Goal: Normalize nerves and give tools for competing through them

Teach:

  • nerves vs panic
  • fear of losing
  • fear of embarrassment
  • fear of disappointing others
  • pressure as part of the deal

On-court emphasis:

  • tight-score scenarios
  • first-round simulation
  • serve-under-pressure drills
  • routines under stress

End-of-week outcome:
Players stop seeing nerves as proof they cannot perform

Week 7: Confidence and Doubt

Theme: Confidence is built, not wished into existence
Goal: Strengthen belief and reduce fragility

Teach:

  • confidence from preparation
  • confidence from behavior
  • confidence from recovery
  • doubt as part of competition, not a verdict

On-court emphasis:

  • competing against stronger players
  • starting behind in score
  • trusting patterns under pressure

End-of-week outcome:
Players understand confidence as something they do, not something they wait to feel

Week 8: Resilience and Response

Theme: Your response is your identity under pressure
Goal: Build bounce-back ability after mistakes, bad days, and losses

Teach:

  • resilience as speed of recovery
  • emotional stamina
  • how to lose without unraveling
  • how to learn without shame

On-court emphasis:

  • comeback sets
  • adversity rounds
  • “down 1–4” situations
  • post-match reflection without excuse-making

End-of-week outcome:
Players become tougher, steadier, and less breakable

Week 9: Communication, Coachability, and Environment

Theme: Great competitors are teachable
Goal: Improve how players receive feedback and manage tennis relationships

Teach:

  • listening without defensiveness
  • asking good questions
  • communication with coaches
  • pressure from parents
  • handling expectations

On-court emphasis:

  • feedback-response drills
  • partner communication
  • reflection after correction
  • body language during coaching moments

End-of-week outcome:
Players become easier to coach and more aware of how environment affects performance

Week 10: Integration / Flow

Theme: Put it all together
Goal: Help players connect awareness, routines, composure, confidence, and freedom

Teach:

  • what flow feels like
  • how it cannot be forced
  • how self-work increases the chances of finding it
  • each player’s personal competitive blueprint

On-court emphasis:

  • match play with full routines
  • personal cue words
  • emotional reset plans
  • identity-based competition goals

End-of-week outcome:
Every player leaves with a personal FBTL game plan

5. WEEKLY MONDAY–THURSDAY BREAKDOWN

You could use this same rhythm every week:

Monday

Introduce weekly theme
Short teaching + discussion + baseline drill

Tuesday

Apply theme in training
More reps, more coaching language, more awareness

Wednesday

Pressure day
Situational games and competitive application

Thursday

Reflection and integration
What improved, what broke down, what is next

6. WHAT TO TRACK ALL SUMMER

Do not just track strokes and match results. Track behaviors.

Weekly FBTL Player Markers

Score each player 1–5 weekly in:

  • effort
  • body language
  • reset speed
  • self-talk
  • focus
  • response to mistakes
  • response to coaching
  • match composure
  • accountability
  • routine consistency

This will help you show growth even when tennis results vary.

7. END-OF-SUMMER PLAYER PROFILE

At the end of the 10 weeks, each player should receive a short summary:

Sample Format

Player Name:
Top Strengths:
Biggest Growth Areas:
Main Emotional Pattern:
Best Competitive Traits:
Most Improved Skill:
Next FBTL Focus:
Coach Notes:

This gives the academy, player, and family something tangible.

8. OPTIONAL PARENT ADD-ON

For ages 10–14 especially, I would add a very short parent questionnaire.

Parent Questions

  1. What do you think your child handles best in tennis?
  2. What do they struggle with most emotionally?
  3. What tends to trigger them most?
  4. How do they usually respond after losses?
  5. What kind of support helps them most?
  6. What do you hope they gain from this summer besides better tennis?

That helps you compare:

  • player’s self-view
  • coach’s view
  • parent’s view

That gap can be very revealing.

9. THE BIG FBTL TAKEAWAY

What you are really doing this summer is not just teaching juniors how to hit balls better.

You are helping them become:

  • more aware
  • less reactive
  • more coachable
  • more resilient
  • more prepared
  • more honest with themselves
  • more capable of competing with freedom

That is the sweet spot.

That is the work.

And for a high-performance academy, that is often the missing layer between talented players and reliable competitors.


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