It's OK to Fail
Post date: Dec 28, 2015 3:59:42 PM
Success comes in small bits and pieces and the turtles often beat the rabbits on this one. It takes a lot of "stick to it-ness" to be good at anything, and the little drawing to the right illustrates my point. We don't learn in a linear fashion, so the straight line you were thinking would happen, isn't going to happen. It can't happen, because that's not how we learn. Be patient with yourself and allow the mistakes to be your trial and error time.
Many young players and even their parents are amazed at how hard it can be to simply serve the ball over the net. Remember, it's not always about being strong, but more about learning the proper mechanics to make your arm and hand hit the ball in a way that ensures its flight over the net.
I like the acronym for FAIL that stands for First Attempt At Learning, because that's exactly what it is. Every failed attempt becomes a part of your learning library. And every successful action becomes a part of your muscle memory. You'll love your serve eventually, and you'll learn to spike the ball over the net with power and accuracy eventually too. When you're in the throws of frustration this year, just remember this cute little drawing and think, F.A.I.L. means First Attempt At Learning. Good luck out there!
