WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT 

why daily check-ins matter for tennis  

Check Your Vital Signs

 Check-in For Tennis Competitors

1. Performance Awareness

   • Helps players recognize their current emotional and physical state before stepping on court, protecting against hidden stress or tension.

2. Emotional Regulation

   • By naming their emotions (frustration, fear, anxiety, etc.), players create space to manage them rather than letting them hijack performance.

3. Focus Reset

   • Daily check-ins help players reset distractions from school, family, or outside pressures, so they arrive present and ready to compete.

4. Consistency & Flow

   • Establishes a rhythm of self-awareness that supports getting into “flow state” more consistently during matches and training.

5. Long-Term Development

   • By tracking patterns over weeks and months, players gain insight into recurring challenges and progress, turning daily reflections into a roadmap for growth.

MORE WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

1. Power of the Pause:  An emotions check-in is a time to pause, and assess how we feel in that moment. 

2. Name your emotions:  Simply describing your emotions at stressful times can sometimes make you feel less stressed or anxious. 

3. Normalize talking about feelings:  Talking about emotions is a critical component for feeling our best. It’s normal and healthy to talk about feelings, but we only learn that when we make the time to talk about  our emotions as a normal part of our everyday routine.

4. Builds self-awareness:  Self-awareness is a foundational social-emotional skill that helps us understand how we’re feeling, why, and what we need to be at our best. 

5. Proactive problem solving tool:  A daily check-in is actually a proactive tool that support problem-solving skills. By checking in on how we are feeling ahead of time, it gives us a chance to problem-solve through those challenges instead of being overwhelmed by emotions later on.

6. Build Calm:  Another major benefit to a daily emotions check-in is “the pause” it brings. So often, we are all running on autopilot, moving from one task to another without any time to stop in between. A daily check-in gives a mindful and calm break in the day to stop, breathe, and reflect.

7. Prioritize your well-being:  Simply put, emotional intelligence is critical to our success. Taking a few minutes each day to talk about emotions can have profound positive impacts on all areas of our lives.

8. Track Progress:  One of the most important aspects of achieving long-term goals is tracking progress. Daily check-ins provide a simple and effective way to do this. By regularly taking stock of where you are in relation to your goal, you can see how far you've come and what still needs to be done. This helps with  motivation and focus on the task at hand, and makes it easier to make any adjustments that may be needed. 

Most importantly, Daily Check-ins keep you accountable:  When working towards a challenging long-term goal like success at tennis, it can be easy to get sidetracked. Daily check-ins help you stay focused and on track by providing regular reminders of what you need to do to achieve your goal.

Check-Ins for Life Outside Tennis

1. Self-Awareness

   • Builds the habit of regularly asking: How am I feeling? What do I need right now?—a core EQ skill useful in all areas of life.

2. Stress Management

   • Helps prevent burnout by catching emotional or mental fatigue early, rather than letting it spiral.

3. Stronger Relationships

   • Improves communication with family, friends, and colleagues by fostering empathy and emotional clarity.

4. Decision-Making

   • Clearer self-understanding leads to better, more aligned decisions—whether in school, career, or personal life.

5. Resilience & Growth

   • Builds emotional resilience by teaching individuals to face daily challenges mindfully, while staying anchored in purpose and perspective.

 Methods To Check-In Daily

1. Journaling:

   • Write down your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Reflect on your day and explore any emotions that stand out.

   • Use prompts like "How am I feeling right now?" or "What moments brought me joy or stress today?"

2. Mindfulness Meditation:

   • Practice mindfulness or meditation to become aware of your emotions. Focus on your breath and observe any thoughts or feelings without judgment.

   • Apps like Headspace or Calm offer guided meditations for enhanced emotional awareness.

3. FBTL Emotion Racket:

   • Use the Racket to identify and articulate your emotions. This visual tool can help you pinpoint specific feelings and their nuances.

4. Daily Mood Tracking Apps:

   • Use apps designed for mood tracking. These apps often prompt you to log your mood and activities, helping you identify patterns over time.

5.  Gratitude Journal:

   Write down three things you're grateful for each day. Focusing on positive aspects of your life can improve your overall emotional well-being.

Choose methods that resonate with you, and don't hesitate to explore a combination of these techniques to create a routine that suits your needs. Regular emotional check-ins can contribute to a greater sense of self-awareness and emotional well-being.

The FBTL program will be regularly adding more methods to assist in your Daily Check-ins 

Here are 5 clear, practical examples of how daily check-ins can be applied across all facets of the tennis life.

1. Pre-Match Readiness

• Before stepping on court, take a mindful pause to ask: What am I feeling right now? Fear? Excitement? Nerves?

• Labeling these emotions gives you the power to manage them instead of being managed by them.

• Example: If anxiety is high, use deep breathing or a mantra like “One point at a time.”

2. Training Sessions

• Begin practice by checking in with your mental and physical state. Are you tired, frustrated, motivated, distracted?

• Adjust expectations accordingly: If drained, focus on drills that build rhythm; if sharp, push intensity.

• Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes permanent. Keep practices purposeful instead of mindless repetition.

3. Competition Days

• During changeovers, use a mini-check-in: Where’s my head? What’s my body telling me?

• Reset between points to regulate frustration or fear.

• This micro-level check-in helps you stay present and prevents spirals of negative thinking.

4. Post-Match Reflection

• Immediately after matches, jot down your emotional state, win, lose or draw. 

• This builds a record of emotional patterns: Do you tighten up in third sets? Do you play free when behind?

• Over time, these check-ins guide targeted improvement.

5. Life Around Tennis

• Tennis emotions don’t stop at the baseline—they spill into school, relationships, family.

• Daily check-ins off-court help you separate “tennis feelings” from life feelings, so a tough loss doesn’t ruin your evening or a bad grade doesn’t wreck your next match.

• This balance sustains long-term growth and prevents burnout.