2009 – Book Delivery “Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success”
2009 – Book Delivery “Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success”
Finalizing the “Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success” (MTT) book
One week before the 20th Estoril Open Cristina Rolo was eight months pregnant with their second child. She was working late hours with their team of designers (Victor Chan and João Ribeiro) to finalize the Mental Training book.
This pioneering project was to be released at the Estoril Open ATP World Tour tournament. The creation of this book resulted from the seeds planted by the enthusiastic elite tennis coaches who attended the 2007 pioneer Rolo Mental Coaching On-Court Mental training course.
The MTT book, which took two years to be developed and tested, was finally taking form. The content was based on science and supported by 10+ years of experience in applied performance enhancement psychology.
This project deserved all the love it was receiving to produce this literature that did not exist in Portugal. Besides the informative content about mental training the book provided hands-on tools for any individual to use. This “Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success” book, groundbreaking and innovative work was now ready.
The next morning the master file of the book was taken to the printing company. The factory was impressive. Massive machinery printing and cutting produced the first physical form of the book, which resulted from RMC hard work. There were challenges with printing quality and obstacles all around. To meet the book release deadline everybody worked non-stop. The book was at last in our hands and ready to be released.
Wilson Collaboration & Sponsorship
At this time, Dave and Cristina received the support of their good friend Pedro Graça (Wilson Portugal). He allowed RMC to showcase and sell their book at his always amazing Wilson stand. In the picture below you see Pedro Graça, Dave de Haan, and Cristina Rolo. And no, there is no Wilson ball under Cristina’s shirt. Cristina was at the time 8 months pregnant of her second child and that did not prevent her from working hard to finish and release the book has planned.
Later on, as pioneers in their field, Cristina Rolo and Dave de Haan become the first Mental Coaches ever to receive Wilson Sponsorship. Being Wilson ambassadors represents that Dave and Cristina are top in their field, as Wilson only sponsors top quality and excellence.
Besides Wilson becoming Rolo Mental Coaching’s sponsor, its representative Pedro Graça did specific photoshoots and provided gorgeous photographs for the book. The book cover in which Dave de Haan has a tennis ball in his hand is just one of them. The result was unprecedented.
GraphExperts Excellent Overnight Work
At this time, Portugal had almost no knowledge about the importance of mental training, or how to develop this area. This book was acknowledged as a great valuable educational resource for the tennis community.
Many showed their love and support for the project Dave and Cristina were about to release. João Lagos, pioneer in organizing some of the most notable events in Portugal, as well as the Estoril Open ATP World Tour tournament, saw with his eye for quality and professional excellence that Dave and Cristina were no ordinary people.
João Lagos decided to provide a stand to Rolo Mental Coaching and schedule an official press release for the launch of the book Mental Training in Tennis: Applied Strategies for Success.
Marco Lacerda and his GraphExperts team transformed overnight an ordinary exposition stand at the Estoril Open, into a magical display of high quality and professional image. Yes, he and his team worked through the night to finish printing and mounting the stand to be ready the next morning, when the tournament would open the doors for thousands of tennis fans.
The day Dave and Cristina released their book but much more was happening. That same day most of the Portuguese players lost their matches in the first round, which was always a sting for the host of this tournament, for it is better to have their country represented deep into their tournament. The Portuguese professional players lost was not due ack of technical, tactical, or physical ability but due to lack of mental toughness.
MTT book Release & Press Conference
The book release and press conference took place at the Estoril Open, with the presence of both authors (Cristina Rolo and dave de Haan), the Portuguese Tennis Federation (FPT) José Maria Calheiros, Ana Lina (FPT press officer), and João Lagos, Tournament Organizer and Premium events CEO. Present were also all major television stations, radio, and newspaper agencies.
During the press conference João Lagos expressed that “this book is precisely what is needed to overcome the lack of Portuguese players mental toughness I have witnessed throughout this ATP tournament”. This same aspect was later emphasized during the RTP TV program that featured Rolo Mental Coaching’s book release.
After the book release, the book was available at the Wilson stand, and there was a book signing event at the RMC stand on the Main Street of the tournament. It was time! The first wave of fans entered into the tournament, the crowds started to grow and the book signing took place. Together with the book authors (Dave and Cristina) was the preface writer João Cunha e Silva, a former professional tennis player, one of the best tennis players of his time and currently one of the best professional coaches.
Media Coverage
The on-site radio (RFM radio) was announcing all the daily events programmed and organized by Lagos Premium events. Every stand had its engaging activities and innovative things to share. Among them was the presence of Dave and Cristina’s “Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success book”.
Interviews on radio and television were a daily routine for Dave and Cristina because the media had caught wind of their pioneering work and found worth highlighting. Rolo Mental Coaching’s book and interviews were then featured in the prime time national RTP television Sports program.
The “Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success” book was accepted by the Portuguese federation as one of the most helpful educative tools for coaches, players, parents, and sport psychologists. RMC decided to offer a special discount to FPT federation members and it has been since 2009 one of the FPT members’ benefits.
To conclude, I may add that there were many more developments triggered by this bombastic week of tennis excellence at the Estoril Open. But that will come in the next story RMC will share. Stay tuned!
Submitted by:
David J. de Haan
High-Performance Coach
www.rolomentalcoaching.com
“Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success” book
The “Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success” book is now available in English worldwide.
For more details or to buy the “Mental Training in Tennis: applied strategies for success” book click on the following link:
https://www.amazon.com/Mental-Training-Tennis-Applied-Strategies-ebook/dp/B088XR3WXW
Interested in acquiring the Portuguese version of this book? Contact Rolo Mental Coaching at https://www.rolomentalcoaching.com/contact/
