#27 What Could Be More Important Than Talent? (You'll Never Guess) with Bassam BEIDAS

#27 What Could Be More Important Than Talent? (You'll Never Guess) with Bassam BEIDAS

ATHLETE CASE STUDY | Feb 4, 2015

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BACKGROUND

Today we will be talking with Bassam BEIDAS of Lebanon. He is a tennis player who played for a college in the United States and is now a professional. He has been rehabilitating his injury that has caused him to be absent from competition and plans to make a comeback. We will get into his story of how he got started, his struggles, light bulb moments, and some of the requirements he had to follow as an athlete while attending Pepperdine University and how proper eating habits translate to better performance. We will also talk about the feeling and emotional aspects of having an injury and the attitude to have when making a comeback,
being RESILIENT and RELENTLESS.

BIO

• Born, Bassam BEIDAS, in London, England on December 26, 1988.

• Grew up in Cairo, Egypt, currently living in Beirut, Lebanon. Bassam is of Lebanese descent, but due to the Civil War in Lebanon, his family resided in Egypt. He has two older brothers and an older sister.

• #20 ITF Juniors Ranking (Under 18)

• Three time NCAA All-American and ranked 11th in singles at Pepperdine University. Graduated from there in the Summer of 2011. Immediately entered the pro tour post graduation. Has a Career High ATP Ranking of 499.

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MOST GRATEFUL TODAY FOR:

"The fact that I am physically capable to continue to pursue my dreams despite my injuries." -BB

PERSONAL QUOTE:

"Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail" - Roy Keane (Footballer for Manchester United)

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE: 

"My parents for giving me opportunities in tennis that most people wouldn't get where I grew up. They didn't motivate or push me because I did most of that myself, but they opened doors for me." -BB

Key Discussion Points

• What is an example of a daily diet you followed at Pepperdine University?

• What was one of your biggest failures or struggles that you had?

• When was your light bulb moment?

• When was your proudest moment?

• Being able to attend college in the US, what are some of the things that stood out to you in that made your experience great?

• What’s got you most excited these days?

• What can we see coming from you in the future?

Key Lessons

• Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of reaching peak performance

• When it is game time, clear your mind before you even get to the courts, and leave all negative thoughts outside of the arena

“..I didn’t leave it in the locker room, so when I walked out to play the singles, I was still in that crappy mindset where I was just in a haze and I lost the singles match.” BB @ 16:49

• If you are one of the older or more experienced on your team, fulfill that role and be the leader, hold others accountable

• As a collegiate athlete, you have to be able to handle constructive criticism

• Injuries have a way of opening our eyes and seeing the bigger picture

• As a competitive person, if you want to achieve the highest levels, compare yourself to the best in the world, and work to reach their level

• The college/athletics system in the United States provide many opportunities to those foreign to the country

“From the moment I set foot there, the way they take care of you, you have people helping you plan your classes, helping you study, helping you get through your classes, the coaches are willing to help if you ask them to, it was kind of a family atmosphere.” BB @ 28:06

• Life is about taking risks and making choices to find your way or path in life

• Getting a degree in college will give you more opportunities after your athletic career is finished

• As an athlete, is it healthy to find some kind of balance between your school, athletic, and social life

• Under 100 people a year make a living from tennis

• Always have a slight idea of what you want to be involved with when your athletic career comes to an end

Listen ON-THE-GO (00:58:31) Now -or- via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps on Smartphones/tablets!

Listen ON-THE-GO (00:58:31) Now -or- via iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Apps on Smartphones/tablets!

BASSAM’S TIP JAR

What is the best advice you have ever received?
No matter how bad you think you can be on tour, it's always better than the alternative

Sleep & Morning ritual:
Between 7 and 8 hours of sleep. The first thing I usually do when I wake up is roll  my hips out and doing a couple of light exercises to get my hips moving in the morning.  

What is one of the first things you do when you come to a new arena for competition?
Its usually a new country, I  check out the area, find out where I can get my essentials, restaurants. Check out the courts, meet the trainer, physiotherapists, hits some balls, and sweat it out a bit on your first few days.

What personal habit do you believe contributed most to your success?
My intensity in training

Name one way that you like to improve yourself as a person
I like to read about things all across the spectrum

A learning resource you love to use…
I love using blogs and other such sites to keep up with the latest on strength and conditioning, rehab, and sports nutrition.

Give a tool/habit you love to use to stay healthy:
Well, at the moment I have been doing a lot of rehab for my back so I am in and out of the gym all the time. I also have my exercises I do at home but I spend plenty of time in the gym too.

A useful tool or tip for eating on the go -OR- for traveling in general?
When I was travelling to tournaments I always took a foam roller with me and packets of nuts so I wouldn't have to go around searching for a healthy snack.

If you had a do over for you athletic career, and had all of the resources that are available to you now, what would you do differently so set yourself up for success?
I would have taken better care of my body and eating healthier earlier in life

What book would you give away as a gift and why?
Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom, there are a lot of lessons you can take from this book.
 

What's a cause or thing/action you like to do to add value to other peoples lives that you either know or don't know at all?
The last few years I have taken more of an interest in politics (from an Arab perspective mainly). I like to read a lot and transfer what I know and think to open other people's eyes to what really goes on in the world (usually via Facebook). I think my generation is becoming more politically aware than perhaps the one that came immediately before them and this can lead to positive changes in the world. I definitely have plans to contribute even more once I am settled in whatever I am going to do after tennis.

INFO

Past/Current Teams:
Pepperdine Men’s Tennis

Books Mentioned
Relentless by Tim S. Grover
Becoming A Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett
Ready to Run by Kelly Starrett
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
 

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A Piece of Wisdom from Bassam

“The one thing that you can translate into any area of your life is dedication...dedication and discipline will take you places” -Bassam Beidas

Definition of An Athlete

"The term athlete is such a vague term..I would say an athlete is someone playing sport and competing...the desire to push yourself into competition is what separates someone who plays something as a hobby and someone who is an actual athlete"

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Why I Got My Masters Degree Online While Playing in A Foreign Country by Gabi KOEVA

Why I Got My Masters Degree Online While Playing in A Foreign Country

(YES guys, it's possible! It isn't easy, but it sure is possible!)

by Gabi KOEVA (Bulgarian National Team & Besiktas Pro Volleyball Player)

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Let me start from long ago...

So there I was, at the age of 13, just having had that conversation with my parents about how I need to choose what I want to do with my life - Whether I should continue studying in the language profiled school I was currently in or I should take a different path and go to a sports profile school to play volleyball more seriously. 

I was so upset that they won't give me any directions, won't tell me what their opinion is that I started crying (Yeah, I'm a girl, so what?). All they would say was:  

“If you stay in the language profile school you’ll probably have serious lessons and less time to play volleyball. You’ll most likely grow taller than all your classmates (my father is 205cm tall, my mother 180, both former basketball players) and feel a little bit awkward...just have that in mind.

On the other hand in the sports profile school you will practice twice daily but there’s a chance you get things done a lot easier during the rest of the classes and you might as well not study so hard. The good news is you will be around other tall kids like you, both boys and girls, and you’ll feel more comfortable. It’s your decision what to make, it’s your future and you have to choose it, we won’t make that choice for you!”

— -My Parents

I said, "Okay, thanks, you helped a lot! I knew those things already!!!" Here is where my older brother (he graduated from that same language profiled high school I was in) comes in the room, sees me crying and first thing he says is: "I know lots of people graduated from that sports school. They are dumb as (you fill in the blank)..... If you go there you'll make a HUGE mistake!"

So what was I supposed to do? Standing there on the crossroad of the biggest decision in my life so far... I was terrified! It was all up to me and I would have to except the consequences of my choice. What I did was decide to follow my passion for volleyball. Also, along with that to prove my brother wrong and make my parents proud! I enrolled in the sports school and since my grades were always excellent earlier I didn't want that to change either.

I was going to morning practice, then lessons in school, then evening practice. After that I would go home to study, rest and prepare for the next busy day. You can say that I pretty much had no social life until the age of 16-17, except for on the weekends. I was a little bit of a geek in the eyes of my friends, classmates and teammates but that never stopped me. It upset me, of course, but never stopped me! I graduated with a national diploma (Bragging rights: ...in Bulgaria this means I had straight excellent final grades throughout all of the 12 years of high school, in all subjects I'd studied). Don't ask me how that happened, I failed exams and tests, but I somehow made it work but the end of every year and had an excellent (A).

Finishing high school only meant one thing - time to enroll in an university. By that time, I was already playing in Sofia (capital of Bulgaria). I had won the national volleyball championship of Bulgaria (twice) and with that gold medal in hand the most reasonable thing to do was to enroll in the National Sports Academy (NSA) and begin my education to become a coach. (Editor's note: RIGHT?!) I studied there for 2 years and before my 4th semester was over I went to play abroad in Switzerland for Volero Zurich and I couldn't find any solution to continue my education in NSA from distance. 

THE PROBLEM

What most athletes do in that situation is say, "I'll finish it when I come back to Bulgaria, maybe in 10-15 years when I quit professional volleyball...". So I waited. I had one "empty" year during my first season in Zurich and I started feeling as if my brain was slowing down. I didn't know what to do with my free time, so mostly I was watching TV series and movies, wasting time and keeping my head busy with something. I'm sure it sounds familiar to some of you who are reading this. 

THE SOLUTION

So I made a decision - I had to find a way to study something before my brain becomes too rusty. I did some research online about universities allowing satellite education. The idea came from a teammate of mine that was studying at a Serbian university from distance. I thought maybe we have those in Bulgaria also and I just didn't know about them. And I was right! I found what I was looking for and after the season was over I took the necessary exams and enrolled in an university where I would eventually get my major and master in BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.

It's not easy as I mentioned in the beginning. You'll have tons of books to read all by yourself, a lot of cases and paperworks to write, a lot of problems to solve and let's not forget plenty of dead-ends to keep up with! It can be stressful but the best feeling is the feeling of accomplishment when you do well on an exam, test, colloquium or submit paperwork and see the (positive) response of your professor! 

Let's be honest here!...

We live in a modern society, we have computers, smartphones, tablets, internet and with that unlimited access to tons and tons of information! If you want to find satellite study options in your area you have the tools to do it. (Editor note: Also called distance learning, e-learning and/or Massive-Open-Online-Courses (MOOCs))  Even more, if you are reading this, it means you have already at disposition some kind of an electronic device and internet. It also means you have made the first step (or you were just curious how I got my degree :)), in both cases, THANK YOU for your time and attention!

Now if you want to get your education done while playing professional sports...
GO and research what the options are!

I wish to all of you to stay focused on your goals and to be BOLD!
Hugs, 
Gabi Koeva

READ MORE HERE ABOUT MOOCS!

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#26 How To Trust Yourself In The Moment with Antoine BENNETEAU

 #26 How To Trust Yourself In The Moment with Antoine BENNETEAU

Athlete Case Study: (FRANCE) A University of Florida Grad, NCAA All-American, Was Ranked 370 in ATP Singles  & Journalist @ L'Equipe 21 

January 31, 2015

Listen NOW (00:54:47) -or- ON-THE-GO with iTunes | Stitcher Radio | TuneIn Apps!

BACKGROUND

On today’s show we will talk about some of Antoine’s struggles he went through as an athlete and how he got through them to get to where he is today. We will discuss the importance of trusting in yourself and staying in the moment when times get a little shaky.

BIO

• Born, Antoine BENNETEAU, from Bourg-en-Bresse, France on June 30, 1986.

• Played in the French Open twice at the ages of 16 and 17.

• He is an NCAA All-American; Antoine graduated from the University of Florida on a full scholarship with a business management degree.

• After college he went Pro. His Best ATP ranking in singles was 370 in the world. He has won 3 ATP futures tournaments

• Now a TV journalist for a French Sports Channel called L'Equipe 21.

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MOST GRATEFUL TODAY FOR:

The luck to go through all of the experiences I’ve gone through, where I am today, and the people I have met along the way

PERSONAL QUOTE:

“Impose your good fortune, stay close to your happiness and walk towards (your) risk. Watching you they will get used to it.”

-René Char (French poet & rugby player)

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE:

My brother, Julien Benneteau, and my coach when I was a young teen.

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Key Discussion Points

• What was one of your biggest struggles or failures and what did you learn?

• When was an important time (i.e. match point) you took a chance, or you DIDN’T take a chance, and you made a mistake and what did you learn from this experience?

• When was the moment in your life you had a “lightbulb” moment?

• What is one of your proudest moments?

• What made you decide to go to school in the US and what did you take away from being there?

• What are some of the differences between the opportunity in the US and in France?

• Do you think your degree from Univ. of Florida has helped you so far in life and will in the future more than if you didn’t get it?

• What has you most excited these days and what direction are you headed?

• Why do you have interests in writing a book?

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Key Lessons

• Every athlete goes through some type of injury where they miss a little bit or A LOT of competition

• Take care of your body, don’t let the pressure of the game or team counting on you prolong a possible serious injury or cause you to ignore it

• When injured, find out what you need to do to rehabilitate, do everything you need to do to come back stronger and better

“I took some days off spent the holidays in France, but I shortened them and  I went to Philadelphia and got surgery...I worked hard everyday with my rehab to come back stronger, which I did.” -AB @ 13:32

• When in the moment of a match or game and you have to make BIG decisions in a short amount of time, remember to stay calm, and fight through

• Keep trusting yourself and follow your heart and instincts, especially if things have been going well for you thus far

• Take it one match/game at a time, stay in the moment

“I was in Guadalajara, and that’s when I won my first tournament in the ATP Future and..all the matches, all 5 of them were tough, but I was in a building process and I was taking each step at a time, each match at a time, and it led me to the title.” -AB @  21:08

• Life is about taking risks and making choices to find your way or path in life

• Getting a degree in college will give you more opportunities after your athletic career is finished

“If I didn’t have my degree from Univ. of Florida, I wouldn’t be able to be in my journalism school….and I wouldn’t do the job I love right now.” -AB @ 27:04

• Always have a plan for after the ending of your athletic career

• Whatever it is what you are doing, career wise, it’s important that you enjoy it

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ANTOINE’S TIP JAR

What’s the best advice you have ever received?
A coach once told me, “do today, what will make you better today.”

When you were playing, what was one of the first things you would do when you came to a new arena?
Take time to see the courts, feel out the atmosphere, recognize my favorite spots.

What personal habits contributed most to your success?
The night before a match, I always take time to visualize what I wanted to happen.

Sleep & Morning ritual:
I would sleep for 8 hours, and first thing in the morning I have some water

Name one way you’d like to improve yourself as a person?
I’d like to be more effective in whatever I do and be a bit more patient

A learning resource you love to use…
A Book called: "The stranger" by Albert Camus

Give a tool/habit you love to use to stay healthy:
Playing in a soccer game every week

A useful tool or tip for eating on the go -OR- for traveling in general?
Travel in sweat pants

How do you add value to others?
I coach and give advice to some players that have come to me that are going through what I went through

What are some tips you can give to people on how to make a plan to use sport and also do more with their lives and putting that plan into action?
Keep yourself interested in things other than JUST your sport, (i.e. instruments, reading, marketing, entrepreneurship)

With all of the resources and new things you know now, if you could go back, what would you do differently to set yourself up for success?
I would do everything the same with more patience, less stress, and I would have more confidence and trust myself more.

INFO

Charity/Organizations They Add Value to:
I give the clothes that I don't use anymore to the Red Cross Organization

Business/Work:
TV Journalist for a French Sports Channel, L’Equipe 21

Past/Current Teams:
University of Florida Tennis

Recommended Guest:

Alexis Musialek, current tennis player on ATP tour and former member of the University of Kentucky.

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Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Email

Piece of Wisdom from Antoine

“We are athletes that love sports and sports is our passion, but we are also human beings with feelings and things can go wrong, and its ok. We also have to remember that being an athlete can be a solution in life when you have personal problems, being on a team can be very helpful, you learn so much being an athlete.”

Definition of An Athlete?

"I think an athlete is someone that has the chance to live his passion and to earn his life with it and is able to know that and to be humble about it and to enjoy it, not someone that is beyond that."

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#25 Design Your Plan & Follow Through with Mike VAN ZUTPHEN (Part 1)

#25 Design Your Plan & Follow Through with Mike VAN ZUTPHEN (Part 1)

January 28, 2015 | Expert GamePlan Session
An American (USA), University of Tulsa, USPTA Master Professional, Inductee of the Tennis Teacher Hall of Fame, 20 Years as USPTA Tester of the Year _________________________________________________

Listen NOW (00:48:43) or via iTUNES | STITCHER | TUNEIN APPS!

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BACKGROUND

On today’s show we will get into specialized training and how important structure & having a relationship with your coach/player is. We will also discuss three different concepts involved with getting better through trainings: mechanical, cognitive, and emotional training. Mike dives into how important structure of not only training but your life as an athlete is to your success and how you should track progress and goals. In this first part we also talk about Functional Intelligence which Mike describes as “...the ability to function under pressure, in the defined environment, making great decisions based on a tactical way to play and the statistical percentages” and why it’s so important athletes have it!

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BIO

• Born, Mike Van Zutphen on September 17, 1953 and currently living in Huntington Beach, California USA.

• Degree in Business from the University of Tulsa.

• It took Mike ten years to get his classification of Master Professional after going through strenuous requirements.
  (Note: To become a "MASTER PROFESSIONAL"... "Members must hold USPTA's highest certification rating (Professional 1) for more than 10 years before becoming eligible for the Master Professional designation. Then, each must fulfill a broad spectrum of requirements, including making significant achievements in areas such as tennis teaching and coaching, business, education and volunteer work." - USPTA Website)

• Has worked with all levels U.S. Players to develop their game/game plan. He helped  design the curriculum guide for all the grade schools in the U.S. Players all over the world started coming to him to be coached.

• Played World Team Tennis With Pat Dupret, and at that time was hired as a doubles specialist. His best win was beating 11th ranked ranked in the world, Andrew Peterson from South Africa. 

• Coached at a Junior College, had his own TV show, and was the owner of Sun Tennis Magazine (Out of Print). Was the director of Tennis Operations Arizona, and is still currently the owner of the Arizona Tennis Association.

• Trained 2 NCAA Champions and a Wimbledon Junior champion, Wesley Whitehouse.

• Was Inductee of the Tennis Teacher Hall of Fame. He has written 5 Books on Tennis. Has been the Head Tester of the USPTA for the last 20 years in a row.

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PERSONAL QUOTE:

“If you live your life to a certain standard and you give everything you’ve got, you can’t feel bad about whatever happens with the outcome” - Mike Van Zutphen

“A ball of the net has a future” - Mike Van Zutphen

Key Discussion Points

• What is the advantage of having a coach like you with your philosophy?

• What are some examples of how an athlete could structure their daily lives better?

• What are your thoughts on tracking and functional intelligence?

Key Lessons

• A coach needs to have a relationship with the player

• As a coach, find a way to learn from other coaches, as their style may be relevant to your

“..coaches in the industry that I would consider really  phenomenal teachers, and what I tried to do was gather that information from those coaches that I felt was relevant for me and I’d go back to adding those skills or those techniques to my style of teaching.” MV @ 11:58

• Everybody is different and receives coaching/teaching differently

• Polish the skill so that the athlete owns it

• Athletes need to identify where they are at, to know where they are going

• Avoid “random” training

“ Design a specific training so that it attacks the weakness that is actually occurring in the match.” MV @  19:01

• Having structure is designing so that the athlete optimizes his/her chances

• When watching film, don’t focus on what you think is happening, but focus on what actually IS happening

• Build up your weakness, so they are strong when others attack them

• Athletes have a 10 minute window after competition to refuel their system

“Whatever I put into my system, after that 10 minute window, the doors shut, its in my stomach, but its not gonna effect the cells in the body.” MV @ 29:10

• Functional intelligence is the hardest skill to train athletes

“..its the ability to function under pressure, in the defined environment, making great decisions based on a tactical way to play and the statistical percentages.” MD @ 35:48

Listen NOW (00:48:43) or via iTUNES | STITCHER | TUNEIN APPS!

MIKE'S TIP JAR

Give a tool or habit you love to use to stay healthy:
Playing Doubles

Name one learning resource you love to use:
Books, Visuals, and world class coaches

What was holding you back from becoming better?
My consistency level and lack of structure is what kept me from making it further in the professional tennis world.

Recommended Books written by Mike Van Zutphen
Player Development Book
Get a Grip
NTRP  
Strings, Tension and Rackets
Management book

Other Resources/Websites by Mike Van Zutphen:
TennisLesson1
One Minute Tennis Lessons

INFO

Charity/Organizations They Add Value to:
Working with Special Olympics

Business/Work:
USPTA (United States Professional Tennis Association): Head USPTA Tester Cal Division, Director of Tennis / High Performance Coach, USPTA National Testing Committee
Arizona Tennis Association: Owner

 

Contact Mike

Email | LinkedIn 

Note to Athletes:

“Plan your progress, don’t randomly do it, it’s a game plan of life, its a game plan of professional standards that you have to live by to have success, you can’t randomly do it, design your plan, and follow through”
-Mike Van Zutphen

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