Reconnect with your “why.” Remember that younger version of you — the one who played just to play.

Do something fun on purpose. Trick plays, challenges, mini-games. Make space to smile.

Let go of perfect. Joy doesn’t live in fear. It lives in freedom.

“Play like no one’s watching. Compete like everyone is counting on you.”

Naomi Osaka: “I just want to feel like I’m playing tennis because I enjoy the game.”

Laugh more. Critique less. Let sports be a place they associate with lightness — not just pressure.

Ask joy-based questions. “What made you smile today?” is just as important as “How’d you play?”

Protect their play. Make sure downtime, playfulness, and freedom aren’t always replaced by more work.

“Your child’s confidence grows in the soil of joy.”

“Let them be kids. Even when they’re good enough to be pros.”

Inject small fun drills. 5-minute challenges, trick shots, music breaks — joy improves focus, too.

Laugh with your team. Joy doesn’t mean you’re not serious — it means you're human.

Ask players what they love most. Then create more moments around those things.

“Joy creates energy. Energy creates consistency. Consistency builds greatness.”

Mike Candrea: “They don’t remember your words — they remember how they felt playing for you.”