How to Raise a Better Adult Without Losing Your Mind Over Tennis ft JY Aubone

Welcome to Season 15 Episode 43 of the ParentingAces Podcast. This week, Lisa Stone and JY Aubone discuss JY’s book, The Empowered Tennis Parent, and why junior tennis parents need practical guidance for navigating the emotional, financial, and developmental realities of the sport. Their conversation focuses on helping parents make thoughtful decisions, reduce pressure, and keep the bigger goal in view: supporting their children as they grow into healthy, resilient adults.

JY explains why tennis development is rarely linear and why working harder is not always the answer. They discuss tournament schedules, rankings, UTR pressure, equipment choices, parental expectations, and ways to support a child through difficult moments on and off the court.

Tennis Parent Takeaways

• Junior tennis progress is not always linear. School demands, injuries, growth, and emotional stress can all affect a player’s development.

• A loss or dip in performance doesn’t automatically mean a child isn’t trying. Pressure, burnout, or trying too hard may be part of the picture.
• More practice and more tournaments aren’t always better. Consider your child’s needs and readiness rather than following a one-size-fits-all formula.
• Keep rankings and results in perspective. They are only part of a player’s story.
• Set realistic family limits around time, travel, and tournament costs. It’s okay to say no when an event isn’t right for your child or your family.
• Treat tennis as a privilege and a tool for growth—not as a measure of your child’s worth.
• Work on your own reactions, too. Parental anxiety can affect a child’s experience of the sport.
• Keep the long-term goal in mind: supporting your child’s development and preserving a strong parent-child relationship.

Connect with JY

Reach out to JY via email at jy@aubonetennis.com. You can also follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jeanyves.aubone and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/aubonetennis/.To purchase his new book, you can use our special Amazon link (Note: we may receive a small commission) - https://link.amazon/B0b61ncDm

Connect with Lisa

As always, Lisa is available for one-to-one consultations to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through the ⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠.

If you’re so inclined, please share this—and all our episodes—with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app.Be sure to check out our logoed merchandise, as well as our à la carte personal consultations, in our ⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/⁠.

Credits

Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE

Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone