By Ryan Borucki

As teaching pros enter the month of July, the first burnout of the summer begins to take its toll. We've all experienced this at one time another.

It’s that one week halfway through the summer when the snooze button becomes a little bit easier to hit. The struggle to be loud and excited in 90 degree heat is as tough to handle as it is to figure out where your tax money goes every other Friday.

That week has finally hit me. It's been seven weeks since Day 1 of my job at  Royal Melbourne Country Club and my legs never have been heavier and my bedtime never has been earlier. In fact, my boss even noticed the mid-summer lackluster attitude my co-workers and I took the court with this morning.

We didn’t notice it. To us it was just another 'average energy' day, which brings me to my next point.

As hard as it may be sometimes to wake up and bring a smile to the court, it’s our job. Our boss Mike Lardino was able to sum up one of the most important parts of being a pro in a single sentence. He said of our tennis club members, “Their perception is our reality.”

Although this may seem obvious, it couldn’t be any closer to the truth. Regardless of how burned out we are or how hot it is on court, we must bring energy and excitement every single day.

With that in mind, as the first burnout leaves its mark, what are ways we can shake things up? How can we defeat the week in question before it delivers the knockout punch?

I don’t have all the answers, but I have a few ways to refuel for the rest of the summer:

• Switch it up: If you can, change the lessons you are teaching with a co-worker. Take on a different age group, or gender. Maybe all you need is a group that already possesses the energy you don’t have. Tiny Tots or junior tennis could be that saving grace.  If you cannot switch groups, change the lesson structure. Add more point play or join the play yourself. Getting more involved in the drills as opposed to just watching can be a great energy booster.
  
• Work out before work: This one may have some of your heads spinning, but it may just work. Early morning workouts actually increase the energy your body has for the remainder of the day. A little health kick never hurts.
  
• Cram caffeine: The back-up plan when the previous suggestion doesn't happen. Load up on the coffee, energy drinks and anything else that can help you get through that last lesson of the day. Hopefully you have a day off or two, just in case this stuff wears off.
  
• Do a rain dance: Probably not the best option or the most plausible, but pray for a rain day. Get out there in your raincoat and galoshes and start dancing.

There is no perfect solution for climbing out of this mid-summer slumber, but we’ve got to try. Regardless of how much energy you think you bring each day, remember it's the members who determine your reality. Good luck and good night.