All Around The Court (drill) April 8th 2024

In this drill, Player A begins at the baseline while Player B positions themselves at the kitchen line. Player B initiates the point by feeding the ball in, giving Player A the option to execute either a drop shot or a drive, depending on the focus of practice. Once the point concludes, the sequence repeats, but now Player A starts from mid-court. Following this point, Player A advances to the kitchen for a dink off. The series cycles back to the baseline to restart the drill. When practicing with two players, the court is divided in half, allowing shots to be directed either straight ahead or cross-court.

To add a competitive element, utilize rally scoring with the goal of reaching 11 points before swapping roles. Additionally, players can earn a bonus point if they successfully transition from the baseline or mid-court to the kitchen. 

This drill effectively replicates various court areas and shot types encountered in pickleball matches. Its structured progression ensures players do not become fixated on a single court section, aiding in developing a versatile skill set applicable to different match scenarios.

How to Choose the Right Partner April 3rd 2024

 Please note this is for tournament and league players...

1. Complementary Styles: One of the critical elements in forming a successful team is the ability to complement each other's playing styles. For instance, while I excel at setting up my partners, I may not be as proficient at poaching. In such cases, I prefer to let my partners handle poaching while I focus on executing third shots. This allows my partner to disconnect early and get involved with poaching. 

2. Objective Evaluation: This might rub some people the wrong way but liking someone does not always mean you will play well with them. While personal affinity is important, it shouldn't be the sole basis for choosing a partner. Encouraging positivity and fostering friendship with your partner is beneficial, but it's crucial to assess on-court compatibility.  As a coach, I've witnessed instances where partnerships continued solely due to personal relationships, despite being detrimental to on-court performance.

3. Understanding Your Playing Identity: Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses as a player is essential. If you excel in consistency and setting up opportunities but lack power, you might seek a partner with strong offensive capabilities. Similarly, if you prefer dominating the left side of the court, you'd benefit from teaming up with a right-side specialist. 

4. Embrace the Process: Give Your Partnership Time to Flourish

   Patience is key in cultivating successful partnerships. I've witnessed remarkable teams evolve simply because they allowed ample time to understand each other's playing styles. In the face of a single setback, players often rush to abandon their partners. While there may be occasions where this is warranted, there's immense potential in allowing a partnership to develop over time.

   By investing time into your partnership, you unlock opportunities to discern the dynamics that define your team. Through trial and error, you discover what synergizes effectively and what doesn't. It's no coincidence that many professional teams commit to extended periods of playing together, whether it's a full season or half a year, especially when forming new partnerships. This time allows for crucial adjustments and the exploration of winning combinations. In essence, by affording your partnership the gift of time, you lay the groundwork for sustained success and the realization of your shared goals on the court.

   5. Just pay Ben Johns an absurd amount of money to be your partner. :) 

    

   Three Tips To Become A Better Player March 20th 2024

1. Embrace Self-Awareness: Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses is pivotal for growth. Understanding what you excel at allows you to craft your strategies around those strengths, while acknowledging your weaknesses provides clear targets for improvement. 

2. Dedicated Practice: Consistent, purposeful practice is key, ideally structured in drill formats. Partner drills offer versatility, allowing you to address various aspects of your game. Focus on specific areas of improvement during each session, limiting your attention to one or two items. For instance, concentrate solely on ways to advance to the kitchen, utilizing drills such as drop shots, drive-and-drop combinations, or transition zone games. If a drilling partner isn't available, set targeted objectives during recreational play. For example, prioritize drop shots to get up to the kitchen, even if it results in a few missed attempts.

3. Find Joy in the Journey: Guard against burnout by savoring the process of improvement. Over committing to any endeavor can lead to diminishing enjoyment. If pickleball begins to feel burdensome, grant yourself permission to take breaks. Stepping away for a few days from play or practice can reignite your passion upon your return. Even pickleball addicts like myself occasionally experience burnout, but each break has brought my spark to improve back.

Put Your Pride Aside March 13th 2024

Avoid falling into the trap of playing into your opponents' strengths. It's a common pitfall to attempt to outmatch adversaries in their own game, but the key lies in capitalizing on your strengths while exposing their weaknesses. Sometimes we need to admit to ourselves that a player is better at something than we are. 

Recently, I encountered a formidable team boasting significant firepower. Initially, we inadvertently played right into their preferred style, engaging in a fast-paced, slap fest. Unfortunately, this approach led to a swift defeat. I love to play fast but realized this team was better at that style. After a quick huddle and strategic rethink, we adopted a simple mindset: extend the rallies. Our objective shifted towards executing drop shots and dinks, gradually wearing down our opponents.

By forcing them into a softer, more defensive game, we effectively turned the tables. Our opponents, accustomed to dominating with their power play, found themselves out of their comfort zone and struggling to keep up with our finesse. It was a lesson in strategic adaptability, highlighting the importance of recognizing when to set aside pride and play to our own strengths rather than trying to outdo our opponents at their game.

Warm Up And Recovery Feb 22nd 2024

Warm Up:

• Arrive 10-15 minutes early to do a dynamic warm-up, incorporating light activities like jogging, stationary biking, or jump roping.

• Focus on dynamic stretches targeting hips, glutes, and shoulders to prepare muscles and get a sweat going before hitting the court.

• Prioritize warming up all shots, especially those I'll use frequently. An extended warm up helps shake off nerves and that "cold first game". 

Recovery:

• Light stretching post-match, even just 2-3 minutes, can make a noticeable difference.

• Ice baths or cold plunges for 3-5 minutes significantly aid recovery, reducing soreness by 50-60% and improving sleep. This is my favorite recovery tool! 

• Use a lacrosse ball for targeted hip and foot massage.

• Stretch before bedtime for better sleep quality.

"Show Up, Warm Up, Play Hard, Recover Harder"

Mastering the Overhead Feb. 17th 2024

Ah, it's our moment to shine! Whether it's our earned opportunity or a poorly executed lob from our opponent, this is our chance to dazzle the crowd with a powerful overhead smash. Here are some key pointers to ensure we hit it with authority: A simple phrase I use for a reminder is "turn the hips, snap the wrist" but lets go a little further into detail. 

1. Positioning: If the ball sails over our head and we're right-handed, we pivot our hips so that our left hip faces the kitchen while the right hip points towards the baseline. This not only aids in generating power but also ensures safety in case we need to let the ball bounce.

2. Preparation & Form: "Rightys" Raise the left hand as a guide while keeping the right arm's elbow bent. Strive to make contact with the ball in front of the body whenever feasible. Connect with the ball at a high position while still allowing your arm to be slightly bent. When executing the follow-through, employ the "hand in the cookie jar" technique, emphasizing a wrist snap to drive the ball downward effectively.

3. Targeting: Opt for open spaces whenever possible, as they offer the greatest advantage. Utilize angles if the situation permits, and aiming for the middle of the court is often a reliable strategy.

4. Progression: Prioritize control over power initially. As proficiency grows, gradually integrate more power into the shot while maintaining accuracy and technique.

By adhering to these principles, we can consistently deliver a solid overhead that demands respect. 

Enhance Your On-court Experience February 1st 2024

1. Incorporate Deep, Intentional Breaths: Engage in deliberate and deep breathing to center yourself during play. Try to exhale on shots. This is an old tennis trick that is taught from a young age. 

2. Take Your Time Between Points: Resist the urge to rush to the serving line. Take a moment to gather your focus before approaching the next point.

3. Learn from Mistakes and Move On: Embrace mistakes as learning opportunities and swiftly shift your attention to the upcoming point. Dwelling on errors can distract from your overall performance.

4. Sport a Smile: Cultivate positivity by wearing a smile, even during challenging moments. A positive demeanor can significantly impact your mindset and your team's performance. 

5. Inject Humor with Your Partner: I have had students tell me they lighten the atmosphere by joking with their partners. Many players find that injecting humor into matches contributes to a more enjoyable experience.

6. Gratitude Perspective: Remind yourself that, ultimately, you are fortunate to be playing pickleball. Maintain a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to engage in this amazing sport.

By incorporating these practices, you can enhance your focus, maintain a positive mindset, and elevate your overall enjoyment of the game.

Or just sport a bad attitude and blame your partner at all costs. Just kidding! :)

Stay positive and have fun out there! 

Make Your Opponent Hit From Awkward Positions January 22nd 2024

The classic "placement over power" still holds true, even in today's fast-paced game. Amid the quickened pace, the significance of strategic placement remains undeniable. When instructing the drive, I prioritize a 60% paced shot that forces the opponent into an awkward, low volley position. This is often more effective than sheer power.

In the realm of dinking, the emphasis shifts to targeting spots that set opponents in motion, making them "dance" on the court. Increased movement heightens the likelihood of errors or pop-ups. With kitchen speed ups or attacks think about real estate, "location, location, location". Optimal areas for kitchen attacks or speed-ups are the opponent's dominant shoulder, inducing the dreaded "chicken wing," or the dominant hip as an alternative.

While power undeniably has its impact, it's essential to remind players that controlled and targeted shots statistically yield higher success rates.

Key takeaways include:

• Forcing opponents to hit below the net is strategically advantageous, regardless of shot speed.

• Location, location, location

• Get our opponents "dancing"

• Look to be calculated and controlled when attacking 

Efficient Shot Making Starts With Efficient Footwork January 17th 2024

In pickleball a lot of our success depends on proper footwork. If you remind yourself to always return to a solid athletic stance you will be more likely to succeed: knees bent, paddle in a ready position, feet shoulder width apart or a bit wider. Once you have created this foundation as muscle memory, then you can focus on proper footwork. This means being proactive and moving to the ball and getting our weight going forward during shots. Being able to move efficiently is key to setting up the shots you want. A lot of missed shots are due to being out of position which can lead to reaching or hitting bail out shots. Want to improve your footwork? Try agility ladder drills, cone drills, and moving on the pickleball court without hitting balls. 

Break The Cycle January 12th 2024

Often, during a match, our team finds itself caught by the opposing side, trapped in a losing cycle. This predicament often stems from players exhibiting stubbornness, a challenge I've encountered all too frequently. A simple example involves speeding up at a player, only to be met with a counter that results in a point for the opponent. Initially, it might be dismissed as luck, but the real issue arises when we persist with the same approach, yielding the same outcome. In such moments, it's imperative to resist the temptation to prove superiority through repetition. Acknowledging the need for adaptability becomes crucial. Rather than stubbornly sticking to a failing strategy, it's wise to break the cycle by shifting focus. Instead of engaging the same approach repeatedly, diversify your shot selection.

Simplify Your Stroke Production January 12th 2024

Reflect on instances where you faced an opponent who aggressively dominated the court, exerting pressure through forceful drives and attacks. In such situations, the instinctive response is often to counteract with a similarly offensive approach. For instance, when confronted with pace and spin towards us, the tendency is to intensify our swing in an attempt to swiftly conclude the point. However, this heightened pace often compromises control, resulting in suboptimal shot execution. A more strategic response would be to shorten our stroke production. By simplifying our "counter" shot, we can effectively redirect the opponent's pace and regain control of the game. Embracing simplicity in shot selection during moments of heightened pressure proves to be a winning strategy.

Put Something On The Line December 12th 2023

If you find it challenging to maintain focus during recreational play, drills, or training sessions, consider this effective technique. When you sense your attention waning, the game losing its intensity, or you believe the overall level could be elevated, introduce a friendly wager aka putting something on the line. I recall a session where, after about two hours, the energy seemed to dip. In that moment, I proposed a $20 bet for the next 2/3 match. Instantly, the intensity surged! Everyone became fully engaged, playing as if it were a tournament, and the overall experience was markedly enhanced. I routinely apply this strategy during drills by incorporating scoring in dink rallies, drop shot games, and various exercises. The stakes could be as simple as the loser buying lunch or a round of drinks. Having something on the line adds a layer of focus, transforming a potential lull into a determined and enjoyable session. Give it a try next time you sense a plateau in your games or drills!