Keep your eye on the ball - even if you can't see it...
A recent article from Sarah Ansboury has caused me to revisit a topic I wrote about in May - keeping your eye on the ball. Sarah makes several good points and recommends a couple of techniques to help you with the right focus. The following excerpts are from Sarah's article Keep Your Eye on the Ball…A Simple Pickleball Tip on the RV Picklers blog.
Sarah's first recommended technique is one you have seen before. In Keep Your Eyes on the Ball - How to Do It, I wrote:
Matt Blom was an instructor at the Pickleball Summit and had students go through several ball toss drills while instructed to "watch the holes in the ball". This provides even more focus when a player is about to hit the ball. Excellent advice.
As we have discussed eye on the ballbefore, the more we can narrow our focus the more success we will achieve. That is why many tennis coaches tell their students to focus on the lines on the ball. By sharpening our focus on a smaller area, we not only remain more engaged but were also able to see what kind of spin was on the ball.
Watch the Holes
The analogy in pickleball is to watch the holes in the ball. This may be difficult for newer players, but as you advance it is a goal that will help you improve.
Sarah's second piece of advice ties back to one her main themes - paddle tracking.
My advice for you is to start simple. Watch the ball with your paddle and follow the ball with your eyes. When you realize you are moving your head too much, or not following the ball with your paddle…try to correct it. We all slip up from time to time, regardless of our level of play. Just take your time and practice keeping your eye on the ball.
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