Pickleball and Relationships

Obviously, our relationship will never be the same after this game...

The Sunday series on pickleball relationships concludes with an article from Prem Carnot.

How Pickleball Impacts Relationships

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, February is the month we tend to focus on our “special” relationship (or lack there of). I thought it would be appropriate this month to take a look at how pickleball impacts and influences our relationships. I share some insight on the relationship my wife and I have regarding pickleball, and what I’ve seen from my time traveling around the country.

How Pickleball Impacts My Relationship

As you may know, my wife, Wendy, and I learned to play the game at the same time, and we were both immediate fans of the sport. We played together, traveled together, competed together and are now in the pickleball business together. (Heck, we wrote the book on pickleball—together!)

Patience is a Strategy

Everything comes to you at the right moment...

Resetting the point was a key percentage pickleball concept in the articles from both Coach Mo and Sarah Ansboury. But resetting the point requires a couple of mental strengths. One is confidence - the confidence that restarting a rally from a neutral position can be won with more shots. The other is patience - the patience to wait for a better ball or more advantageous position to go for a winner. Jeff Napier has an article discussing how patience is a requirement.

Kitchen Patience

The biggest difference between a 4.5 rated player and a 5.0 is probably patience in kitchen rallies. The lesser player will try to put something away that the 5.0 player will simply dink back defensively. What the 4.5 player doesn’t really understand yet, is that when facing two good opponents, it is like facing an invincible wall. Anything the 4.5 player tries to force out of a quiet and soft kitchen rally will come back twice as fast and hard. Many of the really top players will simply wait, and wait, and wait some more, until the opponent makes a mistake big enough to capitalize on. Or, another way of looking at it is that the lesser player will try to leverage anything that has possibilities, where the more experienced player will wait until s/he has a sure thing.

Sarah on Percentage Pickleball

Focus on what you do best...

Most expert articles and videos related to specific parts of the game contain some nugget(s) about choices and making the right decision. Some, like Joe Baker, go into extreme detail to discuss the right strategy. But few address the issue of percentage pickleball like Coach Mo. One of those few is Sarah Ansboury in the following article.

Pickleball: Play the Percentages

It is a statistical fact that errors rather than outright winners determine the outcome of pickleball matches. It is the same in tennis! That is why you need to learn to play the percentages when you play pickleball.

Kitchen Line Percentage Pickleball

The problem was our shot selection...

Coach Mo's Percentage Pickleball was the topic yesterday with some of general rules listed. He also has developed a chart to provide more specific guidance for shot selection when at the NVZ line. It was included in his Tips of the Month and is replicated below. 

Coach Mo's Percentage Pickleball

There's never any percentage in banging before it's time...

My understanding is that Coach Mo coined the phrase "Percentage Pickleball" We introduced some of his concepts yesterday. Today's post will take it a step farther by including his Tip of the Month called Pickleball Percentages.

Pickleball Percentages

• NEVER SACRIFICE PLACEMENT FOR POWER. A SLOW BALL AT YOUR OPPONENT’S FEET IS BETTER THAN A VERY FAST HIT TO THE WAIST.
• NEVER SACRIFICE BEING IN THE  READY POSITION FOR A BETTER POSITION ON THE COURT. ALWAYS STOP AND BE IN THE READY POSITION AT THE POINT OF CONTACT OF THE BALL TOUCHING YOUR OPPONENTS PADDLE.
• THE TEAM WITH THE LEAST UNFORCED ERRORS USUALLY WINS, NOT THE TEAM WITH THE MOST WINNERS.
• A GOOD VOLLIER WILL USUALLY BEAT A GOOD GROUND STROKER. THE GROUND STROKE IS JUST MEANS TO GET TO THE NVZ LINE AND WIN THE POINT.
• YOUR BEST POSITION ON THE COURT SHOULD BE EITHER ONE FOOT BEHIND THE BASELINE OR ONE INCH BEHIND NVZ LINE. STAY OUT OF NO MAN’S LAND.
• THE TEAM HITTING DOWN INTO THE COURT MOST OF THE TIME WILL WIN MORE POINTS THAN THE TEAM ALWAYS HITTING UP,SO KEEP YOUR HITS LOW TO THE FEET. IT WILL PROBABLY BE THE DIFFERENCE IN A CLOSE GAME.
• NEVER EVER MISS YOUR SERVE OR RETURN OF SERVE.
• MOST OF YOUR SHOTS SHOULD BE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE COURT, OVER THE LOW PART OF THE NET, GIVES YOU A LOT OF LEEWAY RIGHT AND LEFT, AND CAUSES CONFUSION BETWEEN YOUR OPPONENTS.
• PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE WHEN DINKING. DO NOT TRY FOR A WINNER UNLESS BALL IS MORE THAN 12’’ ABOVE THE NET.
• NEVER TRY AND HIT A WINNER OFF A VERY DIFFICULT SHOT. JUST PLAY DEFENSIVE AND TRY TO RETURN THE BALL LOW INTO THE COURT.

Winning with Percentages

Don't play the man; play the odds...

Percentage pickleball. That's a popular phrase today, but one that is not well understood by many players. To some it means to take the first opportunity to crush the ball to win the point...and it goes out of bounds. To others it means making sure that every ball they hit is in-bounds and hope the other team eventually makes an error. In reality, the term refers to every single part of the game and the decisions made continuously during play. Many experts talk about percentage pickleball, but my understanding is that it originated with Coach Mo in The Villages. The information in this article is a combination of some elements he teaches as well as the teachings of others.

Pickleball is a microcosm of life - a series of decisions with the goal of reaching the desired outcome. Pickleball decisions include choices like court position, paddle position, speed and placement of shot, etc. Training helps to learn techniques but can't simulate real game conditions. Past experience helps players make appropriate decisions as they've lived similar circumstances in prior games. Both are long-term ways to learn percentage pickleball. But lessons from experts who understand the percentages can help to short-cut the learning process.

2017 Powerade State Games of North Carolina

Demon Deacons play pickleball...

The subject tournament recently opened for registration. It will be held at Wake Forest (Winston-Salem) June 9-June 11.

COMPETITION DATE: June 9-11 

COMPETITION SITE: Wake Forest University Indoor Tennis Center
ENTRY FEES: $50  (Registration will be done through PickleballTournaments.com)

     
NEW IN 2017! Pickleball Players' Social included with registration! The social will be held Saturday night at Camel City BBQ in Winston-Salem. The social includes dinner, cash bar, raffle prizes and more! Menu coming soon...

ENTRY DEADLINE: 11:59pm on May 26
    ** Those that register by May 5th will receive a free tournament t-shirt!

DIVISIONS OFFERED: Men's, Women's and Mixed Doubles for 19+, 35+, 50+, 60+ & 70+

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:                      Friday - Open Practice
                                                 Saturday - Men's and Women's Doubles + Players' Social

Sunday - Coed Doubles

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter or follow us on our socialnetworks (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) for the most up-to-date   information.

Pickleball Widow(er)s

Honey, do you have anything to say before pickleball season starts...

Continuing the Sunday series of pickleball relationships, a guest author writes about a fate faced by many spouses of pickleball players.

A house divided: He loves pickleball, I do not.

Confessions of a pickleball player’s wife… who does not play or enjoy pickleball

Note: This post was written by a guest blogger in Michigan

There should be a support group for non-playing spouses of pickleball players. That’s what a friend told me one day; what a brilliant idea. Both of our husbands play pickleball; thank god mine doesn’t play as much as hers. Either way, until our son was born, pickleball was easily the most talked-about topic in our house – and I have little interest in pickleball. He needs a white noise generator to fall asleep, I just ask him to talk to me about his pickleball games.      Out. Like. A. Light

Pickleball is not just a sport in West Michigan, it exists as a culture all on its own. It has it’s own language, behaviors, objects, characteristics and social habits that make it unique among the rest of population. I can honestly (and proudly) say that I am not part of that culture. My husband on the other hand is neck deep.

Another Simple Drop Shot Drill

The wall always wins...

One good drill deserves another. Yesterday's post showed a simple one-person drill where a ball tossed straight up is caught with the paddle. While that develops touch, it doesn't represent reality in the direction and speed of playing bangers. Today's post includes a video from Mark Renneson called  Pickleball Strategy - How to Handle Fast Balls. It shows a drill that is a better test.

Mark opens the video discussing the various kinds of volleys ending with the most difficult of them all - the drop volley. Like yesterday's post, Mark suggests practicing the touch required by using the paddle to "catch" the ball. Instead of catching a ball falling from above, Mark demonstrates using a wall. He drives a ball off a concrete wall and catches it by absorbing the energy with the paddle moving backwards.

Simple Drop Shot Drill

I wondered why the ball kept getting bigger and bigger...and then it hit me...

We have now learned how 2 of the best players in the pickleball world hit their drop volleys. The essence of a drop volley is taking the pace off the ball by allowing the paddle to absorb the ball's energy. But that is not an easy thing to do. It takes practice and the best way to practice is to drill. 

Yesterday's post showed a couple of drills but they assume that the technique has been developed. Today's post is about a simple drill that allows a player to develop the touch to absorb a ball's energy. Better still is that it can be done alone and anywhere. The drill comes from a Pickleball Channel video called Simple Drill to Improve Your Drop Volley - Pickleball Quick Tip.

David Redding demonstrates the soft hands technique by exaggerating the need to absorb the energy by catching the ball in the next 3 photos.

Another Drop Volley with Drills

Pickleball has a reset button?...

Last week, we discussed bangers and how to defend against them. One option we discussed was the drop volley and we ended the week with Deb Harrison demonstrating her drop shot technique. As with most things in life, there is more than one way to hit a drop shot. Today's article features a Pickleball Channel video with Scott Moore demonstrating his drop shot technique. The video is called Defend Against Hard Hitters by Taking Pace Off the Ball.

Scott's Technique

Scott's emphasis is slowing down the ball when in a defensive position whether that is at the kitchen line or in no-man's land at mid-court. The first step in any shot is to get into the proper position. Scott states that your center should be low by bending your knees and lowering your torso.

Greenville Pickleball Spring Smash

Live dangerously - play in a tournament...

I recently received an email from Greenville Recreation announcing their first ever non-senior games event.  The email follows.

Hey Pickleball Players – hope everyone is doing well and playing lots of matches!  We have exciting news!  With the help of Upstate Pickleball,  Greenville County Parks, Recreation & Tourism will be hosting the first Greenville Pickleball Spring Smash on March 31st  & April 1st  at Butler Springs Parks in Greenville, SC.  This is not a senior games event and we will follow the USAPA rules.  Please follow the attached link for more information.  Online registration will begin Wednesday, January 25th at www.greenvillerec.com.

Questions? – please contact Joe Lanahan at jlanahan@greenvillecounty.org or me.

Thanks – hope to see you at Butler Springs at the Spring Smash

Joni J. Dilworth

Program & Volunteer Coordinator

Greenville County Parks, Recreation, & Tourism

4806 Old Spartanburg Road

Taylors, SC  29687

O/ 864-676-2180  X 126

C/ 864-303-8499

F/ 864-288-6499

Please note my email has changed to jdilworth@greenvillecounty.org

www.greenvillerec.com

Accredited by the National Recreation and Parks Association

Hendersonville Gym Search Update

Went searching for a gym...never came back...

For those that missed the email update, a copy is below.

To: The Pickleball Community of Hendersonville and surrounding area

Since I have been getting questions about the search for a new gym, I guess it is time for a second update. Those who received the first update on January 8 will recall that Hendersonville Racquet Club provided one option. Last week, I made contact with 4 more gyms. All but one are considering their options but have not yet responded with a final decision. The following is an update on each.

Hendersonville Boys and Girls Club

I had hopes that a win/win agreement could be reached based on the experience with the Brevard B&G Club and the schedule of the local club that shows gym availability until 3:00 pm each weekday. The initial response was to offer their standard usage contract for outside groups. It was a deal that would not work for us as it included terms like children-predominant representation, insurance, court taping, and $100 per hour rent, among others.

Pickleball Forum

I wouldn't need Facebook if there were somewhere to talk about pickleball...

A fellow player recently told me about a new Facebook group where pickleball topics are discussed. The group has an obvious name - Pickleball Forum. It is a public group meaning that anyone can read it. But only members can start new topics or comment on existing topics. Anyone can join.

The forum is cool because it is a totally random hit list of relevant topics - balls, rules, relationships, experiences, ratings, etc. What is particularly cool is that participants include some of the top players in the game as well as everyday rubes like yours truly. It gives a different perspective from different areas of the country (and internationally, too). We see that a lot of issues we have locally are universal in nature and we see how others have handled them.

The forum is very active with several new topics per day and many comments per topic. Some of that is probably due to it being so new. The USAPA apparently had a forum in the past that was discontinued. An outside replacement was developed but it failed to generate much interest. This Facebook platform is growing rapidly. I joined on January 6 when it had less than 700 members. As I write this on January 16, there are over 2,100 members.

If you are a pickleball fanatic or want to see if any issue you have experienced is addressed, check it out. Become a member so you can add to the discussions. But be aware that your wall will be filled with pickleball discussions. Enter the world of the Pickleball Forum only if you dare.

Playing with Friends

Pickleball is better when we stick together...

In the third of the "relationship" Sunday series, a guest author to Prem Carnot's website talks about the ups and downs of playing with friends.

Pickleball friends: Making it work on and off the court

The Secret: It doesn’t always work…

Submitted by Kelly Stauffer, member of the Lakeshore Pickleball Club in Grand Haven, Michigan

I met Kim 11 years ago while we worked together in the same building for Grand Rapids Public Schools. She is a teacher and I am a school social worker (we currently still work together). I had learned about pickleball several years prior while away on spring break. I was eager to share the game, and told Kim about pickleball.

Over summer break that year we played periodically, mostly singles, and once in awhile doubles, with some other friends that we introduced to the game. Because we both have summer breaks off, we do lots of fun things together, away from pickleball, from kayaking, camping, and going to the beach, to name a few. There is always an adventure with Kim.

Kelly, a friend, and Kim (Left-Right) pose for a picture at the popular Mac Woods Dune Rides along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Mears, MI.