Pickleball News – 20191119 – Archived Version


Pickleball News – 20191119– Archived Version

 

Archived Version of a Previous Newsletter

This is an archived version of a previously issued pickleball newsletter. The most current N. Phoenix Newsletter is available by clicking HERE!

Latest N. Phoenix Pickleball News – November 19, 2019

Hello North Phoenix Pickleball Players:



City of Phoenix Community Centers
********** Gyms Closing for Maintenance **********

Here is the tentative schedule of the CC closings for floor maintenance as per my telephone conversations yesterday.*


Deer Valley CC
— First week in January


Beuf CC

The gymnasium floor is still undergoing repair and will most likely be out of service until mid-January


Pecos CC
— Gym closed 11/25 – 11/29


Sunnyslope CC
— Closed the week of December 30th!


Paradise Valley CC
— Gym closed 11/25 – 11/29


Washington Activities Center
— Gym closed 11/25 – 11/30

*NOTE – The Community Centers do what they can to alert our pickleball community when there will be closures. Kindly understand that “things happen” and schedules may need to be changed!

ALSO…For those who are relatively new to our pickleball community, check with the centers you attend to learn their holiday schedule. Community centers and other indoor facilities often have programs (which use the gymnasiums) for children during the winter holidays. This is a good time to play outside; weather permitting!


Washington Activities Center
********** Open for PB on Saturdays through 12/19 **********

10AM – 1PM



********** Pickleball Coaching **********


The International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA) is a certification organization for advanced players who want to coach others in the finer elements of the sport. Some of the coaches do work with our Community Centers and the Phoenix Department of Parks and Recreation to provide group lessons.

Many of the coaches would welcome the opportunity to help those who are serious about improving their pickleball skills. If you want small group or individualized instruction beyond the basics, you might be able to find just the right instructor among those who are members of the IPTPA.

The link* for the Arizona IPTPA Level II Certified Pickleball Teaching Professionals listing is below. If you are interested, you can contact those listed. Use the telephone area codes as a guide for those who may be local to your area.

https://iptpa.com/certified-coaches/

*The link can be a bit “finicky” so you may have to click more than once.


 
********** Intro & other Basic Classes at the PHX Community Centers **********

I will be sending in the dates for Winter 2020 Intro to Pickleball Classes that I conduct at Paradise Valley Community Center in December. You can check all the City of PHX offerings at the link below (Look for the Community Center You Would Like to Attend). Additional classes will be added in December:

https://apm.activecommunities.com/phoenix/Activity_Search?txtActivitySearch=pickleball&applyFiltersDefaultValue=true&cat=Activities



********** Pickleball Competitions **********


NOTE – I have no affiliation with the following organizations. I am passing this information along as a courtesy to those who may be interested. Your mileage may vary!

If you are interested in the information, I recommend you subscribe to the newsletters for the Victorium and World Team Pickleball.


2020 World Team Pickleball Championships – Surprise, AZ


The following was sent to my attention over the weekend and I am copying it below for those who may interested.
SAVE THE DATE – 2020 World Team Pickleball Championships




2020 WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 7-9, 2020

Surprise City Courts in
Surprise, Arizona

PRO and AMATEUR TEAMS WELCOME!

$36,000 PRO PURSE: PRO, SENIOR PRO, & SUPER SENIOR PRO (Prize money pro-rated if minimum number of teams is not met.)

Compete with teams from the United States,
Canada, and other countries

3-Day TEAM pickleball event

Grab your friends and register today!!!
Registration Deadline – January 6, 2020

No team? No problem!
Register as “Need Team” and we will find or create a team for you!

The 2020 WTP Championship Format:

  • Friday February 7 – Men’s Team Doubles

  • Saturday February 8 – Mixed Team Doubles

  • Sunday February 9 – Women’s Team Doubles

Play one day or play both days. For example, women can choose to play Mixed on Saturday AND Women’s on Sunday or chose to play only Mixed OR only Women’s.

  • Skill Divisions: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0

  • Age Brackets: 18+, 50+, 60+, 70+ (3 teams or less in an age bracket, skill division will be used)

  • 4-Player Teams

  • Teams may have 2 additional players for substitution and rotations

  • Awards given to 1st and 2nd place teams

Registration opens Sunday December 1st.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

QUESTIONS? Email us at: WTPDirector@gmail.com or visit WorldTeamPickleball.com for more information.

 

From the Victorium

I received the message below a couple of days ago. These events have limited openings and may be closed at this time, but you can check if you are interested. As noted elsewhere, if this type of event is of interest to you, contact the Victorium and request to be placed on their email list.

December 2019 Pickleball Happenings

Hi Pickleballers,

It’s holiday season and “the weather outside is NOT frightful”… In fact, it’s perfect for pickleball! So get out there, play, meet others and HAVE FUN! We’ve been quite busy the past few months, trying to bring in a variety of instructors and Pros. We are happy to announce that Vicki Foster, a fantastic local pro and highly respected instructor, will be offering a special clinic this month. If you haven’t been able to attend the specialized clinics and bootcamps offered by our local instructors, we highly recommend them. In addition, don’t miss our VISITING PRO clinics. Not only will you gain extremely valuable pickleball skills, you will undoubtedly be left with lasting impressions and fun memories.

EXPANDING LEAGUES in 2020 – Yes! We are thrilled that our Winter Leagues will be expanding to four courts due to such high demand and popularity. More information including dates, times and a link to sign up below.

REINDEER ROUND-UP – This festive combined skill team competition will provide the perfect occasion to mix and mingle and bring in some holiday cheer. Join us for this fun event where you will be able to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, and celebrate another great year of Pickleball. Details below.

THANK YOU! – Pickleball truly has been a special GIFT in our lives and we hope the same is true for you. We look forward to providing more exciting programs next year! Thanks for your continued support. Lester and Amy 😉


_____________________________________________________________________

Classes, Clinics and Lessons for December listed below. To view the monthly schedule in calendar format, click here – https://dinkallday.com/schedule/.

VISITING PRO CLINICS:

Did you see who won GOLD at Nationals in the Senior Men’s Pro Division? The one and only Dave “THE BADGER” Weinbach! Monday, Dec 9th: – We only have 2 spots left in our 8AM-10AM beginner/intermediate clinic and 2 spots left in our 10AM-12PM Advanced clinic. Cost $70

DAVE “THE BADGER” WEINBACH – SIGN UP HERE!

PADDLETEK PICKLEBALL PRO

8 Time USAPA National Champion

10 Time US Open Champion

Winner of 110 Gold Medals in Competition

Two Hour Interactive Skills Clinics

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9th, 2019

$70 per person

Session One: Beginner/Intermediate—8AM-10AM

Session Two: Advanced — 10AM-12PM

NO REFUNDS AFTER NOVEMBER 24th

***VISITING PRO EVENTS ARE CLOSED TO NON-PARTICIPANTS***

How’s this for double the fun? – On Wednesday, January 8th, Helle Sparre and Lindsey Newman will jointly be conducting a 1 hour “Play with the Pros” followed by a 3 hour bootcamp. This bootcamp will encompass Helle’s dynamite doubles program with special focus on the first four shots – serve, return, third and fourth shots. Helle and Lindsey will also cover court positioning and shot selection within the transition zone and at the NVZ. SIGN UP HERE!


**HELLE SPARRE AND LINDSEY NEWMAN**

WEDNESDAY January 8th, 2020

Play with the PRO’s 8AM-9AM

(Each player will play with and against each PRO for the full hour and get personalized tips such as court-positioning, shot selection strategies, and analyzing your opponents for weaknesses.)

($50, limited to 6 spots)

3 Hour Dynamite Doubles (Customized) BOOTCAMP

9AM-12PM

($90, Maximum 16 Spots)

LEVELS: 3.0 and Above

NO REFUNDS

***VISITING PRO EVENTS ARE CLOSED TO NON-PARTICIPANTS***

LEAGUES: SIGN UP HERE!

Please sign up early to secure your spot, these leagues fill up quickly!

ALL Leagues:

$70 per person, 16 Players Maximum

Early Bird Discount $65, must be registered and paid by December 7th.

No refunds after December 15th.

5 Weeks (4-5 games/wk – Games to 11 or 15)

*If you are unable to play a week, a substitute can be used*

Beginner League (2.0-2.5)

WEDNESDAYS 8:15AM-10AM

Dates: 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12

*If you have not done a league yet, this is the place to start.

Knowing how to score and the rules of the game are required.*

Advanced Beginner League (2.75-3.0)

MONDAYS 10:15AM-Noon

Dates: 1/6, 1/13, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10

OR

WEDNESDAYS 10:15AM-Noon

Dates: 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12

3.0 League

MONDAYS 8:15AM-10AM

Dates: 1/6, 1/13, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10

3.5+ League

TUESDAYS 8:15AM-10AM

Dates: 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11

BOOTCAMPS – SIGN UP HERE

With PPR and ITPTA Certified Pickleball Instructor: Vicki Foster

Vicki Foster is a 5.0 pro pickleball player. For the past twenty years, Vicki has been a tennis professional at various facilities in her hometown of Vancouver, B.C., as well as in Chandler and Scottsdale, Arizona. Twelve years ago, her family built a pickleball court at their home and alongside tennis, Vicki started teaching and competing in pickleball. She most recently won Gold in the 2019 USAPA Southern California Western Regionals in the women’s 5.0 singles age division. She also medaled in the 5.0 singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles events at the 2019 USAPA Southwest Regional Championships and was a 2019 US Open women’s 5.0 doubles finalist. She is a sponsored player with GAMMA Pickleball.

3 Hour Skills and Drills Bootcamp

9AM – 12PM, Min 4/Max 8 players, $75 pp,

Thursday, 12/19/2019. Skill Level: 3.0 and above

For 6-8 players, Lester Tang will co-teach and 2 courts will be reserved.

Elevate your pickleball skills and strategy choices with a fun mix of drills and live-point play designed to improve your consistency and point construction, slow the game down to defend against hard hitters, and take valuable moments away from your opponents to minimize their recovery and decision making time.

With PPR Certified Pickleball Instructor: Jeff Peck

3 Hour Beginner Bootcamp

9AM – 12PM, Min 4/Max 8 players, $75 pp,

Thursday, 12/12/2019. Skill Level: Beginner

For 6-8 players, Lester Tang will co-teach and 2 courts will be reserved.

This intensive bootcamp will help beginners gain consistency and confidence along with a deeper understanding of all aspects of the game. Assessments, Dinking, Dropping, Serves and Returns, along with Partner Movement will be addressed. All the concepts will be integrated through game time at the end.

CLINICS – SIGN UP HERE

With Pickleball Instructor: Cathy Turchan

2 Hour “When to Advance to the NVZ?” Clinic

8AM – 10AM, Min 4/Max 8 players, $50 pp,

Thursday, 12/05/2019.

For 6-8 players, Lester Tang will co-teach and 2 courts will be reserved.

Come in..stay back… what do I do? Are you always questioning whether to advance to the NVZ quickly or wait? Do you continually end up in the middle of the transition zone? Learn how to make decisions quickly and advance to the NVZ with confidence!

With Pickleball Instructor: Cathy Turchan

2 Hour “Please DON’T Pop up the Ball!” Clinic

10AM – Noon, Min 4/Max 8 players, $50 pp,

Thursday, 12/05/2019.

For 6-8 players, Lester Tang will co-teach and 2 courts will be reserved.

Are you continually losing points because you are popping up the ball and waiting for someone to slam it back at you or your partner? I will show you techniques on keeping the ball low so your opponents won’t have that opportunity. Or, if you get the opportunity for hitting a high ball, I’ll show you how, when and where to hit the ball for the winning shot.

REINDEER ROUND-UP – SIGN UP HERE!

What team will you end up on? Are you Team Dasher, Team Dancer, Team Prancer, or Team Vixen? Only Rudolph Knows!

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17th 8AM-NOON

AND/OR

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18th 8AM-NOON

ALL LEVELS WELCOME

12 Player Minimum/24 Player Maximum each day

$20 per person/per day

Games Begin at 9AM (arrive early to warm up)

COOL PRIZES and FUN FESTIVITIES


Friday Round Robins REGISTRATION PROCEDURE FOR RR’s:

Registration is completed in Track-it-Hub. Invitations are sent out approximately 2 weeks in advance. To register for a RR, click on the invitation you receive in email. Once Track-it-Hub launches, you’ll see your name on the list for that specific event. You will receive an automated email confirmation that you are registered. Invitations are sent based on skill level, so it is imperative that your level is correct in Track-it-Hub (newly added TIH players default to 2.5). Please notify me if your rating needs updating so you are in the proper skill group.

Fridays 9AM-11:30AM, Please come early to warm up – The number of players is limited to 20 (with 8 on the waitlist). Players will play in 5 rounds with 1 round as a bye. The entire round robin takes approximately 2 1/2 hours. You do not need a partner. COST: $10 per player, please pay cash at event. You will get an invitation based on your skill level, so it is important that your level is correct in Track it hub (newly added TIH players are defaulted to 2.5).

12/6 3.0 Level Round Robin

12/13 3.5+ Level Round Robin

12/20 2.5 Level Round Robin

PLEASE TAKE CARE – We continue to see several players dealing with injuries. Stretch and warmup before you play. Also, please wear eye protection, those balls come fast and hard at the NVZ. We want to see everyone happy and healthy in the NEW YEAR!
You may view the group at https://www.trackithub.com/index.php?option=com_community&view=groups&task=viewgroup&groupid=768

 

********** Archived Versions of Previous Newsletters **********

 

Previous newsletters that may have pickleball hints, videos, rules changes, etc. are now archived at the following link. You can check out previous newsletters there.
Archived N. Phoenix PB Previous Newsletters


********** Support your Sport – Join the USAPA $20 for 1 Year **********

 

 
Join the USAPA – Click HERE for More Information

 

Join the USAPA

Picture Courtesy of Pickleball Magazine and the USAPA

 


********** That’s All for Now **********

 
I hope to see you on the courts!


Regards,

Jeff Ross



Pickleball News – 20191010 – Archived Version


Pickleball News – 20191010 – Archived Version


October 10, 2019

 
Hello N. Phoenix Pickleball Players:


Phoenix City Community Centers Are Open on Columbus Day
********** Monday, October 14, 2019 **********

 

********** NEW-ish Outdoor Pickleball Courts **********
at Moon Valley Country Club

PB at Moon Valley CC

  • When: Every Monday-Saturday 8:00AM – 11:00AM
  • Where: Moon Valley Country Club Tennis Courts, 151 W. Moon Valley Drive, Phoenix
  • Fee: $5.00 per day

* No Reservations Required!
* Balls will be provided. Please bring your own paddle.
* (Limited paddles available to borrow)

NOTE – It is my understanding that currently there are four courts with more to be added in the future.


—————————–

Coordinated by Bill and Nedra Marshall.
Please email billmarshall1010@yahoo.com with any questions.

 

********** Family Life Center **********
New Fee and Schedule Change

The Family Life Center has recently upgraded their pickleball nets and now all courts have prime nets to assure regulation height for the games.

The new yearly fee for pickleball will be $60. Players can elect to pay $35 for a six-month membership.

ALSO … Friday play from 1:00-3:00PM is now included as part of the pickleball membership.

Thanks to all those who contributed toward the new nets, Stefano for helping to acquire them, and Jackie Switzer who has fostered an excellent pickleball program for N. Phoenix players!

 


********** A Myth Related to the 3rd Shot Drop **********
OR Stop trying to make the third shot drop “too good!”

Many players have been led to believe that a good drop shot is the premiere shot in pickleball and indeed it is a very effective play. A following thought is often that the drop should land as close to the opponent’s side of the net as possible. Mark Renneson of Third Shot Sports (coincidental name vis-à-vis this video) demonstrates how this belief is not accurate and he provides empirical proof.

Perhaps trying to make that drop shot “too good” is causing you to hit the ball into the net more often.

Watch the video to see what makes a drop shot effective.

 

 

********** Archived Versions of Previous Newsletters **********

 

Previous newsletters that may have pickleball hints, videos, rules changes, etc. are now archived at the following link. You can check out previous newsletters there.
Archived N. Phoenix PB Previous Newsletters


********** Support your Sport – Join the USAPA $20 for 1 Year **********

 

 
Join the USAPA – Click HERE for More Information

 

Join the USAPA

Picture Courtesy of Pickleball Magazine and the USAPA

 


********** That’s All for Now **********

 
I hope to see you on the courts!


Regards,

Jeff Ross



Pickleball – When All Else Fails

There I was playing a game of doubles the other day. My partner and I were matched against a team that I thought was somewhat more skilled than we were. I knew we would have our work cut out for us if we were to win.

I am not that confident in my third shot drop shot or any drop shot for that matter. I can generally hit a successful drop shot about 70% of the time. I really need to work on this and get it up to 90% plus, but then again that would take practice; ugh!

So there we were playing against two people who were very good at the net. My usual attempt to use a third shot drive or other hard drives to get the ball by them was not working consistently. They were either whacking the ball back hard or dropping it short and making us really work hard to move forward and hit a shot.

We were behind, but not by that much so I decided to start using drop shots into the kitchen area. My dink game is pretty good and I don’t lose too many dink points. I thought, “After all, what have I got to lose if other shots aren’t working.?”

Much to my surprise, this became an effective strategy. I was aiming primarily for the backhands of the opponents and every once in a while, down the middle. Sprinkle in my partner’s effective lob every now and then and the game was very close.

Lucky for us we were able to win although barely.

Here’s the point:

This was recreation play and not a tournament. Winning or losing didn’t mean as much to me as did making a good show. The one strategy I generally like to use, i.e. hitting hard drives, was not working.

Changing strategies to the softer game via drop shots turned out to be a better choice. Let’s say that we continued to lose points and ended up losing. It still would have been a good chance for me to get experience with the softer part of the game.

Keeping the ball low in pickleball is the key to winning points. A low ball is hard to attack and often results in a weak return. Of course, we need to be good at the soft game as well to take advantage of this situation.

Don’t be afraid to change strategies if what you are doing is not working.

A FINAL NOTE – I often talk to my partner during the game to share ideas, strategies, etc. This keeps everyone on the same page.

What are your thoughts?

**********

 

More Pickleball Videos and Information

To See additional Pickleball Videos & Information Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)

Check out Additional Pickleball Information and Videos! (for all players including average to more experienced players)


**********

 

All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross 2014 – 2018 – JBRish.com



Pickleball: Third Shot – Drop Shot May Not Be The Best Option


*** NOTE *** If you do not know what the third shot drop shot is, watch this video – HERE – before reading further.


**********

Once we transition from beginning pickleball and head more toward the intermediate or above skill level, the third shot drop shot becomes a goal of many players. This can be a wonderful shot if you can execute it reliably. Even then, however, you shouldn’t use it all of the time.

Phyl Dunmeyer and host of Pickleball 411, Rusty Howes, explain why there are at least three situations during which the third shot drop shot might not be the best choice.

More Pickleball Videos

To See additional Pickleball Videos Covering Many Aspects of the Game Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)

Check out Additional Pickleball Info and Videos! (for all players including average to more experienced players)


**********

 

All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2018 – JBRish.com



Pickleball: Thoughts about the Soft Game and Drop Shot

I have written about the third shot drop shot and the soft game on JBRish a number of times. This is a wonderful skill to develop to help win pickleball games…but to be consistently good takes lots of practice. I can hit one every once in a while, but that percentage isn’t going to win many games.

Pickleballers who don’t have a great third shot drop shot, or perhaps a poor soft game overall, need not despair. Jennifer Lucore has an interesting take on drop shots and dinking in pickleball.

I would encourage you to read the entire article:

There’s No Dinking in Pickleball

In summary, however, this is what she concludes:

“So, to summarize there is NO RIGHT OR WRONG way to play pickleball when you are talking about dropping the third shot or a powerful, driving ground stroke. (emphasis mine)”

PS – Some of the comments under the article are interesting as well!

More Pickleball Videos

To See additional Pickleball Videos Covering Many Aspects of the Game Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)

Check out Additional Pickleball Info and Videos! (for all players including average to more experienced players)


**********

 

All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2017


Pickleball Video: After the 3rd Shot – Then What?

To the net? Not to the net? That is the Question!

Pickleball players are taught from the very beginning that the “best” place to be is close to the net just behind the non-volley zone (NVZ) line. This is often true, but it isn’t always the case.

The serving team puts the ball in play (Shot 1) and stays back because of the two bounce rule. The opposing team will try to hit the ball deep (Shot 2) so the player returning the serve has an opportunity to advance to their NVZ.

As the video below points out, now comes the question – What does the serving team do after the third shot? Mark Renneson of Third Shot Sports explains: “That depends.” And he is so right.

Beginning players often run to the NVZ willy nilly no matter what, but that could be a big mistake. Watch the video to find out what you should do after the third shot. Read the note below the video which may also be very helpful.

 

NOTE – Did you notice the point Mark was making about how the players on each team should generally be at the same relative depth on their side of the court? Having one player back and the other up creates an angled zone with a big hole that is very hard to cover. Ideally, both players should be at, or very near the same depth on their side of the court.

More Pickleball Videos

To See additional Pickleball Videos Covering Many Aspects of the Game Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)

Check out Additional Pickleball Info and Videos! (for all players including average to more experienced players)


**********

 

All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.com are appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.

©Jeffrey B. Ross – 2017


Pickleball – The 3rd Shot “Drop” Is Not Always the Best Option


Sarah Ansboury Pickleball Champion

Photo of Pickleball Champion Sarah Ansboury Courtesy of naplesnews.com

Pickleballers who have competed for a period of time and who have investigated how to improve their skills, have probably been given the impression that the third shot drop shot is the holy grail of pickleball championships.

In a recent blog post, Sarah Ansboury explains that although the third shot drop is very important and is a necessary skill for those seeking to move upward beyond average pickleball play, it isn’t the only option.

In part, she explains:

“Remember, the goal of the third shot drop is to give you and your partner time to get to the non-volley zone when the other team is already there. However, if your opponents are not yet all the way to the net your best bet is to keep them back. Hitting a hard, flat ball to the deeper player is always a good option. In fact, dropping it into the non-volley zone will actually give them time to come forward. When you can capture the net before your opponents, you have the advantage. Don’t invite them to join you! Keep them back.”

You can read the entire article on Sarah’s website:

The Third Shot Drop is Important…But Not Your Only Option

Sarah Ansboury has won many pickleball championships. She is a coach and player who shares her hard-earned knowledge of pickleball via her blog. You can read more about her HERE.

 

More Pickleball Videos

To See additional Pickleball Videos Covering Many Aspects of the Game Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)

Check out Additional Pickleball Info and Videos! (for all players including average to more experienced players)

Jeff Shank – Poaching, Drop Shot and Position Adjustments

** NOTE ** – This is the last of our Series Of Pickleball Tips from Jeff Shank. I want to thank Jeff for taking the time in preparing this video and for allowing me to share it in segmented form. I hope all of the pickleballers who visit JBRish.com have learned as much from Jeff’s tips as I have.

Things to watch for in this video (below)

  • What characteristics would make a ball a good candidate for a touch drop shot?
  • Why would you want to hit a serve return to the better poacher?
  • What responsibilities do partners have once a ball is “called” by one of the players?
  • If players are in a position where one is back and one is closer to the net (i.e. the non-volley zone), what protocol should be followed, according to Jeff Shank, with a ball hit down the middle?
  • Why is it necessary to get an overhead deep rather than shallow? (In the demo, the last shot is really the deepest and probably represents the “best” example).
  • When your opponents are in a position where one is back and one is deep, what is the best procedure to follow when returning a shot?
  • How do you respond if your team has “a gap” that creates a tempting target?
  • What adjustments does Jeff recommend for teams composed of right-handed and left-handed players who don’t play together often?

** NOTE ** – Everyone will recognize that there are two parts to developing new skills. The first is knowing what to do, but the second, and just as important, is being able to do it. I have read a great deal about pickleball over the last two and a half years and I have spoken to excellent players and the one thing they all have in common is to remark that to really improve, a player needs deliberate practice not just just playing. AND…if you can have expert guidance during the practice.

NOTE – To find out about this series of posts, i.e. 100 Pickleball Strategies by Jeff Shank, read the first post HERE

 

To See additional Pickleball Videos Covering Many Aspects of the Game Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)

Check out Additional Pickleball Info and Videos! (for all players including average to more experienced players)

Pickleball: Serving Team – How to Get to the Net

After playing pickleball for just a short while, an attentive player will learn that it is better to control the net, i.e. be at the net ready to volley a ball that is hit rather than staying back and volleying from the baseline.

The question then arises: When is the best time for the serving team to head toward the net? It isn’t necessarily wise to run to the net as soon as possible.

Mark Renneson of Third Shot Sports, has created a video to demonstrate how to “earn” the net.

You can also see Deb Harrison’s take on this situation by watching this previous JBRish post:

Pickleball: Earn the Net

Pickleball: Earn the Net

When I first began to play Pickleball a year ago or so, one of the points that was emphasized to me over and over again was to get up to the net. Some proclaimed this edict with a near religious fervor. I watched those around me and they were running helter-skelter to the net as soon as they could.

After a while, I realized this isn’t always the best strategy. As Deb Harrison remarks in the video below and as others who coach have noted, you have to “earn the net.” By this they mean that you need to make a good shot in order to approach or work your way into the net.

You can’t return a serve midway into the opponent’s court directly to their powerful forehand and expect to have an advantage while running to the net. In many cases, the ball will get to you before you are ready, or it will go flying by you at a fast clip.

To win consistently, you must make an “approach” shot. That is, a drop volley or angled shot that causes the player go make a weak return, etc. which facilitates an approach to the net without the odds of an even better shot coming back at you.

Now that I have realized this, I am a bit more selective when working my way to the net with my partners and it has paid off.

Watch Deb Harrison as she demonstrates the best ways to “earn the net.”

Pickleball: Earning the Net, Deb Harrison

Do you think “earning the net” will help your game? Are you purposeful in using this strategy? Leave a comment below!