I can’t tell you how many times I see people using illegal serves during recreational play. A serve has several key elements:
The serve has to be done with an upward path (underhand)
The head of the paddle needs to be below the wrist when the ball is struck
Contact with the ball must be made below waist level
This is what it looks like in pictures
[ From p.17 of USAPA & IFP Official Tournament Rulebook ]
Of course the server’s feet have to be appropriately within bounds and behind the baseline until after the ball is struck.
There are those who have always used a serve that would not meet all of these requirements, but others may have “drifted” away from a legal serve through bad habits or poor practice.
My serve was questioned recently and I went back to the drawing board to make sure that I was complying with all elements. I wanted to be “obviously” correct. As you can see in the video below, it isn’t always easy to tell if a serve is completely legal.
Watch Mark Renneson of Third Shot Pickleball as he demonstrates a variety of serves and discusses the differences between them and whether or not they might be considered illegal, i.e. a fault!
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More Pickleball Videos and Information
To See additional Pickleball Videos & Information Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
I am not a thrill seeker by nature and I am always a bit surprised when I see certain “rides” that would appear to be more appropriate in a large-scale torture chamber than an amusement park. Don’t get me wrong, I have had my experiences on roller coasters, Ferris wheels and similar rides. I rode the Cyclone Roller Coaster in Coney Island, NYC when it was noted as the largest such ride in the United States and perhaps the world at that time.
There is a video circulating around the Internet that claims to show the Gyro Drop at Lotte World Adventure, South Korea.
After seeing this, I had to investigate a bit further because it was hard for me to believe that this was pleasurable. Would you want to be lifted, swung around and dropped like that? I just wouldn’t consider that fun!
Sure enough the popular video (above) appears to be significantly enhanced to make the ride more nightmarish than it is in reality. The two videos below purportedly show the actual amusement.
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
Our last video introduced the somewhat strange sport of Headis; well…maybe more than “somewhat” strange. Today’s post is about another unusual sport that has its roots in the history of Holland with all of its canals.
How far would you be able to jump? Would you even be able to get to the jumping part?
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
OK, they got me on this one. I had never heard of this “sport,” but apparently there are enthusiasts around the globe. Headis was founded in 2006 as a combination of table tennis and soccer. The name is derived from a combination of head plus tennis, i.e. Headis. Read more about it HERE!
The video below is less than a minute long, but it will provide viewers with a sense and “thrill” of the game.
Another group from Germany has produced a Headis video with the ten best plays of the …AHEM… Headis World Championship 2015 in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
“You can’t hit it, if you can’t see it.” or “Hit it? I can’t even see it!”
This highlights a major problem in pickleball (and many other sports). We are all told that we need to watch the ball until it makes contact with the paddle. Well, that seems pretty easy and in warm-ups it can easily be done.
Once a game begins however, many players lose concentration and become so interested in seeing the results of their “hit” that they look up at the last minute and thus often do not hit the ball in the paddle’s sweet spot where it is easy to direct the ball and control the speed.
How many times has this happened to you (and me)…You think you have an easy shot and you are ready for it and when the ball comes you swing for what you think is going to be a good shot or a winner and you whiff; miss the ball completely.
Some players then look at the paddle as though there is a hole in it which the ball just happened to pass through. Most of the time this is caused because, at the last moment, the player took their eye off of the ball.
The two pictures below show highly skilled pickleball players hitting the ball. Notice where their eyes are focusing:
These players are focused on watching the ball until the paddle makes contact!
Looking up just before hitting the ball can often cause the ball to hit the edge of the paddle, the handle or somewhere on the paddle face that does not enable the ball to be properly stroked to acquire the appropriate direction and/or speed.
Practicing watching the ball is important. Start with the serve because at that point, you are not anticipating a quick shot coming right back to you. Watch the ball hit the paddle. This will give you a sense and feel of what it is like. Develop this routine and go on to watching the ball on your ground stroke, backhand, lob and dink.
In the video below, pickleball coach Matty Klein discusses the importance of keeping your eyes on the ball and demonstrates how it is done to achieve the proper effect.
Tennis has been closely compared to pickleball because of some of the similarities so let’s consider a study addressed in an article Watch The Ball? How Elite Tennis Players Focus On The Contact Point by By Damien Lafont, PhD and Certified Tennis Coach, France (First published in the ITF Coaching and Sport Science Review, Dec. 2007)
“Additionally, what contrasts with previous studies is that Federer and Nadal (tennis champions of distinction [ed)] not only keep their eye on the ball up to the moment of impact, but after impact their head remains still and in the direction of the contact zone.
This ‘fixation’ of the contact zone is the trademark of elite players.
The most noteworthy finding was that elite players were able to maintain a fairly consistent control; a consistency also illustrated on the women’s tour by Steffi Graf who kept her eyes on the ball on every shot with significant fixation stage after impact.”
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
Sam Elliott tells Sgt. Lambert’s story of the landing on Omaha Beach! It is hard to watch this and not get teary-eyed. Every American should be proud and honored by actions of the soldiers of WW II!
From the YouTube Page:
Sam Elliott pays tribute to SGT Ray Lambert on the 30th National Memorial Day Concert. Aired May 26, 2019 on PBS.
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
This is an archived version of a previously issued pickleball newsletter. The most current N. Phoenix Newsletter is available by clicking HERE!
********** City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation **********
Summer Pickleball Schedule
The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation has published their summer pickleball schedule.
Current Schedule – Above
To download a color PDF copy of the 2019 Summer, Phoenix Community Center Pickleball Schedule,click HERE!
I want to thank the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department for giving us a timely copy. ALSO…please keep in mind that “things happen” and adjustments may be made to the schedule. I know we all appreciate the summer accommodations considering that the youngsters need to have time at our Community Centers.
*** 2019 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships ***
2018 WOMEN’S PRO SINGLES Champion – Simone Jardim
Naples, Florida is hosting the Minto US Pickleball Open Championship this year from April 27-May 4, 2019 with singles, doubles and mixed doubles contests.
Information from the website linked below tells us:
Pickleball grew from 3.1 million players last year to 3.3 million this year.
Players will be coming from 48 states and 16 countries.
Players range from age 11 through age 86.
“National television: The event will be covered by CBS Sports Network and live streamed on CBS Sports Live from May 1 – May 4 on their app. CBS Sports Network will broadcast the finals at a later date.”
I believe our good friend Mark Renneson from Third Shot Sports will be one of the commentators which is good for us. Mark is often able to gather additional videos to share with his followers and I will link to them on my websites via pikcleball posts when they become available. You can look for them by following this link:
For those who use a two-handed backhand, watch to see how well upcoming pickleballer Lindsey Newman, recently highlighted by Selkirk Sports, does.
Selkirk Athlete, Lindsey Newman
To read more about the 2019 Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships from the organizers, click HERE.
********** Don’t Play Pickleball Like a Tree, Move **********
The ultimate goal of both players on a team to work their way up to the NVZ and hold that position can, at times, be carried to an extreme especially when a dink game ensues. In the video below, Jordan Briones, – Prime Time Pickleball Coach – details when it is advisable to back up and move away from the NVZ line as a smart strategy.
********** Partner Communication **********
Wherever and whenever we play pickleball, it is always a good idea to develop some method of communicating with our partners. I have probably shared this video before, but it deserves to be repeated.
Did you ever notice how much better your “team” does when you play several games with the same partner? Generally speaking, that is because some “communication” has evolved.
Thanks to Mark Renneson from Third Shot Sports for explaining why!
********** 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 ***
MEET Samson, New York’s biggest cat – weighing 28 pounds and measuring an incredible four foot in length. The hulking feline is chauffeured around in his very own super-size carriage and spends his down time playing fetch – just like a dog. The four-year-old Maine Coon breed has now reached celebrity status due to his impressive stature -and has amassed over 104,000 followers on Instagram. The insatiable kitty eats six cans of food a day to feed his massive appetite.
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
Pickleball Strategy 301 – Six Rules of the Fast Game
NOTE – I have introduced Jim Baker’s excellent videos in a number of my blog posts and this one is especially for average plus players because you need a good level of at-the-net skills such as dinking and volleying. There are, however, some hints for players at every level.
The term “fast game” is used in this video to denote a rally at the net that involves a quick interchange of volleys at the net which shortly results in one team winning the point.
This is what Joe Baker states:
“…If you start the fast game and you fail to defeat your opponent’s reaction time with your first shot, your chance of winning the rally is only about one in three.”
The above statement is especially true if you “poach” a shot and step into your partner’s zone leaving a big gap. If your shot does not win outright, you are most likely to leave a wide gap in the area you left to attempt that poach and your team will most likely lose the point. If you are going to poach, be sure (or at least mostly sure) that you are going to hit a winner.
If you are a 3.0 or higher rated player, this video might be of interest to you.
Did you catch Jim Baker’s “Old Rule of Thumb?” Well, if you missed it, here it is:
“If you have to hit up on the ball, hit softly, aiming to keep the ball in or near the kitchen area. If you can hit down on the ball, you may hit hard. Unless you are an advanced player, I suggest sticking to this rule.”
Another thing Jim suggests in his video is that the best players are apt to lose these fast rallies about 30% of the time. To use a baseball analogy, you would still be batting .700 So don’t be discouraged to try to implement these strategies if you have the skills!
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More Pickleball Videos and Information
To See additional Pickleball Videos & Information Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
As a USAPA Pickleball Ambassador and enthusiast, I am often asked to answer the question: What is pickleball? Luckily for me, most people asking the question have heard something about the sport and have a vague idea of how it is played.
It is a difficult answer to give in a quick and concise manner. It was originally developed as a family sport and because of that it has some interesting, others might suggest strange, rules! Let me just say that it is a lot of fun! Most people who try pickleball continue to play and many become “hooked.”
Mark Renneson of Third Shot Sports – Pickleball, who is a tournament player, coach and commentator, has created a relatively short and concise video that gives a quick explanation of the sport of pickleball. Keep in mind that this is just an introduction and viewers may have a number of questions. If you would like more information, leave a comment or question below and I will do my best to provide an answer.
If you want to get a good idea of what pickleball is, watch the video below:
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
