Learn the 5 Rules of Playing Smart Pickleball at : www . SmartPickleball . com
Cup of
Joe
WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES ?
The Art of the Target
As Seen On :
3-Time Featured Coach
BY JOE DINOFFER
Imagine driving your car the wrong way on a one-way street . A police officer pulls you over and asks what you were thinking .
You reply , “ Not much , Officer . I am just happy to be driving !”
Although it may not be a matter of life and death , isn ’ t it similar when you hit a winner by accident ? It just turns awkward when your partner gives you a high-five and says “ Great shot !” Unfortunately you had no target in mind at all and were just happy to hit the ball . Should you confess and risk having your partner think less of you ?
The point is that every shot should have purpose . This includes aiming at a specific target . Now the questions are when , where , and how big ? “ When ” depends on the situation . Let ’ s discuss size and placement :
1 . SIZE – Create a target area and not a bull ’ s-eye . You want to succeed in hitting your designated target area 60-70 % of the time . Success is important for confidence and future visualization ( seeing the target even when it is no longer there ).
2 . PLACE – Place your target area away from the lines to give yourself a margin for error . In other words , if you miss the target , you want the ball to still land in the court !
3 . MATERIALS – Use throw-down lines , a group of cones , or even old beach towels . Just create a large target that is highly visible .
More good news is that target practice has a secondary benefit in addition to improved ball control . You should also improve your focus and concentration . All good things for your pickleball game ! •
Author of the Amazon # 1 Bestseller
Prem Carnot THE PICKLEBALL GURU
Learn the 5 Rules of Playing Smart Pickleball at : www . SmartPickleball . com
When the game gets hot , keep a cool head
Joe Dinoffer is a USPTA and PTR master professional , has written seven tennis books and 22 DVDs , and has appeared on the Tennis Channel . His company , www . OnCourtOffCourt . com , manufactures training aids for pickleball and tennis , and is also the exclusive distributor for the Pickleball Tutor in the United States .
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MARCH / APRIL 2017 | MAGAZINE 23