ACTION POLICING PICKLEBALL
Basics Successfully defending yourself in a gunfight is mostly
about training, repetition and developing near-instinctual
muscle and mental memory; in other words, preparation. Success on the court is also mostly about these same
elements of preparation.
Position In tactical situations, such as felony vehicle stops or other
high-risk felony arrests, police officers attempt to minimize
the inherent danger by preselecting the location and
methods to be used for the take-down, thereby providing
them the position of advantage. Oftentimes, however,
where the confrontation occurs is determined by the bad
guy. Officers are trained to move to cover (which provides
impenetrable protection) and concealment (which provides
a smaller visible target) if circumstances allow; the tactical
advantage then (and the probability of victory) shifts back in
the officer’s favor. If obtaining an optimal shooting position
is not possible, they dig in and defend against the threat
where they stand. When forced to fight from a position of
disadvantage, a well-trained officer can utilize the other
elements of solid tactical combat shooting to prevail. In a pickleball battle, clearly, if you can hold the kitchen
line, you have the tactical position of advantage. If pulled
off the kitchen line and unable to get back to it to field the
next shot, you must defend from elsewhere on the court,
a position of disadvantage. In such cases I stop wherever I
am on the court before the ball hits my opponent’s paddle.
This allows me to establish a good foundation, stance and
paddle position. Most importantly, I settle myself, stop all
motion, eyeball how my opponent is setting up the shot, and
get ready to defend myself. From this position of readiness,
it is relatively easy to move forward, back or laterally to deal
with whatever comes over the net.
Stance A solid standing combat shooting stance is vital. Officers
are trained to take a position with feet slightly wider than
shoulder width apart. The posture is in a lower, crouched
position. A very slight forward lean places the majority of
the officer’s weight on the balls of the feet, but not so much
as to pull the heels off the ground. The officer is thus better
able to compensate for firearm kickback, and it allows
multiple rounds to be fired on target rapidly and accurately.
This stance and position facilitates weight to be quickly
shifted laterally to move left or right to exit the position of
disadvantage when possible. A stance similar to a combat shooting position is applicable
here also. Feet beyond shoulder width apart provides a
stable, anchored foundation from which to mount your
defense. A lower, forward-leaning, crouched position has
several advantages: it provides a smaller target in case
your opponent is considering drilling the ball quickly into
your body; you can more easily reach laterally to cover
the majority of your court responsibilities without moving
your feet (not preferable, but sometimes necessary); it
provides a lower sight line, thereby a better perspective
on the incoming ball, given your opponent is likely going to
place the shot as low as possible over the net; and it allows
for quicker weight transfer, facilitating your move to the
kitchen line after launching your return shot.
Arm
Position Law enforcement has seen the evolution of several combat
shooting arm positions, an element vital to placing rounds
on target: both arms straight out and elbows locked, one
elbow bent, both elbows bent, etc. The preferred arm
position is usually tied to the chosen shooting body position:
“bladed” so as to present a thinner side target to the bad
guy; or a straight-on confrontation, the preferred method
of defense for nature’s animals; face and confront your
aggressor. In combat shooting situations, the arms and
pistol are usually held slightly below eye level, such that an
officer maintains a line of sight over the top of the pistol,
a technique known as “target-focused shooting” or simply
“point and shoot.” Training in this technique results in
target acquisition and muzzle aiming to become instinctual,
requiring little conscious direction from the officer. Target-
focused shooting is favored in close-quarters, rapid-fire
situations where the use of the pistol’s iron sights is of less
value. This allows the officer to keep a clear view of the
incoming threat and maintain a good awareness of his/her
weapon's muzzle position. Arm and paddle position are equally important in pickleball.
Arm position finishes off the assumed wide, stable,
crouched, low profile, slight forward-leaning stance. Arms
held forward, away from the body, shoulder width apart
and below eye level, provide good preparation and defense.
A stance with the paddle held down at your side is of little
benefit and makes you an easy target, much the same as
an officer being at a tactical disadvantage approaching a
dangerous person with his/her gun at the side, pointed to
the ground. Arms and paddle forward and below eye level
provide a clear sight line of the incoming ball and allows
for continuous monitoring for proper paddle position. It
also allows you to take the shot while the paddle is out in
front of you, the preferred position from which to hit the
ball. The paddle should be at a comfortable angle with the
back side facing the incoming ball. This provides for easy
lateral movement and a quick punch shot return when the
proper ball is offered up. This arm position also facilitates
the exchange of the paddle between the strong and weak
hands, avoiding awkward and low-percentage backhand
shots, when time allows for the hand exchange to be
completed.
Grip Police officers grip their pistols firmly, with a force
similar to holding a hammer while striking a nail. A weak
grip, coupled with a floppy hand/wrist is known as “limp
wristing.” This often induces a mechanical malfunction
and stoppage of the pistol (a jam), and allows the pistol’s
recoil to significantly impact shot accuracy. Conversely, a
strong grip and wrist/hand alignment facilitates rapid-fire,
accurate placement of shots. A firm paddle grip provides similar advantages. It provides
the stable backstop to fend off and redirect hard incoming
shots. It is also the foundation that imparts to your shots
power and pop, and increased placement accuracy. A ball
strike can cause a paddle that is too loosely held to rotate in
the hand, resulting in mishits (duds), low power and loss of
accuracy. Note that having a looser grip is good for dinking,
when you have control over the speed and placement of the
ball.
JULY/AUGUST 2019 |
MAGAZINE
29