Pickleball Magazine 5-5 WD | Page 50

INSTRUCTION By PPR ’ s Nicole Hobson & Lee Whitwell

The RESET

How often do you feel out of control when

playing pickleball ? Either out of control in the point or out of control with your body positioning ? In play , you can only control yourself and your shot selection .
Whenever you feel out of control , hit a RESET . A reset shot is a ball that bounces in front of the opponents in the non-volley zone area . Even though it sounds like a dink , the difference is that the reset shot is a strategy for players to regain control of the point , the body and momentum , or to take away the power shots from aggressive opponents .
A struggle for players , from novice to advanced levels , is to know how and when to reset the point . Students typically ask coaches , “ How can I play my game when all they are doing is hitting hard and I can ’ t dink ?” Here are some tips on how and when to hit the reset : 1 . Keep your paddle and contact point in front of you . 2 . Keep your arms still slightly bent at elbow and wrist . 3 . Keep a loose grip on your paddle — remember , this will be different for every person .
A good drill is to use a ball machine or have your coach hit balls hard toward your paddle . Create a target area on the opposite side of the net in the NVZ , and with your paddle in front of you ( either forehand or backhand ), aim for the target — adjusting your grip strength until you can successfully hit your target . As you become more comfortable , make your target area smaller to focus on your accuracy .
Another reset drill is to start at the NVZ and have your coach hit crosscourt dinks out wide ( even out of bounds ). Set a target area in the NVZ , directly across from you and at least 1 ’ in front of the NVZ line . Your goal is to reset the ball and dink it in front of you . This drill will give you confidence when you are pulled out of position , thus giving you time to recover back on the court .
Once you feel comfortable and have some success in the drills , take these skills to a game . Make sure you and your partner have a strategy , and when your opponents try to dictate the point — RESET . Send the message “ I know what you are trying to do ; this isn ’ t part of my strategy , and I want to play the point my way .”
To find a certified instructor in your area , visit www . PPRpickleball . org and click on FIND a COACH . • Lee Whitwell is a PPR Clinician and the Director of Pickleball for Widgi Creek .
Nicole Hobson is the PPR Member Services Director . She also serves as an Ambassador for USA Pickleball Association and is a USA Pickleball-certified referee , tournament director , and a lead clinician for PPR .
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