scene on the court
Spotlight on Sportsmanship
By Craig Laughlin
A . K . A . “ THE PICKLEBALL CURMUDGEON ”
Unsolicited Coaching
While the USA Pickleball Sportsmanship Guide admonishes us to “ be a respectful and supportive partner ,” and to “ provide coaching and advice only when requested ,” the topic of unsolicited coaching deserves a more nuanced approach in my mind . In fact , several members of the Sportsmanship Guide committee thought the language should have read “ provide coaching and advice only with permission ” but were outvoted . The vote demonstrated how deeply some players despise receiving unsolicited coaching , which I totally get .
Nevertheless , after seeing partners get beat by a deep return for the fifth time in a row because they kept stepping into the court after their serve , I will sometimes ask if I can make a suggestion . If they say yes , I will tell them they would have had a better chance to return those balls if they had stayed back , and that good players will punish them for stepping into the court too quickly . The advice is almost always appreciated , as long as I ask first . If the answer is no ( and , of course , if it ’ s my wife who steps into the court after serving ), I simply keep my mouth shut .
Unsolicited coaching is also a recurring topic on Facebook ’ s Pickleball Forum , as exemplified by the following post and replies , with my thoughts bracketed in italics .
Post : “ Would asking your partner to join you at the net after returning serves be considered partner communication , or an unsolicited coaching faux pas , in rec ball ?”
Reply : “ That ’ s a tough call . It would definitely be good advice . You just never know how it will be received .” [ Amen . That ’ s why I always ask permission , and almost always wait until after the game is over to do so . I usually say something like : “ If I noticed something that might make you a better player , would you want me to share it with you ?” Most people will say yes and appreciate the input . Sometimes people say no , in which case I keep my thoughts to myself .]
Reply : “ I love to be reminded because sometimes I actually forget .” [ This reply reflects my own personal philosophy . My motto is , “ If you see something , say something .” Technique and strategy are great equalizers in any sport . In fact , superior technique and strategy will often defeat superior athletic ability . So , if someone notices a simple thing I could do to improve my strategy or technique , I ’ m all ears . If I don ’ t think the advice is useful , I simply say , “ Thank you ,” and ignore it .]
Reply : “ A few weeks ago a friend and experienced player was hanging back and I asked during the game , ‘ Why are you staying back ?’ He was immediately offended , and we haven ’ t resolved it yet .” [ This is a perfect example why offering unsolicited coaching , especially during a game ( and even with a “ friend ”), is a bad idea .]
Reply : “ After the game , ask nicely if you can offer a tip . If yes , suggest they return serve deep with as much loft as they need to make it up to the line . Explain that once they ’ re at the line , your team can play offensively , and that ’ s where all the fun is . Then offer to play another game with them , and ask if you can remind them by saying , ‘ Up , up , up ’ after they return serve .” [ Again , I say “ Amen !” While the suggested behavior is not in strict compliance with the language of the guide ,
I believe it goes beyond the admonition to be respectful and supportive and reaches the level of kindness . Whether out of frustration or kindness , some people simply can ’ t control the urge to say something when they see someone making the same mistake over , and over , and over . In the opinion of your faithful curmudgeon ( and speaking only for myself ), asking permission can satisfy the urge to speak , while staying within the boundaries of respect and support — provided you are willing to accept no for an answer .]
Finally , when a Vancouver pickleball association revoked a man ’ s membership due to his repeated unsolicited coaching , he took the matter all the way to the British Columbia Supreme Court — where his suit was dismissed . Don ’ t be that guy , and remember , good behavior is in your court . •