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INSTRUCTION by JIM HACKENBERG
Anticipation
Anticipation . No , I ’ m not talking about the 1971 song by Carly Simon . I ’ m talking about anticipation on the pickleball court . When you think about all the possible shots in pickleball , the footwork required , or the strategy involved , you can probably find a plethora of drills to help you improve your game . Go to a clinic or go on YouTube or various professional podcasts to find drills for dinking , serving , return of serve , third shots , groundstrokes , volleys , lobs , overheads , and footwork ( like the split step ). But how can you improve your anticipation skills ?
I ’ ve watched countless hours of professional pickleball and had the privilege of playing this great game since 2009 — before it was THE game ! I ’ m constantly amazed at the incredible hand speed and reactions of the great players of today . It ’ s truly awesome to watch , and it ’ s also a reason why the game is so much fun to play .
How exciting is it to have a multi-hit firefight at the net , especially when you win it ? And , while reflexes and hand speed play a key role in the professional game , let ’ s face it , most of us don ’ t possess those reflexes and quickness — especially those of us in our senior years .
So , what ’ s the answer to improving your chances of getting that speed-up back , or that overhead returned to reset the point ? The answer , in many cases , is anticipation .
So , what can the average player do to improve anticipation skills , without there being any specific drills ? Here are a few things I ’ ve learned and try to incorporate into my game that may help you .
1 . Every shot is coming at me .
The first thing you can do is have the mindset that every shot will be hit to you . Even if your partner and opponent are in a long crosscourt dink rally , you need to be constantly vigilant and think the next ball hit by your opponent will be coming at you . This means having your paddle up and ready , and being light on your feet in case you need to move quickly to your left or right .
Watch the pros to see how they track the ball and adjust their footwork to prepare for anything that might be hit to them .
It ’ s easy to get lazy , especially if opponents have been targeting your partner , but having the mindset that the next shot is coming at you will help you to react to anything headed your way .
2 . Recognize tendencies .
As you play , try to recognize what your opponents like to do at various times throughout the match . Do they usually drive their third shot ? Do they always try to hit a third shot drop ? Do they like to stay in extended dink rallies , or do they like to speed it up after just a couple of dinks ? Do they lob a lot ? Do they love to try drop shots when you ’ re at the baseline ? When they get a high shot at the net , do they always go for the crosscourt sideline , or down the middle ?
Most players have favorite shots they feel comfortable with , or just happen to fall in love with . The more often you play against certain players , the better you ’ ll be at recognizing their tendencies , helping you to anticipate where their next shot might go .
If they drive their third shot , make sure you hit a deep , higher-arching return to give yourself time to get up to the net and in a ready position to volley . Also , make sure you and your partner communicate to know who will be taking a drive up the middle . If the opponents always hit a third shot drop , you or your partner can take the shot while enabling the other to get up to the net to establish your dominant position .
If they speed it up after a few dinks , make sure you are ready for shots at your body , and learn to recognize shots that may be going long and out of bounds . If they lob a lot , cheat a little bit by staying a couple of feet off the kitchen line to give yourself a better chance to get back for the overhead , or to chase down the lob .
If you ’ re at the baseline and hit a shot to opponents who like to hit drop shots , start moving in after you hit it to get to the ball before it bounces twice . If they
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