7. Communicate with your partner.
Two nervous systems trying to cooperate under pressure is a unique challenge. Silence breeds tension. Communication breaks it. Simple, positive words(“ Nice reset,”“ I’ ve got the middle,” etc.) keep both players anchored in the present. And don’ t underestimate physical connection— a high-five, a fist bump, direct eye contact and a nod.
Looking your partner in the eye in a tight moment says everything words sometimes can’ t: I see you, I’ ve got you, we’ re in this together. Avoid retreating into silence when the match gets tight. That’ s exactly when it matters most.
8. Make adjustments in real time.
You might cruise through your first game and suddenly find yourself in a tight third game wondering what changed. Wind, sun angle, a fresh ball versus a worn one— these can shift the game in ways that are easy to miss from inside the match.
Use your time-outs as reset buttons, not just rest breaks. Use the towel between points to wipe your face, clear your head, and slow the pace without burning a time-out. Listen to your coach or a trusted partner on the sideline— they’ re seeing things you can’ t.
And look for patterns: What does this opponent do on the big points? The ability to recognize and counter those patterns on the fly is where the game is really won.
THE COWBOY’ S CHECKLIST: BEFORE, DURING, AFTER
Before the Match
• Establish a warm-up ritual— same sequence, same shots, same timing at every event.
• Get to the venue early and play on the tournament courts in tournament conditions.
• Practice at the same time of day the tournament starts in the weeks prior.
• Maintain your normal food and sleep routine— don’ t change what works.
• Talk with your partner about strategy before you start.
• Set a process intention, not an outcome:“ Stay patient at the kitchen,” not“ I need to win.”
During the Match
• Pre-point routine— every single point, no exceptions.
• Keep your feet moving— the moment they stop, your game stops with them.
• Stay aggressive in your intent— adjust strategy if needed, but never play passively.
• One breath of frustration after a bad point, then reset— posture, feet, mindset.
• Communicate with your partner— high-fives, eye contact, check in with them.
• When the score gets close, slow down— take your full time between points.
• Use your towel, your time-outs, your coach— don’ t suffer through a momentum shift in silence.
• Smile … even just once. You might be surprised how much it shifts things.
After the Match
• Assess honestly: Where did your mental game hold up? Where did it crack?
• Note the moments when tension affected your play— those are your training targets.
• Don’ t carry the weight of a loss into the next event. Carry the lessons.
The best players aren’ t fearless. They’ ve just practiced being afraid and playing well anyway.
FINAL THOUGHT: THE SHOWDOWN IS YOURS TO WIN
Pickleball is a sport of self-mastery. The physical skills can only take you so far. At some point— and that point usually comes around 8-all— the game you’ re really playing is the one inside your head.
Having coached thousands of players, I can tell you the mental ceiling is real, and it’ s the last ceiling most players ever work on. They’ ll spend hundreds of hours perfecting their third-shot drops, their resets, their dinks— and zero hours building the mental routines that would help them execute those shots when it counts. That’ s the gap. And it’ s a big one.
Drill until your shots are automatic. Keep your footwork sharp. Train the way you want to compete. Build routines that anchor you to the present. Control your presence. Play from joy.
Do those things, and 8-all won’ t feel like a threat. It’ ll feel like exactly what it is: the showdown you’ ve been preparing for all along. •
Kyle McMakin, aka The Pickleball Cowboy, is a touring pickleball professional, former Division I tennis player( UC Davis) and head pro for LevelUp Pickleball Camps. He is a two-time Triple Crown winner and a 6.0 DUPR-rated player in doubles and singles.
MARCH / APRIL 2026 | MAGAZINE 23