INTERMEDIATE by KELLY MARSHALL
Under Attack?
HOW TO SAVE YOURSELF
P
Pickleball is an exhilarating sport, and the fast-paced gameplay means that you’ re likely to face hard-hit balls that can be challenging to manage. Learning how to deal with these intense shots is crucial for both your safety and success on the court. Here are strategies and tips to help you survive and thrive when the pickleball comes flying your way.
1. What is Really Going On?
Before you give your opponents too much credit, ask yourself,“ What am I doing that allows them to attack me?” Often, players will set their opponents up with the perfect shot, a chance to speed up the ball in an offensive attack. Did you pop the ball up? Did you hit it right to them, exactly where they like it? This question not only identifies the real issue but also puts the power back in your hands. You may find that you’ re the enabler, and by simply changing your target or giving them a different shot, you can take away their chance to attack you.
Watch what you are giving!
2. Creating a Safe Space
Most of our time is spent walking, sitting, standing or lying down. When you are in these positions, your elbows are comfortably at your sides, so it’ s no wonder that a common mistake in net play is having your elbows too close to your sides, causing the paddle to be too close to your body. It’ s counterintuitive to push your paddle away when under attack, but this is exactly what you need to do. The contact on your volley will be wherever the butt of the paddle is. As your elbow comes back, so does your contact point. And before you know it, you are late and popping the ball up to your attacking opponent without even knowing it.
Push the paddle out and create space between your body and the end of the handle.
3.“ Baby Bird” Hands
How would you hold a baby bird? One of the best ways to diffuse the power of a hard-hit ball is to use“ soft hands.” Rather than gripping your paddle tightly, hold it with a loose but controlled grip. This technique absorbs the energy of the incoming shot, allowing for a more controlled and softer return instead of wildly sending the ball back. If you struggle with this, concentrate on using the first finger and your thumb to hold the paddle while relaxing all your other fingers. This should reduce the strength of your grip enough to absorb the hit and reset the point.
Practicing dinks and reset volleys can help you refine this skill.
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