Sunday, March 4, 2012

Pickleball Strategy: Pickleball Lessons from Baseball

I watch my kids play baseball, and I can’t help but think how the game of baseball relates to pickleball.  Baseball is a game where players fail almost every game that they play, but the great players can overcome their failures and get up to play again.
The best hitters in baseball get hits about 3 times out of ten.  That means that about 7 times out of ten they get out.  They need to be mentally capable to handle the ups and down of the game. 
Also, professional baseball seasons go for 183 games a season.  No team has a perfect record.  In fact, the best teams in the league lose 30-40% of their games in a season.
How does all this relate to pickleball?  I believe that players don’t give their pickleball enough time to work because of impatience.  And after they lose a point, game, how much should that impact how they play in the next game?
Not one little bit. It’s a new day and a new game, and they need to have the confidence in their strategies, tactics, and abilities to continue with their plans.
The day after a loss, a major league player gets to travel on a plane to the next game.  There’s no real break.  A pickleball player needs to think the same way.  Success means playing and practicing hard on a regular basis.
Baseball players have to be able to deal with the ups and downs of each game and season.  Players must also be able to handle the ups and downs of a pickleball match.

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