Pickleball Strategy: Pickleball & Skiing?

Today my family had the very fun pleasure of skiing/snowboarding at Mount Seymour in North Vancouver, BC.  For my children it was their very first chance to experience skiing, and they all did awesome! As I was skiing, I began to wonder what similarities pickleball had with skiing? When I wasn't helping my kids after they had just fallen, or helping them back into their ski/board bindings, or navigating the chair lifts I thought of some great similarity tidbits.
1. Softness vs Power ! Typically beginners want to "smash" ball, hit ball hard with large muscle groups. The effective player uses softness technique to center ball on "sweet" spot! In skiing typically skiers what to go fast hard on steep terrains! As my kids can attest,  uncontrolled speed means unforced errors that result in being a mini snowball.

2. Position. In pickleball it is critical to be "ahead' of the ball! Where the ball will be! So it is in skiing. Most skiers think 1 meter ahead,great skiers think 5-8 meters ahead so when they get to critical spot they are into the turn!

3. Allow "instrument" ( ski or pickleball paddle) to do the work! Seems there must a "get to know period" between paddle/ski and player! At first my kids had a hard time being attached to this new thing on their feet, but throughout the day learned to use it how it is designed. We must learn the dimensions of the tool, what it can do and how to handle it!

4.Focus area! In pickleball it is vital to LOOK AT BALL and not where you think you have hit the ball! In essence you are the "spectator" and the player! Forget the spectator and be the player! The same is true in skiing! Focus on your skiing zone while skiing. Forget those girls/boys on the side! Forget the great view to your left 3 km. away while skiing!

5. Pace. Learn to save energy by using muscles when needed! Rest between shots. Be ready for that return shot! So it is with skiing. Learn to relax when needed. Learn to "pounce" on those edges when needed! If you are constantly "tense".....pain will set in. Cramps, fatigue.... It felt so nice to rest on those padded chairlifts before hurtling down another run. Stretch between a ski run, or a pickleball match to keep your circulation or body warm.

6. The mind is more powerful than you think. While playing pickleball,just thinking , "that corner left shot" seems to drive the ball there! So it is with skiing. Just thinking, "oh oh I am going to fast,,will result in you going on heels" . Just thinking,,,"oh oh I will fall" will make you fall!  Think as the ball is coming...where are my opponents, where am I placing this?