Pickleball Strategy: Hydration & power-ups

The other day I was playing in a different pickleball location, and there wasn't a water fountain nearby. After playing several games, without a break, I noticed that I wasn't hitting the same advanced shots. I kept playing and again noticed I was starting to miss some of the easy shots. At this point I needed to find that water fountain. After I downed an amazing amount of H2O, I re-entered the court for a 100% better game. So the strategy lies in keeping Hydrated: whether it is constantly drinking water, eating energy bars/chocolate bar,  chewing fruit. Keeping your cool off the court, makes you cool on the court.

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Non-conforming paddles Apike/Hush

There has been a controversy in North American pickleball for the past 4 years, and it centers around 2 non conforming paddles called Apike & Hush. They were designed by a man from South Surrey, BC, but made overseas. Why have the paddles been shrouded in controversy, and what is so bad about them? It's all about the core of the paddle. These paddles are made with a foam core , and produce a disadvantage with a trampoline effect. The IFP rules states, 2.E.1.Material. The paddle may be made of any material judged safe and not prohibited in these rules. The paddle shall be made of relatively rigid, non-compressible material meeting the specifications of the “Paddle Material Specifications” document on the IFP website. it also states, 2.E.6.f. Flexible membranes or any compressible material that creates a trampoline effect. I like that there are now more stringent requirements for paddles. I have played with and against the Apike. It does hit the ball much harder and with more spin. I like that PB is a game of skill, soft shots, dinks, misdirects, etc. I do not want it to just become a bangers game. This is one of the reasons that we have an underhand serve and a non volley zone. Skill takes precedent over how hard you can hit the ball.

Pickleball Strategy: Singles 3 rules

When I'm playing singles, I think of a quote I had heard from tennis great, Andre Agassi. He stated 3 simple rules,

• Hit shots you know you can make.

• Make your opponent hit a shot he/she can't make.

• Remember most of all, tennis (Pickleball) is meant to be enjoyed.

 Pickleball singles like tennis is a game unlike doubles in so many great ways. It can be hard mentally & physically, yet most of all it demands our full attention. Pickleball singles isn't for everybody, but a great cardio brain workout.

Pickleball in Ladysmith, BC

This past week I was visiting family and friends in Nanaimo, BC. I was amazed to hear of how many Vancouver Island locations have popped up that weren't around 2 years ago. I had the great opportunity to play with 30 very enthusiastic players at the Frank Jamieson Rec Center in Ladysmith. This group is new within the past year, and plays on 3 courts. I had a little trouble getting my lob shots past the slanted roof, but adapted to other styles, and had fun none the less. The best part was the $2.25 fee! Several players that play here also play in Nanaimo, Chemainus, and Duncan, and told me of outdoor courts that are being painted in these locations. Vancouver Island is all the more beautiful with the new pickleball groups, and many new pickleball friends.

Pickleball Strategy: Hocus...Focus

Certainly pickleball is a magical game! From the very first "pop pop" as you enter the court, or the way we hit that plastic whiffle ball, to its own pickleball language. It may seem or sound weird to the unknowing observer, but for those of us that play it is a "joyful addiction."
  Unfortunately today, I lost my focus as I was playing, much to the dismay of my partner. I allowed certain things to take my mind off my game. From the well meaning "professional who wanted to tell me all the things I was doing wrong, to the customers who wanted more info on the paddles they were demoing, to the kids that walked in off the street and had balls flying through our court. My focus went elsewhere, and my game followed. So what can we do?

• Remember that games are won through winning points. Take each point individually and separately. "One point at a time" is a great mental affirmation to utilize.
• Deliberately tell parents, siblings, friends, and others who may serve as distractions to lay low during your matches. Though they usually mean well, they can become just another distraction.
• Practice playing with distractions in order to learn how to ignore them. Loud music, people on the court next to you, outdoors, etc. The more distractions you can throw at yourself during practice and learn how to ignore, the tougher you'll be to "crack" when the pressure is on. 

Single-minded focus on getting to each and every shot hit our way. In a tournament setting, you almost become oblivious to the world, but focused with your partner, and winning the next point, and the next one. If you miss, then do it with the next point. Small steps to focus.

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?

Pickleball Tournament: Nanaimo 2012 (NON - IFP Rules)

This tournament holds special significance for me!

• Nanaimo is my home-town where I was born and raised and still have family and friends.
• I competed in this tournament last year with a great partner (Lorne) which I had just met the morning of the tournament. We went on to take 1st place in the Men's doubles category. 

It all happens July 27-29, 2012 at Oliver Woods Recreation Centre in Nanaimo. The only drawback is the non IFP pickleball rules meaning they allow Apike/Hush.

This year they have added a cool feature that will take place on the Friday Night: Singles from 5:30-8:30 pm. I know there are a lot of young guys under 55 in BC looking for some pickleball singles. There will also be Ladies doubles & mens doubles on the Saturday, with the mixed on Sunday. Entry fee is $15 for singles, and $25 for other divisions + $5 for each addidional category (includes lunch on Saturday & snacks on Sunday.)
For more info contact Dee Pitcher rondee@shaw.ca (an amazing pickleball host and friend!)

Pickleball Paddle Review: PickleballNow's Classic Lite

So we now have for sale a bunch of factory second paddles from a newer company called PickleballNow. The paddle is the Classic Lite. It is a honeycomb core with a fibreglass skin. These paddles are a medium - heavier weight paddle at 8.5 oz. For those that like a long handle, then you will like this paddle, which measures around 5". The paddles are extremely brightly coloured. We have stock of the 2 paddles at right, called orange dot & koko don. We also have yellow slice, dublicious, pickle. Being a fibreglass paddle at medium weight, the paddle has some great power behind any powershot when you have that advantage at the net. I would suggest changing the grip to a stronger gamma grip, as a thin overgrip is used. As I played with the paddle last week, it felt like a paddle that could be used as the power, but could add some spin capability. For me I'm a sub 8 oz paddle weight user, and it would take some getting used to the larger weight. I love the colours and designs that add some variety. These paddles sell for $55 CDN. Contact us if you need some PickleballNow.

Be sure to look for some more PickleballNow paddle reviews in the weeks to come from us.

Understanding Pickleball "Double Elimination format"

As the pickleball tournament season approaches, it is good to know what a double elimination tournament is.
A double-elimination tournament is broken into two sets of brackets, the Winners Bracket and Losers Bracket (W and L Brackets for short; also sometimes Upper Bracket and Lower Bracket, respectively). After the first round, the winners proceed into the W Bracket and the losers proceed into the L Bracket. The W Bracket is conducted in the same manner as a single-elimination tournament, except of course that the losers of each round "drop down" into the L Bracket. Even though a team has lost 1 game, they still have a chance to compete in the finals.

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Serve motion

The serve can easily be very disputable in pickleball, and so it should. The serve sets the tone of how the game will be played, and letting someone serve illegally needs correction. I've seen some people that will move their body in such a way that their whole body is slanted to get in an optimal serve position. But for most of us that serve normal what is legal, and what's illegal? The IFP rules state,  4.A.  Serve Motion. The serve must be made with an underhand stroke so that contact with the ball is
made below waist level.
                            4.A.1.    Underhand Defined. The arm must be moving in an upward arc and the paddle head shall be below the wrist when it strikes the ball.

Pickleball in Coquitlam, BC

Pickleball is strong in Coquitlam, BC. I was invited by some members of the New West seniors pickleball club, to come check out the Coquitlam group. They meet every Sunday evening from 5:45-7:45pm at the Centennial activity Center. Marilynne Fraser has been overseeing the club since it's inception in 2006. Last night when I attended there were 6 full courts of doubles, and since I was there Marilynne volunteered me to work with a court of new pickleball players, an honour that I couldn't pass up.

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.

Peachland pickleball tournament 2012

2012 Pickleball Tournament
Peachland Community Centre, 4450-6th St., Peachlnad, B.C.
Tournament Date: April 28-29, 2012
Time: 9am - 3pm
Divisions of play: 49 and under, 50 to 64, 65 and over,
Mens & womens Singles and Mixed Doubles.
Registration Deadline: April 20, 2012.
**Current IFP Rules, No non-conforming equipment permitted**
Total Registration Fee: $35.00
Tournament t-shirs available $11.20
www.peachland.ca (250)767-2133