Five Vital Points for Good Pickleball

 I watched this video today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewRmnNHh7fw

Its topic was five really important points in re how to play your best PB.  Let me see if I can remember: 1) engage your whole body and watch the ball, inhale on the backswing and exhale on the hit!, 2) can't remember, 3) Gone too, hmm, pretty bleak, 4) Be happy and encourage partner, and be positive with yourself, 5) Always expect a drive.

Let me yak about number four for a moment.  It is really easy to get down and swear a touch and feel the gods are against you, but it's not real productive.  Best to just worry about the next shot.  I always want to play better at the end of a game than the beginning.  So when you or I miss an easy one, and we will, we should think about the proper swing thought for just a moment, then get ready for the next point.  No need for "sorry, partner" or anything else.  

And point five is worthy of discussion and I don't think I've talked about what shot you want to look for.  This is important.  I like the idea of looking for the drive, as it is the shot that will give you the least time to prepare.  "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best," Jack Reacher, vaunted PB player, probably also the motto of every soldier.  

If I am expecting a drive, I want my paddle above the net, because a driven ball is not going to be dipping below the net.  I'm in a bit of a crouch, as I can see the ball better and it might allow me to move to a side if I need to.  

Lastly and very importantly, a lot of driven balls will go long.  So get ready for a drive and if it's coming in too hot, or a bit too high, then that crouch will allow you to duck out of the way.  

Prepare for a good drive and hope for a bad drive. 

As a local note to the player at the Downs, there are a number of players who are known for their drives and perhaps also known for their long drives!  Know them and strive to let the bad shots go.  (Or you can return the high, long ones, and encourage them to hit bad shots.  That makes it more effective for me, since I like to duck.  :-))