TWO THINGS THAT SEPARATE PICKLEBALL PROS FROM THE REST

 TWO THINGS THAT SEPARATE PICKLEBALL PROS FROM THE REST by Alice Tym with Katie Dyer, PICKLEBALL MAGAZINE Nov/Dec 2021 Issue. Tym & Dryer need no intro. If you don't know who they are, GOOGLE them.

THE ARTICLE STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TRANSITION BLOCK, REDIRECTION & MISDIRECTION OF THE BALL.

TYM AND DYER ADDRESSED THIS TOPIC IN 1,500 WORDS. I WILL PARAPHRASE WHAT THEY SAID WITHOUT QUOTATION OR FOOTNOTE.

AT THIS POINT YOUR OPPONENTS ARE POSITIONED TO ATTACK, AND THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS KEEP THE BALL IN PLAY.

YOU NEED TO LEARN AND DEVELOP A GOOD "BLOCK PADDLE RETURN," THAT CHANGES YOUR OPPONENT'S HARD PACE SHOT INTO A SOFTER CONTROLLED DROP SHOT INTO THEIR NVZ.

THERE ARE TWO VARIATIONS OF THE "BLOCK PADDLE RETURN, (1) FROM THE TRANSITION ZONE, AND (2) FROM THE NVZ. THE MECHANICS OF THESE VARIATIONS WILL BE EXPLAINED IN A SEPARATE POST.

THIS TECHNIQUE IS OFTEN USED TO BUY TIME TO GET TO THE NET FROM THE TRANSITION ZONE, AND RESET THE POINT, BY CONTROLLING, REDUCING PACE AND MISDIRECTING OF THE BALL, PLACING YOUR OPPONENTS ON DEFENSE, FORCING THEM TO REACH OR CHASE THE BALL.

TAKING PACE OFF THE BALL INVOLVES CUSHIONING THE HARD PACE INCOMEING BALL SO YOU CAN SOFTLY DROP IT INTO THE OPPOSING NVZ. YOU DO NOT WANT TO GIVE YOUR OPPONENTS ANYTHING ABOVE THE WASTE TO SMASH. FORCE THEM TO HIT UP ON THE BALL, CONTACTING THE BALL BELOW THE PLAIN OF THE NET.

SENIORS LACKING GOOD MOBILITY CAN CREATE MORE TIME TO GET TO THE NVZ LINE.

REDIRECTION & MISDIRECTION OF THE SHOT

A REDIRECT IS THE SHOT YOU HIT TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE EXCHANGE AND ADD AN ELEMENT OF SUPRISE. AVOID THE PREDICTABLE AND HIT THE UNPREDICTABLE. HIT THE BALL WHERE THEY AIN'T!

MISDIRECTION IS ADDING THE ELEMENT OF DECEPTION. FAKING A SHOT IN ONE DIRECTION BUT HITTING THE SHOT IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. INSTEAD OF HITTING A DOWN THE LINE DINK, YOU HIT A CROSS-KITCHEN DINK. YOUR OPPONENTS ARE WATCHING YOUR BODY LANGUAGE, SO PUT ON A LITTLE SHOW TO GET THEM OUT OF POSITION. AND HIT WHERE THEY AIN'T. ANGLE THE BODY ONE WAY & HIT THE OTHER. FAKE A SWING BUT USE A BLOCK PADDLE PUSH.

A good dink keeps the ball low and and forces your opponents to hit up on the ball. This is often referred to as an "unattackable ball."

There are many creative one on one, two on one, and two on two drills that can provide you practice time to develop this technique.

A word about practice, not included in the article. Most every player wants as much game time as they can get. They simply do not want to waste court time for practice. Pro-players practice 6 days a week and play a tournament or match game on the remaking day. It is near impossible to find one or two practice partners who will drill with you. You then have two options, you practice solo or buy a ball throwing machine.

I prefer the ball throwing machine because I can practice when, where and how I want. All I need is a vacant court. I have often used outdoor public tennis courts with a ball machine pitching ball after ball across the net at me. I stand up at the NVZ line and use a fast line drive setting on the ball machine with minimal dispensing time between balls. Set up a 50 ball drill, one ball after another, and practice Redirection and Misdirection alternating on every shot. Put a couple orange cones in he opposing NVZ fo sharpen your ball placement. You can do the same thing with a partner and a bucket of balls.

If you think that just playing the game, or playing against better players will make you a better player, you are listening to too much sideline chatter from no-it-all players.

The writers of this article are spot on. But most of the readers will not practice what the writers' are preaching.

*This topic will be discussed in more detail with well illustrated shot mechanics and practice drills in my next Pickleball Book, entitled: "PICKLEBALL, AVERAGE TO ADVANCED PLAY."