Monday, April 10, 2017

At some point, I’m going to need to do some drills. Playing is great, but it’s harder to practice specific techniques in a game situation. I’m not sure when that will come, drilling is something best done with a partner. Maybe John P.

The Drop

I do need serious work on my drops. Sometimes I can pull one off just fine, but it’s not consistent and frequently ends up in the net. I found a video with Wes Gabrielsen that was helpful getting my mind wrapped around the concept:

And another video with Sarah Ansboury. (By the way, I’ve watched a number of matches that Sarah has played in. She is a machine. Amazing and consistent execution.)

Pickleball Class!

Jerry Louis, the tournament player who brought pickleball to the city of Santa Cruz, announced yesterday that he will be holding a $75 class on three consecutive Tuesdays in June then will be repeating the class in July. The class is titled “Pickleball – Advanced Tactics & Strategy“. I asked Eric if he wanted to do it but he told me he was going to check to see if his long-time friend Ted was going to take the class. I got an email from Eric that Ted said yes. Since the class was limited to an even number (8) I figured I’d sign up for June with a partner or not since I’d have to end up with one regardless. Still, I wrote to John P. to see if he’d be interested in being my partner for the class and John signed right up.

The class description is as follows:
“This class is designed for experienced players who play tournaments or want to raise the level of their social play. You will learn tactics and strategies of partner play, partner coordination for optimal defensive court coverage, gaining (or losing) an advantage during the first three shots, how to adjust to different competitor styles of play, pre-match on court warm-up practices, shot selection and service options as well as understanding the referee’s duties and your responsibilities during matches. There is a $10 materials fee due to the instructor at the first class meeting.”

I’m looking forward to the class, but it still a good two months away! I’ll have just about double my current experience by then!

Number of days on a court: 13 (still)
Number of hours: 37 (still)