Back is Back to Derby

Saturday, July 22, 2017

While nursing my back muscle, I posted to the Facebook Pickleball Forum asking for videos of typical 3.0 tournament matches. I’m hoping to gauge my own play against those in tournaments. A fellow named Mark Luke posted the following video in response:

Though I don’t know if it’s all that typical, it’s the 3.0 bronze medal match of the U.S. Open! Hmmm. Their play is a mix of great shots and “oops, I hit it out”. Most noticeable, the rallies are a lot shorter than the top matches.

Scott Lipitz, a 4.5 player from Rochester, New York, offered to grade me based on a video. (I looked Scott up on the USAPBA website, that’s how I know his grade and his location.) I picked one of the two videos I’d uploaded this week for him to look at—specifically, the partial game of Eric and me beating John P. and Dave. Scott came back and said 3.0, and to be honest, lower end of 3.0.

A man named Bob Macdonald (who I couldn’t find on the USAPBA player ratings pages) went so far as to say: “2.5 would be where I would rate you. To be a 3.0 you need to be able to drive shots down the middle, hit deep serves and returns, have some soft game, get to the NVZ line and dink and lob.” My first feeling was indignation: “Of course I can do those things! I’m not a 2.5!” But it’s probably my fault for sharing a video with unusually strong wind conditions and against John and Dave on a day where they were playing subpar.

I’ll have to upload a different video to that thread and get an updated grading from those willing to provide input.

Sunday, July 23, 2017 (Court Day #47)

I debated a bit, but I felt that my back, while still a little sore, was up to some pickleball. Hey, I could actually put on my own socks for the last two days! After taking a couple of Aleeve pills, I arrived at Derby a few minutes before 9. Dave Allenbaugh was there by himself. I said he couldn’t stay since his wife had knee surgery and needed him to take care of her, so he asked me if I’d be willing to close up the courts at the end of play. I agreed.

Ray and Robin (who I haven’t seen for a while) appeared. Dave’s parting words were: “No one is allowed to get hurt with me gone!” It was a foggy morning—par for the course around here lately—but it burned off mid-morning to sunshine.

Mike arrived shortly after and we had enough for a game. We rotated through for a few games. I have to say, Mike isn’t flashy, but he’s consistent. He may not bound around or otherwise be quick on his feet, but he doesn’t make as many mistakes as some others. Oh, he’ll hit one into the net or out of bounds now and then, but less so. I like Mike. I sure didn’t know what to make of him at first—and he still ruffles feathers on occasion since he’s so competitive—but he makes for an interesting game and he’s honest.

There was a couple visiting from Santa Rosa, Dale and Sandra. Both are pretty good, though Dale is the more all around player. Sandra has a strong forehand and quick reactions, but no third shot drop to speak of and a weak soft game. Sandra shared with Marianne that she’s a 3.5 player. I’m betting that is a “by-the-book” self-rating and not a tournament rating.

There were shots where I drove the ball at a player at the net instead of dropping the ball over. For weaker players, it would often work, but for stronger players, that drive would come back for a winner. I need to use the drop more and more to be effective.

Pickleball is not a game for wimps. I found Robin in a chair icing her wrist! Uh, oh. Sorry, Dave! An injury did occur! She fell—no doubt leaping through the air for some tough shot!

While I didn’t recorder them all, I did record seven games today—though the battery died partway through the last one. Here’s Marie and me (near side) taking on Eric and Sandra (far side).

One of these days I’ll figure out a way to keep the dang camera level when I hang it! Maybe I need to mount a weight and a small level to it!

The last game of the day was Janet and her husband Bruce against Cheryl (the lead for Scotts Valley) and me. Bruce and Janet got off to a fast start as Cheryl and I made mistakes, but we came back and won the game. We wrapped up the day at 12:30 p.m.

Overall, it was a day where I felt I wasn’t where I wanted to be. More work to do.

Shoes

I got home and took the dog out for some “ball time”. I looked down at my shoe and saw something unusual:
Yes, that’s the insole having worked its way almost completely out of the shoe! These Costco shoes are comfortable and work well, but their idea of having removable inserts is a hassle. I really need to get some double-stick tape and get them stuck down in the shoe. If they aren’t bunched up under my toes, they are shifting off to the side, or bunching up under my heel! I can’t win!

Feedback from Pickleball Forum

This afternoon, I posted the game video above to the Facebook group thread I had started yesterday. Scott Lipitz commented: “3.0 for sure…..you need better competition though . . . for your game to improve, I need to see you with solid 3.0 and even solid 3.5ers.”

Brommer has that social hour where all the skill levels are mixed together. I really need to get out there to take advantage of exposure to better players—not that I’m far better than the players I’m currently playing with but to improve and also, given time and development, prove myself to the better players when the time comes that I’m ready to play with them and hold my own. There’s still so much work to do.

Number of days on a court: 47
Number of total hours: 137