Wednesday, March 28, 2018 (Court Day #140)

On Monday, on the Pickleball Forum, someone posted a link to the official USAPA score sheet:
https://www.usapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/OFFICIAL-USAPA-SCORESHEET-f8-8-15.pdf

And here’s is an excellent video on refs keeping score. I may have shared it once before, but here is is:

Here’s a drill video I really like. Hitting a lob off of a dink volley.

Tuesday, I emailed Eric about two tournaments. The Golden State Games in Concord and another one in mid-July in Pleasanton. I love tournaments for a variety of reasons—meeting new people, players playing their best with no excuses or holding back, gauging your skill in the greater pickleball community, an opportunity to see top players battle it out, a goal to focus and improve your own play. There may be more. There are downsides, of course. Costs for entry, travel, sometimes lodging, opportunity cost—travel time and other lost time could be spent on playing locally, reading a book, doing yard work, etc., anxiety, maybe spousal disapproval or jealousy of time wasted on a addiction to pickleball! (Eric’s wife and mine are pretty supportive, but others may not be!)

Off to Derby

I was slow moving. I had woken up about 4:30 a.m. and was awake until about 6. (I have a very strange sleeping schedule right now for some reason.) I arrived at Derby quite late, at 9:30. Rob was sitting on the tailgate of his truck changing his shoes on the street outside the park.

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Rob, the firefighter, on the left. Mike, visor Tom, Dave, Ted in a game as I arrived.

I played pretty well in my first game with Jennie against visitors, Doug and his wife Cam, which we won. We switched it up with me partner with Cam and she and I both played less well, though she was apologizing a lot more often.

Dave Allenbaugh and I played a game against Ted and Rob and we got beaten 11-5. I was not playing well and Dave has played better too. Drag.

I played a few more games, such as one with Tom S. as my partner against Craig and his wife Leah. I played ok-ish. I did have one fantastic forehand slice winner that Leah could barely contact. Even court to the opposite corner. It was so effective and commanding that I apologized for hitting it. It was like opening a door with a cannon. She told me to not apologize and that he has to learn to handle shots like that. Of course.

I don’t know what it was, but I was dragging a bit. I was ready to lie down. Not enough sleep or somethin’.

Later in the morning, Eric and I got a game together. We beat Grita and Alan 11-3. “That’s the best I’ve seen you two play together,” complimented Alan.

Eric and I played another against Grita and Ted and won fairly handily. One memorable shot in that game was when Grita hit a drive from the baseline to me at the net. I raised my backhand and sliced the ball dropping it near her kitchen line. It never traveled any further along in the court and while she ran forward, she was unable to get a paddle on it. I got a “nice shot” from Grita.

We mixed it up and Ted and I lost a 25 minutes game, 13-11. That was a battle! I was playing very well. At one point, Ted exclaimed, “Wow, Andrew! That was great play!” I think Eric was getting tired as he made a few uncharacteristic errors. If Ted could cut back on the drives right into the net and develop his drop shot, he’d move up in the pecking order. I am jealous of Ted’s physique. He’s about 20 years older than me but is more fit! Sad! (For me!)

I left the courts at noon. Things were winding up.

Afterward, on the way to my car and giving Alan a lift to his home, I broached the subject of tournaments with Rob. I can see him advancing quickly. He’s already no slouch. He’s very interested. That might come in handy down the road being that Eric isn’t super interested in doing tournaments, though he humors me! Eric said he’s in for the Pleasanton one but can’t do the one in Concord—I’ll need to find a partner for Concord, assuming there is still room.

Regardless, I need to dial in my game quicker. It takes me too long to go from playing like I haven’t played in months to playing like a tournament player. Focus? Taking every game more seriously? I have no answer yet.

I did hit two cool milestones. I passed the 130s and hit 140 court days. And the biggy, 400 hours on a court. Nice! It took about 14 months. An average of 28.5 hours per month or a little less than a hour per day. Not bad for a guy who works full time!

Number of days on a court: 140
Number of total hours: 400

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