01/15/2023
I have an extensive background in tennis as I played through high school and college. I graduated from Occidental College with a major in physical education. After graduating, I taught P.E. and coached two tennis teams. From there I became the head tennis pro at a Southern California Country Club.
In my development to become a well rounded tennis instructor, I was certified by the United States Professional Tennis Association. The USPTA teaches the basics of hitting the ball with one of the two main techniques: topspin or underspin. With these two techniques, players develop all of the different shots in the game.
The different shots are incorporated into the strategies of when to use them in common play situations.
When I was introduced to pickleball, I dedicated myself to this great game exclusively. I became certified by the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association. With my teaching background, I developed a proven, trusted, and best of all, easy to follow methods and strategies to help players improve their game quickly. I developed my concept of pickleball shots and strategies into an instructional website. www.pickleballshotsandstartegies.com
An athlete in any sport needs to learn proper techniques and mechanics to be successful. Even recreational players need to develop basic paddle skills which will help them to control and place their shots more accurately. Learning the mechanics equates to having an effective all court game.
Equally important are pickleball strategies. There are offensive strategies as well as defensive ones.
Offensive strategies are designed to play winning pickleball. The objective is to win the point and game by playing to the weaker player, hit power shots, hit well placed balls, and play an attacking style. Defensive strategies are designed to play a style of positioning to make it more difficult for your opponent to win the point. The main point is you do not want to be up at your NVZ line if you or your partner pop the ball up or hit balls that are high enough to be attacked.
Additionally, there are strategies that encourage you to play a style that will extend the point and keep the ball in play. I call these games recreational and the focus is on having fun, keeping the ball in play, extending the rally, hitting the ball so your friends on the other side of the net have a reasonable opportunity to get the ball back over the net. I envision this was the intent of the founders of the game where there were grandparents, parents, and children all playing a game to have fun.
At the recreational and social levels, you can develop placement to extend the rally while you develop your ball placement. Playing a few games with this style is just beneficial for the growth of the sport. I often ask players if they were to play frisbee, would you like to play catch or fetch? The analogy is to keep the ball in play when playing lower level players verses banging a winner at every opportunity.
Recreational games should involve hitting the ball to everybody on the court. Be inclusive and not exclusive. Additionally, if you are the better player, hit the ball to challenge your opponents but not over power them.
The purpose of my website is to teach players the proper techniques to keep the ball in play consistently and understand the strategies for shot placement and court positioning.
This comprehensive online course has over 7 hours of instructional videos.
The site is organized into the specific Shots with detailed instructions on:
#1. How to hit the shot. Each shot will have very detailed yet simple explanations on how to hit the ball with either topspin or underspin.
#2. Why to hit the shot, explains the importance of having each shot in your arsenal.
#3. The strategies for the shots cover offense and defense on when to hit each shot and the court positioning in play scenarios.
#4. Drills and games feature descriptions, diagrams, and videos to view before practicing. The importance of knowing different drills and practicing specific shots is the best way to improve and take your game to the next level quickly.
The techniques and mechanics are huge factors in advancing your skill level. My instructional program builds on the fundamentals all players need to acquire for added proficiency in their game.
Once obtained, these skills will play a major role in the development of a higher level of play.
By understanding and implementing the instructions on this course, you will be able to step on the court with refined techniques, better ball placement, and valuable overall game strategies.
