08/29/2025
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👀Keep Targeting the Weak Player. You’re Really Making the Games You Play Way Better 😳
You know the drill.
You walk onto the court for a friendly game of rec pickleball. You greet everyone with smiles, exchange a couple of “good lucks,” and then you and your partner instantly begin the noble sport of ball funneling.
Not toward the person across from you who looks like they’ve been playing for a while and has some real ability,
Nope. Straight to the weaker player. Every Single Shot.
Because hey, nothing says “fun social game” like giving their partner 45 minutes to wonder why they bothered bringing a paddle.
The Great Art of Targeting
Identify the weaker player.
Avoid their partner like they’re radioactive.
Rinse, repeat, and collect your hollow, meaningless victory.
Wow. Impressive stuff!!
It’s like playing basketball and insisting you only guard the 12-year-old.
This “strategy” is just about as useful for your actual improvement as eating cake to train for a marathon.
Peak Small-Mindedness in a Nutshell
1. You’re Not Practicing the Shots You’ll Actually Need
Sure, you can hit 8 consecutive d***s at the weaker player until they finally pop one up. Congratulations, you’ve trained for the exact situation of playing one dimensional pickleball against a single opponent.
When you face a balanced, competitive pair? You’ll be lost.
Rotate your shots. Force yourself to challenge both players, even if it risks losing points. In practice games, losing a rally but learning a shot is more valuable than padding your ego with a fake win.
2. You’re Killing the Game for the Stronger Opponent
While you’re busy inflating your win column, the stronger opponent is basically standing there twiddling their paddle, thinking about what they’re going to have for dinner.
You’ve turned a doubles game into a glorified singles drill. And if they’re anything like me, they’re counting the minutes until they can find a partner who actually hits them a ball.
If you must target for strategy, do it in a tournament, not Tuesday morning rec. There’s a difference between sharpening a weapon and dulling your own skills.
3. You’re Not Building Mental Toughness
Part of getting better is learning to handle pressure from every corner of the court. If you avoid hitting to the stronger player, you’re avoiding growth. Comfort is where pickleball dreams go to die.
Take on the stronger player intentionally. Even if you lose the point, you’re gaining experience in the exact situations that make most players fold.
Rec play is where you should be testing yourself, not padding your “legacy.”
If your entire highlight reel is made of shots you hit past someone who just learned the word “kitchen,” you’re not a strategist, you’re a bully with a paddle.
The weak player already knows they’re the weak player. The strong player knows you’re avoiding them. And deep down, you know you’re not actually getting better.
So maybe, just maybe, grow a spine, spread the ball around, and make it a real game.
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