DRILLING
Always Make the Routine Play
I have borrowed this idea from a baseball coach who drilled his players mercilessly on routine ground balls and pop flies. He was insistent that his players be highly trained and skilled in making routine plays.
In pickleball, every game I watch is filled with unforced errors on what should be routine shots. Easy shots are constantly being hit into the net or off the court. Yes, both teams are prone to this and it often evens out, but that does not excuse 10+ unforced errors per team per game.
Your goal should be to have your dinks go over the net every time. Resets should land in your opponents’ kitchen every time. Drop shots have to drop over the net every time. Serves and returns of serve must be effective, every time. And if that’s not enough, all of those shots should be unattackable.
You make this happen, of course, by drilling these things at every opportunity. And, yes, developing these skills will be incredibly boring, but there is no other way. Drill until you can't miss and then keep drilling.
My standard drill session is forehand and backhand dinking, mid-court resets, baseline drop shots, and finishing up with fast-hand hits at the NVZ. Ten to fifteen minutes each will easily kill an hour. And two to three times a week will make a difference.
With significant practice, consistency in your games will improve. You will make the routine shots. Maybe not every time, but that has to be the goal. This is something that is completely under your control and definitely needs constant work.
Now go do it. Consistency means you never miss a routine shot.
See You In The Game
Michael Stokes of Pickleball Stokes
OTTAWA, ON