As promised this will be a short one as I take a brain break this week.  First of all C3 Sports will only have pickleball sessions on Friday.  The SignUpGenius link has been adjusted to reflect that.

Secondly I found what I thought was a good article in The Dink I thought I would share:

Myth-Busting: Five Outdated Strategies Hurting Your Game

Pickleball strategy is like the weather in New England: Not a fan? Just wait five minutes. 

Strategy fundamentals that were gospel when you first started probably aren’t as relevant anymore. Some, believe it or not, are totally outdated. Allow us to catch you up to speed with the help of pro Tanner Tomassi.

Watch the video here.

1️⃣ Myth #1 — Move as one. Standard convention says you move from the baseline to the kitchen as if you’re attached to your partner with a short string. He moves, you move. Modern pickleball demands different things. When your partner is hitting a third, take two steps in and watch the ball’s flight. If it’s a good drop, crash the net and apply pressure wherever possible, giving your bestie time to join you.   

2️⃣ Myth #2 — Forehand covers middle. The game simply moves too fast for this to apply anymore. Instead, here’s Tanner’s truth-bomb: When the ball is diagonal to you, you cover middle. This allows your partner to shade toward the line and limits all confusion about who’s got what. Easy peasy. 

3️⃣ Myth #3 — Heavy drives win points. Gone are the days when you can blast a drive through your opponent’s paddle for an easy point. Instead, take 25% off and focus on heavy topspin that drops low over the net. This way, the next shot has to be hit up to clear the net rather than down. Advantage you. 

4️⃣ Myth #4 — Always target the weaker opponent. If one opponent is significantly weaker than the other, it can be tempting to hit nearly every shot their way. Don’t fall into this trap. This allows the stronger player to cheat way over while the weaker one barely has to move. Instead, keep the better player honest by hitting lots of balls his way. Now, attack the weaker side when the moment strikes. 

5️⃣ Myth #5 — Lose in the right way. You improve most by putting what you’re practicing into action in pressure situations. So sign up for an event, then pick a new skill and ride it all the way through. If you lose, you lose. But that skill will get way better, way faster, guaranteed.

Watch the video here.

The edition email had some flyers attached about nearby tournaments coming up this summer. See the Tournaments page. A new one in Johnstown was added.

Have a great week and I hope to see you on the court soon! 

The Centre:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BA5AA28AB9-57351841-nvsc

C3 Sports:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BA5AA28AB9-57351838-c3pickleball

Randy Hoffman

Please consider donating.