Court Awareness
The beauty of pickleball is that people of all stripes can play, and importantly, COMPETE with one another. How does that connect to court awareness? Well…..
A 60 year old playing against a 25 year old is never going to be able to compete based on speed or power but there are ways around that. Positioning, shot selection, anticipation, ball placement…this is all about court awareness and odds. These are things that can be studied and practiced and improved, even if you’re never going to get to net as fast as your opponent.
What I mean is this:
-when you see your partner go wide to return a shot, you need to close the gap so you don’t leave a lane open for your opponent and offer a passing shot winner. This means recognizing that your partner has moved and move with them - on time. The 25 year old might be able to blaze into the gap at the last second or stretch out to grab the passing ball. The 60 year old, not so much.
-when you’re lined up at the kitchen line going back and forth, wide and cross court, and you or your partner hits one a little high, the smart shot, the high percentage shot for your opponent is a speed up either at or between you. Ready yourself for that ball, and look closely at the paddle angle and hands/arms of your opponent. If the angle changes and/or there is a slightly longer delay before the ball is hit and/or you see the grip and forearm tense - you know it’s coming back fast and you need to be ready to block. Set up for that shot. That’s the right shot for them to make. The 25 year old might make the last second adjustment but the 60 year old player just doesn’t have the same reaction time. Compensate for that by starting early, recognize what’s likely coming and ready your paddle to defend the shot that shot. The high % shot.
That’s playing smart. That’s compensating for your weakness, relative to your opponent. That allows you to compete against younger, faster, stronger players and it can be practiced and learned. Sure, you might get burned by moving early to the wrong spot but by playing the odds, you’ll be right more than you’ll be wrong and win more points than you lose. That’s what it takes to compete.
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