The 3rd Shot Drop is Alive and Well!
It’s Democracy I’m concerned about
In today’s Bite Size Pickleball newsletter:
The 3rd Shot Drop is Alive and Well!
A couple of pointers for beginners and intermediates
The Great Pickleball Courtship: A Silent Film (re-edit)
THE 3RD SHOT DRIVE IS ALIVE AND WELL!
I was playing with a friend the other day and he was just slamming every 3rd shot as hard as he could. Half of them were sailing out. I turned to him and said, “Get us to the net,” because our opponents weren’t hitting me many of their 2nd shots, so it was on him to…get us to the net on our 3rd shots. He replied, “Did you read so-and-so’s post yesterday?” I said, “no, I don’t follow so-and-so." So-and-so’s post basically said that the 3rd shot drop was DOA (dead on arrival).
As a real journalist, I like to dig a little deeper than a tweet, or a post on Instagram. So, that night, I watched an MLP playoff matchup between the Dallas Flash and the New York Hustlers. And in the men’s matchup, alone, the teams combined to drop 27 times on their 3rd shot and drove it 12 times. Not to mention, one of the biggest drivers in the game, Jack Sock, was involved.
Moral of the story is don’t believe everything you read from the so-and-so's, and keep practicing those 3rd shot drops so you can…"get us to the net!"
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A COUPLE OF POINTERS FOR BEGINNERS AND INTERMEDIATES
Make sure you are not making contact with the ball directly in front of you. This will cause your paddle action to go up in a perpendicular motion and the result will be more pop-ups. You want to be making contact with the ball to the side of your body, with your paddle in a little bit more of a parallel position to the ground. This will eliminate a lot of those messy meatballs you’re serving up!
It’s really important to get your body into position to hit your shots before the ball gets to you. In other words, don’t wait for the ball to land right in front of you. When you see it’s trajectory, move your body into position so you’ll be able to take the ball to the side of you. And that is the same with a forehand or backhand. The backhand will be a little closer to your body, by virtue of the mechanics, but in both cases, focus on getting to the spot first. And then focus on utilizing the same mechanics every hit. You don’t want to be all over the place, you want a balanced foundation every time out. Just like a basketball player who shoots it, or a baseball player who is batting, it’s super important to replicate the mechanics, until you can do them in your sleep.
There are two ways to improve at this. One, find a partner to drill with, or two, find a wall to drill with. But drilling is the only thing that is going to get your muscle memory where it needs to be. Otherwise, you will be flailing on the court and, as mentioned, serving up too many meatballs. [Insert the JAWS theme here].
Stay loose! Getting down on yourself does nothing to help you. It only compounds the problem, i.e., your frustration. You stay loose in two ways, you keep reminding yourself of that with an affirmation, and you practice intentionally breathing between the points to keep yourself centered. Combine those two and you’ll improve so much faster. Lastly, drilling is going to help you build confidence so you learn to play from a place of, what I like to call, relaxed intensity. Too much effort, in the mind, and body, will work against you.
BOOK REPORT: My book is available on Amazon now. I guarantee it will help your game in a large way. I was going to title it “11 Ways of the Pickleball Warrior,” but I wanted to open up the ideas to all athletes. Here’s a summary of it:
Step onto the path of the Athletic Warrior with Rick Cipes, former writer for ESPN Magazine, as he shares profound insights drawn from the mental, physical, and spiritual realms of sport. In 11 Ways of the Athletic Warrior, Cipes combines his deep knowledge of sports with timeless philosophies to create a guide for athletes seeking not just peak performance, but personal transformation as well.
From mastering technique and channeling universal energy to embracing patience, positivity, and the right mindset, each chapter offers tools for athletes to unlock their highest potential. Whether you're a seasoned competitor or just starting your athletic journey, this book will help you cultivate the warrior mindset, and find a higher level of consistency in your game.
Packed with wisdom, humor, and practical advice, 11 Ways of the Athletic Warrior encourages readers to forge their own unique path toward success, both on the field and in life. Be prepared not only to win games but to reach for your best self. Your grail awaits—are you ready for the quest?
CLICK HERE TO BUY, OR READ A SAMPLE, ON AMAZON.
THE GREAT PICKLE COURTSHIP: A SILENT FILM
In case you missed the short film I made on Halloween, I re-edited it, entered it in a couple of film festivals, and you can watch it here: