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Athena Pickleball

5 ways to buy yourself more time on the Pickleball Court (no credit card required)

Published 2 days ago • 3 min read

Hey Friend!

Today I want to talk about time - THE most important currency 💰 in pickleball.

Time on a pickleball court works a little like money. You can earn it, spend it wisely, or blow through it before you even realize it’s gone. It can richly apply pressure to your opponent or leave you feeling flat broke.

The good news? Improving means that you learn how to buy yourself more of it. No credit card required.

Here are 5 ways to slow the game down and be more in control of every rally.

1. Anticipate early.

Reading the ball before it’s hit, where it’s going and what shot is coming, buys you time before the point even develops.

This is why you read the 3rd shot early. Get there with time to spare, then choose to drop or drive with control instead of arriving late and being forced into a decision.

2. Get there fast, then slow down.

Move to the ball quickly, but once you arrive, load into your legs and get set.

Arriving early only pays off if you actually use the extra time. Rush through your setup, and you’ve basically spent it before you got to enjoy it.

3. Give yourself more space.

Sometimes the easiest way to buy time is to give yourself a little more room.

Against a big serve, start farther back on your return. On a dead dink, give yourself some space off the kitchen line so you’re not jammed when the next ball comes.

A few extra feet, or even a few extra inches, can be the difference between reacting and actually choosing your shot.

4. Take it out of the air when you can.

If you can take a dink out of the air instead of letting it bounce, you keep your position and take time away from your opponent.

Let too many attackable balls bounce and suddenly you’re the one backing up and trying to buy that time back.

5. Move efficiently, not urgently.

There's a reason the pro game moves SO fast and yet they rarely look hurried or rushed: Short, controlled footwork, lateral movement at the kitchen, compact swings.

Efficient movement protects the time you’ve already earned. Rushed, jerky movement burns right through it.

The goal isn’t just to buy more time. It’s to spend that time wisely making a decision instead of reacting.

Speaking of having control...

The newest video in my From Scratch series is all about building a better forehand drive from the ground up.

A powerful drive isn't really about swinging harder. It's about getting there early, loading, and putting your body in the right sequence so you can create more pace and control without feeling rushed.

video preview​

And I made you a Forehand Drive Cheat Sheet with the entire sequence, contact point, swing path, and the most common mistakes to watch for.

​Forehand Drive Cheat Sheet.pdf​

Want to train with me in October?

My next round of California Smash Intensives is coming up, and this one is all about healthy aggression.

How to apply pressure without simply hitting harder, recognize the right ball to attack, create better combinations, and make smarter decisions under pressure.
​
​4.0 to 4.5 Intensive - Saturday, October 3rd​
​Register for the 4.0 to 4.5 Intensive →​

3.0 to 3.5 Intensive - Sunday, October 11th
​Register for the 3.0 to 3.5 Intensive →​

And if you're a local 3.5 player, I'm trying something a little different...

I have a guest coming in from Arizona to train with me on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10, and I'm looking for 3 more 3.5-level women to join her for a group portion of her stay.

We'll have just 4 players total, training for 2 hours each day - the afternoon Friday and Morning Saturday.

With only four players and four hours together over two days, we'll be able to get much more focused, work on individual patterns and problems, and actually build on what we do from Day 1 to Day 2.

If you're interested, reply to this email and I'll send you the details.

And finally... Hawaii 🌴

If you're the kind of player who likes to spend your time on pickleball and a beach, this one's for you.

The Hawaii camp is looking like it's happening, Nov 12 to 15 at the Auberge Mauna Lani on the Big Island.

I'll have full registration details in your inbox in the next day or two, so if that's a tell me more, keep an eye out.

See you on the court,
Jess

RESOURCES: ​
​Get 10% off CRBN gear with code: COACH JESS at www.crbnpickleball.com​
Pu​sh Dink Cheat Sheet Push Dink Cheat Sheet.pdf​
Split Step Cheat Sheet ​​Split Step Cheat Sheet.pdf​
​Forehand Drive Cheat Sheet Forehand Drive Cheat Sheet.pdf​

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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Athena Pickleball

with Coach Jess Improta

Elite coach helping badass women level up at every stage

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