Hey friend!
Competing keeps reminding me of something: your ability to win can’t always depend on your ability to play your best.
This past weekend, my partner (and fellow California Smash coach) Claudio & I went into an open-level moneyball tournament seeded first in our pool and second overall...and let's just say I came out TIGHT. It was really windy, my serves and returns felt shaky, and my forehand dink, normally my biggest strength as a right side player, wasn’t exactly staying down. We lost our first game to the #5 team in our pool, a rough start.
I can be a slow starter in general, and instead of waiting to suddenly start playing great, I tried to just stay even. Relax my hand. Move my feet a little more. Breathe. Let bad points go. And keep looking for ways to win with the game I had that day.
We finished pool play in third, got better as the day went on, and eventually made it all the way to the final — our 10th match of the day — and walked away with silver, our expected finish.
To be honest, other than the semifinal match, we never really found our A-game. But...we found the game we could win with that day.
So when your game isn’t there, here are three questions I’d ask:
1. What is working today? It’s easy to obsess over the shot that’s failing you. Instead, take inventory of what you can trust. Maybe your drops aren’t great, but your drives are. Maybe you don’t feel confident speeding up, but you’re defending really well. You don’t need every part of your game. Find the parts that are available and build around them. Let your partner help, especially if they're feeling good.
2. What problem can I create for my opponents? When we’re struggling, our attention tends to turn inward. But don’t get so busy analyzing yourself that you stop paying attention to the people across the net. In one of our matches, we recognized a weakness on the backhand side of the male player, so instead of me crosscourt dinking with the girl, we started targeting the guy more - not a traditional choice. But it worked.
3. Am I problem-solving — or just evaluating myself? There’s a big difference between why am I playing so badly? and what does this point need from me? The first keeps you focused on yourself. The second puts you back into the match.
Playing well and competing well aren’t always the same thing. Sometimes your best pickleball isn’t there. Stay even. Stay curious. And find a way.
One Week Left! Athena Women's Intensives
This is exactly what we'll work on at the intensives — the strategies and patterns that actually win points, and how to think about the game in real-time. You'll drill, play a lot of games, and focus on how to take your game to the next level.
What to expect:
- Half-day sessions, grouped by skill level
- Strategy work, live play, and high-touch coaching
- A CRBN Barrage 4 paddle giveaway in each clinic
Saturday, August 22
3.0 - 3.5 Level
Women's Performance Intensive: Smarter Decisions. Better Results.
Sign up here: https://app.courtreserve.com/Online/Events/Details/16314/MPOUHVB16314661?resId=58225017
Sunday, August 23
4.0 Level
Women's Performance Intensive: Advanced Patterns
Sign up here:https://app.courtreserve.com/Online/Events/Details/16314/JKSDFBW16314488?resId=58225375
🎉 It was National Pickleball Day last weekend!
I'm constantly reminded me all over again why I love this sport so much - a super fun rec game, people laughing and cheering on the court, watching a student have a breakthrough.
There’s something completely addictive about it - the way one more game turns into three more games turns into “wait, what day is it?"
So I’ll leave you with this question: what keeps you coming back, over and over again? Hit reply and tell me why you're obsessed 🤩
See you on the court!
Coach Jess
RESOURCES:
Get 10% off CRBN gear with code: COACH JESS at www.crbnpickleball.com
Push Dink Cheat Sheet Push Dink Cheat Sheet.pdf
Split Step Cheat Sheet Split Step Cheat Sheet.pdf
