Learning from a Bad Day on the Court

My 9th Day of Pickleball

On Sunday, AJ and I headed back to Pontiff to play some pickleball. The weather was cold and windy, but we were excited to get on the court and play. I played my first two matches with Tuna as my partner, but I quickly realized that I was not playing my best game. My ball placement was off, and I was striking the ball at odd angles. We ended up losing both matches, and I felt like I had regressed in my skills. The wind certainly didn’t help, but I knew that my poor play was also due to my technique.

Learning from My Mistakes

As I reflected on my poor performance, I realized that I was not communicating well with my partner. We were struggling to figure out who should hit shots that were hit up the middle, and quite a few shots went right between Tuna and myself with neither of us sure who should hit the ball. Moving forward, I knew that I needed to be more vocal and communicate better with my partner. I also remembered that shots hit up the middle should probably be taken by the person with the forehand. I will be sure to communicate more in future Pickleball matches.

Watching and Learning

After those two tough matches, I decided to sit and watch AJ, Tuna, Patrick, and the others play a few games. I wasn’t feeling it that day, and I didn’t want to get discouraged. Instead, I decided to watch and learn as more experienced players played. I paid close attention to their techniques and strategies, and I made mental notes of things that I could try in my own game.

Moving Forward

Despite my poor play, I felt that I had still learned a lot from this experience. I had identified some weaknesses in my game, and I knew what I needed to work on moving forward. I felt confident that with practice and better communication with my partner, I could improve my skills and become a better player. Each day on the court is a new opportunity to learn and grow, and I am still excited to see where this journey takes me although I had a rough day.