According to a Google AI search, almost 80% of pickleball points last less than 15 seconds.
That means, most of the time your players are on the court, they are not hitting the ball or involved in a point. This is especially true at lower levels of play where rallies don’t last very long.
So what are your players doing most of the time they are on the court? They are walking to picking up the ball, toweling off, discussing the score, or switching sides.
Are you preparing your players for the large percentage of time during their matches they are not actually playing a point?
If pickleball is even 50 percent physical and 50 percent mental, it’s critical that coaches help players work on the time they have between points to prepare for the next point they are going to play.
Successful players follow the same routines between points. Immediately after the point, whether they have won or lost it, players shift their paddle to their non-playing hand to allow their playing arm to relax.
Players then walk back to and past the baseline.
The eyes of a champion focus on one of three areas
between points: their paddle; their ground; their opponent.
Players who are looking into the stands, at the sky, at the referee or other things are not focused.
Top players quickly evaluate what happened good and
bad during the last point without attaching any negatives to this evaluation or carrying it with them as baggage.
They then begin planning what they will do during the next point. For example, a player can also use the score to determine what an opponent is likely to do.
If the opponent is serving and is up by several point, your player can assume the opponent will go with their favorite serve and be more aggressive, depending on what patterns the opponent has shown during the match. If the opponent is down by several points, he or she is likely to play the point more conservatively.
Good players are able act, rather than react, because they have used the time between points to prepare for the next point.
Take Adequate Time Between Points
Some players like to rush between points, taking as
little as five or six seconds.
First, this is detrimental from a conditioning standpoint, especially if your players are playing singles.
Your body needs time to get rid of the anabolic wastes from your muscles which are produced as your body burns glycogen during points. These anabolic wastes, such as lactic acid, can lead to muscle fatigue and cramps.
Your body also needs time to replenish the muscles stores of ATP (the chemical responsible for muscle contractions).
Taking time also allows the body to cool itself down and
lower the heart rate.
Second, rushing the next point does not let your player
assess his or her situation, evaluate what happened the last point, plan the next point, and analyze what his or her opponent is likely to do the next point. Taking time allows your player to do all of these.
Your players don’t have to stall between points to get ready for the next point. They just need to manage their time better, and that means developing a set routine they can use between each point.
Develop and Practice a Routine
Top sport psychologist, Dr. Jim Loehr, called it “The 16-Second Cure.” Dr. Bryce Young advises players to “Prepare, Recover, Play.”
However you manage your time between points, certain
principles should be followed between every point.
Self-Talk
Many players talk to themselves between points. Some
berate themselves, while others pump themselves up. If you player engages in negative self-talk, it’s crucial that you help them realize this and see how damaging it is.
Having your players use positive self-talk to pump themselves up and prepare for the next point is a significant contribution you can make as a coach.
Practice Like You Play
Do your drills and workouts mirror the same work/rest
ratio your players will experience during a match. Do you
teach your players how to use their time between points to recover and prepare for the next point.
If not, you’re missing a chance to help your players
master a huge portion of the game of pickleball.