Pickleball Tip – Spin It To Win It
August 16, 2011 in Competitive Pickleball, Growing Pickleball, How to Play Pickleball, Pickleball Tips
Many pickleball players consider it bad form to spin the ball at the recreational level. They also frown upon hitting hard and playing to win. Pickleball at the rec level, these players say, is all about social interaction and having fun.
To some extent, I agree with this proposition. Rec level pickleball programs must be open to all players and everybody involved in these programs should be working to engage new players and keep them coming back because it’s good for the sport.
At the same time though, every community or club should also have competitive programs for players who want more out of pickleball than a friendly game of bump-and-chase. These programs are essential to the development of provincial and national teams capable of winning gold medals and representing their clubs on larger stages.
I have said it many times before and I will say it many times again. When it comes to competitive pickleball, it is better to have a tiny group of high-level players train together than to mix them in with a large group of recreational players who are far below their own standard and the expected standard of their competitors.
Spinning the ball may be bad form when playing at the rec level, but it is a requirement in competition. Competitive players who wish to win medals must learn how to project and receive balls with spin. In fact most of the balls they see in a training match should be either spinning or coming at them with significant pace.
Like table tennis, pickleball at this level is all about spin. Top players all know how to slice the ball to keep it low. They know how to serve the ball so that it spins away from the receiver and they know how to spin the ball so that it curls into an opponent’s feet.
Like tennis, squash and badminton, pickleball is a game of errors. Outright winners are (or should be) a rarity. Top level players are focused on putting just enough pressure on their opponents to cause unforced errors. Spin helps them accomplish this essential feat.
Players who wish to compete at a national level must keep this in mind. So too should clubs who wish to be represented at a provincial, national or international level. Recreation programs are wonderful and will always be at the centre of our sport. But competitive players have special needs and these needs should be addressed as well.
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