Pickleball Magazine 3-1 | Page 59

CUP OF JOE WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES? DO YOU AIM AT YOUR OPPONENT? Have you ever been hit by a pickleball? If not, you probably haven’t played in many tournaments. Like it or not, some pickleball players get so competitive, they’ll do anything to win. However, if you’re like most, you want to win but not enough to risk being disliked or getting a bad reputation. While you wouldn’t intentionally hurt anyone, there are good reasons to aim “at” your opponent instead of away from him/her. The questions are why, when and where. WHY? Think about it. Hitting a ball that’s coming right at you isn’t easy. Often there’s too little time to get out of the way. WHEN? The best time to hit “at” your opponent is when you’re both at the net. This is when your opponent has the least amount of time to react. WHERE? If you can hit down on the ball, by all means aim at your opponent’s feet. If that’s not possible, aim at his or her body. 30-DAY PADDLE TEST DRIVE OVER 100 MODELS IN STOCK 100% HAPPY RETURN POLICY LOVE IT OR SEND IT BACK FOR EXCHANGE OR FULL REFUND CONCLUSION: Remember, you’re not aiming at someone to cause harm. This type of play is simply part of the game. If you’re reluctant to use this tactic, remember one thing—your opponent may not be so kind. THE PICKLEBALL SUPERSTORE 888-854-0163 Joe Dinoffer is a USPTA and PTR master professional, has written seven books and 22 DVDs, and has appeared on the Tennis Channel. His company OnCourtOffCourt.com manufactures training aids for pickleball and tennis, and is the exclusive distributor for the Pickleball Tutor in the United States. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 | MAGAZINE 57