The Pickle Boat: Odds & Ends
Friday Night Play and Stay to Start at 4pm
The Friday pickleball players are going to start play at 4 pm. Sun is setting earlier and its getting cool sooner. We are hoping the earlier start will keep our play and stay going longer. Bring your paddle and a picnic basket or something to share with everyone.
How to Be Courteous to Tennis Players
Monty Estis checks in with some suggestions for sharing courts with tennis players:
“Please close the gate. Too often the pickleball players leave the gate open when they enter or exit, and balls can roll out. Last time I played pickleball, both the front and back gates were open with 7 pickleball courts in use and no tennis. So, some pickleball payers don’t even show the courtesy to other pickleball players.
“Please wait till the point is over before entering/exiting the tennis court. Actually, I’d like to see this followed for purely pickleball as well, especially indoors.
“Calling ‘Ball On.’ (Tennis) people do indeed call “ball on” when it goes on the other court. The difference is that they do not call “ball on” if the ball is simply dribbling along the back fence. I would vote that we do the same in pickleball.
“Gear Placement – If tennis players are present, please leave all gear outside the fence, or on the pickleball side of the net.”
Final 2021 Pickleball Tip of the Week from Hiwan Pro Tom Karas::"Oh No, Let It Go"
When I watch pro players, one thing I notice is how many balls they let go because they are hit high and hard and they sense the ball is going out. When I watch social games, the first thing I notice is how many balls are hit that are flying way over someone's head and are obviously going out of bounds but they are kept in play. Hmmm, there is a big disconnect here.
Hitting balls hard and far feels good. But the pickleball court is small – just 15 feet from the kitchen line to the baseline. It doesn’t take much at all to hit the ball too hard or too far, especially at our altitude.
When you jump up to reach a shot, you probably just saved your opponents from a long ball fault and possibly prevented your team from gaining a point. You might think to yourself, that was probably going out, but it was such a great opportunity to slam it for a winner.
Let's face it, keeping the ball in play is more fun than calling out balls. But playing smart will always win in the end.
Get your partner to help you recognize “out” balls. Yelling “no” or “bounce it” or “out” is the best way to alert a partner to pull back. Better to yell early and often than to assume it is obvious to your partner that a ball is heading out of bounds. Letting those “out” balls go is sure to add a few points to your teams score..
And one more note relating to the player hitting the ball out: if you are running to get to the kitchen line and striking the ball while in motion, you are most surely going to hit the ball out. The momentum of running while striking the ball gives you the power you need for a "home run". Unfortunately, there are no home runs in pickleball. If you have to run to get to the ball, stop, make your shot and then continue up to the kitchen line.