Our new pickleball group has been running for a month and the players, completely new to the game, are all managing to enjoy playing. Most have mastered the scoring and we are insistent that all servers call the score before they serve, which is a bit of a struggle but necessary.
The following video provides a very good summary of the six doubles strategies that are an essential part of the game, but which new players struggle with.
To Summarise the six strategies:-
Return & Run - return the serve deep and run up to the kitchen line. When you are both at the kitchen line, this is when you are most dangerous.
Stand & Punch - stand in the active position with your paddle up in the air in the ready position to block and punch. Avoiding big backswings in favour of short compact swings.
Serve & Stay: beginners have a tendency to serve and then walk into the court. The two bounce rule means that a more experienced player could hit the ball directly at the player, effectively forcing a volley return and faulting.
Third Shot Tactics: Option are to drive the ball down the middle of the court and this may work. Or drive the ball towards the server who will be running in towards the kitchen. The preferred option is the third shot drop into the kitchen and a shot mostly used by experienced players. Aim to drop the shot into the middle, or if you have greater control aim to drop the shot on your opponents backhand. Generally the backhand is the least offensive shot.
Hold the Line: stand and hold the kitchen line and avoid rushing forward and back. Be compact in your movement taking short steps left and right. Use side steps to reach the ball or back drop step.
Dink to their backhand: there is a greater likelihood that your opponent will hit the ball into the net or hit a pop up that you will be able to punch and win.
It doesn't seem like that long ago when we woke up and the big news was AI, machine learning and the end of the world as we know it! It seems like there are two camps, those frightened by it and those who are exciting by the opportunities it creates. I confess that I 100% belong to the second group!
For me it started with Bard, as a Google One subscriber ( largely because I needed extra storage for all the photos I take) I was given early access. Then Bard became Gemini and went mainstream. At the same time Microsoft added CoPilot to Edge and Bing search engines and I was spoilt for choice.
I think it's important to get an overview of AI and this video 'Generative AI in a Nutshell' is very good at explaining in simple language.
How do I use it?
When I'm researching a subject I would typically use Google for my info. So if I was looking for information on Empathetic Listening I would get a definition and 46,600,000 results. Then I would wade through the first few pages and pull out information and muddle through.
However, if I use CoPilot (my AI of choice) I can ask:-
'What is empathetic listening and could you provide examples. Can it be developed and if yes, how would you go about developing this skills. I am looking at coaching my granddaughters who have just started at university.'
This is what CoPilot came up with:-
Empathetic listening is a powerful communication skill that goes beyond merely hearing words. It involves understanding the emotions and meaning behind what someone says, as well as what they might not explicitly express. When you practice empathetic listening, you create a safe space for others to feel seen, heard, and validated. Let’s delve into this skill and explore examples and development strategies:
Definition of Empathetic Listening:
Empathetic listening combines active listening, reflecting feelings, and questioning techniques with the interpersonal ability of empathy.
As an empathic listener, you intentionally show care and concern toward the speaker as they express their views or feelings.
This support not only validates the speaker but also enables you to respond more genuinely and wholeheartedly.
Stephen Covey’s Perspective:
In his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey emphasizes the importance of empathetic listening.
He suggests five levels of listening:
Level 1: Ignoring the other person entirely.
Level 2: Pretending to listen.
Level 3: Selectively listening to what they say.
Level 4: Attentively listening.
Level 5: Listening with empathy.
Examples of Empathetic Listening:
Imagine your granddaughter shares her struggles with adjusting to university life. You respond:
“It sounds like transitioning to university can be challenging. How are you feeling about making new friends?”
Another example:
Your granddaughter expresses anxiety about upcoming exams. You say:
“I understand how stressful exams can be. Is there anything specific you’d like to talk about or explore together?”
Developing Empathetic Listening Skills:
Model Empathy: Demonstrate empathetic listening in your interactions with them.
Active Practice:
Encourage them to actively listen during conversations.
Teach them to focus on the speaker, avoid distractions, and reflect on feelings.
Ask Open-Ended Questions:
Encourage curiosity by asking questions that invite deeper sharing.
Role-Playing:
Practice scenarios where they take turns being the listener and the speaker.
Discuss Emotions:
Explore emotions and how they impact communication.
Feedback and Reflection:
After conversations, discuss what went well and areas for improvement.
Remember, empathetic listening fosters trust, strengthens relationships, and creates a supportive environment. By coaching your granddaughters in this skill, you empower them to connect authentically with others during their university journey. 🌟👂
As a retired trainer I'm impressed and I'd forgotten Covey's book and the five levels of listening.
Having fun with AI
The following are some of the fun things I have asked AI to do:-
I am spending 4 nights in Bury St Edmunds, could you recommend popular tourist attractions that I should see and a good restaurant for each of the nights that I will be there. I have a car so driving will not be a problem.
Create an image of a chocolate brown doberman driving a tractor and mowing a field. It did this but created an American version of a doberman with pointed ears, so I asked it to change the ears to floppy ears as we have in the UK. Then put a barn on the field and blur the background.
Write a poem about a Doberman called Luka who learned how to ride a tractor and mow a field. It came up with a poem in which Luka was mowing wheat in an unnamed village, so I typed in the village was Shackleford and he was mowing grass.
How would you go about teaching a group of seniors to play pickleball. They come from a variety of ball games and have never played pickleball.
Design a 7 day itinerary for the North Coast 500, recommending Airbnbs to stay in for each of the nights. Highlight all the attractions I need to see on the trip.
The CoPilot app can be downloaded to any smartphone and is available on the Edge search engine. Just copy any of the bullet points above and see what it comes up with. Then try a few of your own searches and see what AI comes up with.
My career and business was based on coaching, focusing mostly on life and leadership. I offered to help set up a new pickleball group for my local U3A working with David the Treasurer, hoping that I could get Alan a certified coach from my club to assist. However, distance and other commitments put pay to that so I had to take on the challenge, if the new group was to get off the ground.
Sowing the seeds
So for starters we organised a taster session with one court to get a group of 12 people interested and at the end of the session everyone expressed a desire to get the group going. Next we ran a two court session at the Surrey Sports Park on the outskirts of Guildford. We struggled a bit with the scoring but by the end of the two hour session they were getting it and more important starting to get 'hooked' on the game. We even had two badminton players from a nearby court watching, seeing everyone having fun, so they have joined the group. The health warning (as can be seen in the video) is that pickleball is addictive.
Step by step coaching
I consult Alan my club coach every week and he gives me sound advice on how to tackle the challenge. I have also asked my friendly AI CoPilot and this is what came back.
Coaching a
new pickleball group of senior players who are new to the game requires a
thoughtful approach. Here are some tips to help you guide them effectively:
Understand Their
Background:
Identify the Types of
New Players:
Recognise the different types of new players you might encounter:
Athletes from Racket
Sports Background: Some seniors may have experience with
other racket sports.
First-Time Racket
Sport Players:
Others might be trying pickleball as their first racket sport.
Casual Players: Some seniors may
have recently heard about pickleball and want to give it a try.
Common Challenges: Be aware of the
areas that often pose difficulties for new players:
Two-Bounce Rule: Explain the rule
regarding serving and returning.
No-Volley Zone: Help them
understand the ins and outs of this critical area.
Scoring: Clarify the scoring
system.
Active Learning:
Hands-On Approach: Encourage active
learning by getting them on the court as soon as possible.
Play Exhibition
Matches:
Start hitting the ball and playing exhibition matches with them. Learning
by doing is essential.
Embrace Learning
Opportunities:
Even if they struggle initially, emphasize that their first games are
valuable learning experiences.
Effective Communication:
Be Positive and
Encouraging: Use
positive reinforcement. A simple “nice shot” or “good effort” goes a long
way.
Avoid Authoritative
Language:
Instead of saying, “You should do this,” try, “You might want to try…”
Focus on Basics: Have them
concentrate on returning the ball deep. “Deep and in the middle” is
usually a good shot.
No-Volley Zone
Awareness:
Remind them about non-volley zone violations. Encourage them not to step
into the kitchen during volleys.
Don’t Stress About the
Score:
Winning will come with time; for now, let them enjoy the game and learn.
Paddle, Return,
Position (PRP):
Teach them the
importance of being well-positioned for the next shot.
Explain that they
should duck or move out of the way if the server serves directly at them.
Remember,
coaching seniors involves patience, encouragement, and adapting to their unique
needs. Enjoy the process and foster their love for pickleball! 🏓🌟
Happy
coaching! 🎾
For our next session
Alan my club coach has suggested that we start our next session by focussing on learning to dink. Then always use a short dinking exercise as a warm up session before starting to play games.
My son in law loaned me his copy of Ikigai a few years back and I confess I failed to read it. Finally, because I was working on a few helpful ideas for my granddaughters, I revisited the book and read it on a recent holiday to Barbados. As I read the book I realised why I loved my job as a coach and why by starting my own coaching business after I retired from Nestlé ... effectively I have never retired. Why would I stop doing what I love! Why would I stop following my Ikigai ..... to release the magic in people.
I have found this excellent video that explains Ikigai.
The 10 rules of Ikigai that are covered in the video.
I joined the 50+ Rest Less Group largely because of the content looked interesting and that I might pick up a bargain travel deal. I have fast discovered that they have some really interesting content and discovered an article on pickleball that was nicely laid out. I have restated the authors final thoughts as an encouragement to read the article.
The photo is of my son Bryan, cousin Jackie and myself - pickleball = JOY!!!
Final thoughts...
Whether you’ve never heard of pickleball before or have already picked up on its soaring popularity across the pond, one thing’s for sure – it’s the fastest growing sport in the US for a reason! Pickleball is accessible, social, enjoyable and extremely addictive, and as the weather warms up and many of us look to spend more time outdoors, it probably won’t be long before it takes off throughout the UK, too. So if you’re looking for a new, fun way to keep fit and catch up with friends (or make new ones), while still complying with social distancing – then pickleball may be for you!
I as a retired leadership coach am now helping my four lovely granddaughters to transition from 6th form to university and from senior school to 6th form college. The first post I made this year was after seeing Wonka as a family and loving the statement 'Every good thing in this world starts with a dream. So hold on to yours.' Nothing could illustrate that more than RAYE winning 6 Baftas last week. She and her family never gave up when Polydor refused to publish her debut record. She eventually dumped them and went independent and wow she has broken all records!!!!
So it all starts with a dream ......
The start of a new year is always a good time to make plans and hopefully not set yourself up for failure by making too many crazy new year's resolutions. As a family we went to see the new Wonka film and it was great. I know it is aimed at a younger audience but I loved it and I think Timothée Chalamet is excellent.
One of his sayings that resonated with me was....
Every good thing in this world starts with a dream. So you hold onto yours. – Wonka
I think that is a great start to everyone's year to have dreams of what they want to achieve, experience and enjoy.
I look back on my life when in 1986, living in apartheid South Africa, I had a dream of moving to Great Britain and giving my children the opportunity to live in a more free and inclusive society. Now 38 years later I look at my children and grandchildren all settled and motivated by their lives. I feel so happy that we did the right thing, but it all started as a dream.
Wonka's dream was to create the greatest chocolate of the world and sharing it with the world.
So start your year with dreams and I asked my friendly Copilot (Microsoft’s AI tool) what questions we should be asking of ourselves right now.
If you’re looking to make 2024 your best year yet, here are some questions you can ask yourself to gain clarity and insight:
What are the things that you want to achieve in 2024?
What are the things that you want to let go of in 2024?
What are the things that you want to learn in 2024?
What are the things that you want to experience in 2024?
What are the things that you want to improve in 2024?
What are the things that you want to give back in 2024?
These questions are inspired by the Mel Robbins Podcast episode 131. The podcast provides a 29-page companion workbook that can help you get clear about what you want and empower you to take the next step forward in your life
