Tournament Players Group Drills

All players must be rated 4.0 or higher to sign up.

We drill at Manatee every Tuesday at 10:00AM and 11:00AM and at Truman every Wednesday at 10:00AM and 11:00AM

Introduction

Repetitively hitting some specific shot once a week and then moving on the following week to practice a different shot, without mastering either, might be fun but it probably won’t noticeable improve your results.

This group is for 4.0+ tournament players (i.e. players in PCVG leagues and tournaments and especially tournaments external to The Villages) who want to take their game to the next level.

While not an instructional clinic some suggestions about your play will be offered and new skills will be introduced and worked on every month.

Goals of this group

To improve your confidence, skills, strategy, stamina and enjoyment when playing recreational and competitive pickleball matches.

To have you play in a way that has a high probability for success against less disciplined opponents.

Approach

Gamifying drilling and ranking the results allowing you to practice against different opponents of similar skill level while being under match-like pressure and letting you see if you are moving up or down compared to your peers.

Developing your “Every ball goes back” mindset.

Working on consistently hitting your first five shots in every point.

Dink then dink then dink some more while mindfully improving awareness and shot choice.

Work on consciously picking a target for every shot until it happens automatically.

To have fun – in addition to enjoying tournaments and rec play you might find you get more enjoyment out of drilling than regular play.

Encourage you to do this kind of drill once or twice a week in addition to these sessions.

The four parts of every session

1. Warm Up

• Dink straight across (use west half of the court)
• Straight across one player works back a step or two each shot to transition zone, plays a few drops and 50% drives then works back a step each shot to the baseline, plays a few drops and 60-90% drives then works back to the NVZ moving a step or two with each shot. Repeat with other player moving back
• Dink cross court forehand
• Dink cross court backhand

2. Dink Match

• Three half court games: straight across, cross court forehand and cross court backhand 

• First to 11, win by 1, rally scoring, switch at 6 and switch after each game.

• Lower ranked player gets side choice

• Serves must be gentle aiming for the center of the NVZ and whoever has the ball after the previous point can serve

• The first three shots, including the serve must bounce near the center in the NVZ and then the point is live

• Once the point is live all shots, not just dinks, are allowed (limit of 2 lobs per game.) In cross court games you may play an around the post shot onto the other half of the court.

• If the ball is close to the center-line then just continue playing the point and if there is a dispute then replay the point

3. Skill of the Month

• A short drill that addresses one or more of the goals

4. Mini singles

• Two games, USA Pickleball Mini Singles rules
• First to 11, win by 1, switch for the second, regular scoring
• Lower ranked player chooses either side or serve in the first game
• Only half of the court is used. Both the Server AND the Receiver always stand on the side that matches their score i.e. right for even scores and left for odd scores

• All shots are allowed (limit of 2 lobs per game)

• If the ball is close to the center-line then just continue playing the point and if there is a dispute then replay the point
• Work on incorporating Skill of the Month into your game

Becoming a Group Member

You must first request membership in the group. You only need to request membership once.