This is a jam-packed pickleball column this week with my tip of the week, more details about the Demuth Park pickleball courts grand opening and an update on the desert's pro team the Scorpions by Andy Banachowski.
Let's dive in.
Coach Mary’s Tip of the Week: Fundamentals key in serve returns
We do not practice serve returns enough, unless we play singles. Put this into your drilling and practice routine. Serve return is probably the most important skill in your tool chest.
This week we turn to online instructor and pro Roscoe Bellamy who describes the three main factors in a good service return: Positioning, technique and strategy.
Positioning
- Start back further, not just at the baseline. Give yourself more time to contact the ball in front of you.
- Lean into the return with forward momentum, rather than trying to run through the shot.
- Split step, then use outside leg to position body for a Forehand or Backhand return. Move through the shot, rather than running forward.
Technique
- Use a “Unit turn” – turn your upper body to the side that you will execute your return. Not an arm swing or backswing!
- No looping topspin backswing. Linear backswing. You are rebounding your opponent’s serve. Short backswing, turn, forward lean, head stays level.
- Legs! Power comes from your legs, not your backswing.
- Return is flat. They are providing the power. You need to just contact using the above-mentioned techniques.
Strategy
- Aim your return to the player who has a less effective third shot drive or drop.
- Aim your return down the middle so they must communicate, and you take away their angles.
- Aim your return to the player who is most effective at the NVZ – keep them back for one more shot.
- Deep returns!
- Cross-court deep returns – net is lower, more margin for error.
Update on the opening of the new courts at Demuth Park!
We had a meeting with Pickleball Ambassadors who will help everyone learn the new rotation system and paddle saddle system when the Demuth courts open. The opening date is Wednesday,
Oct. 21 at 4 p.m. On Wednesday we will have all the signs posted, the court rules, a ground-breaking ceremony, demos, giveaways, refreshments and much more!
A few great new features:
- Every court has enclosed fencing with a gate – no one will be travelling through your court to get to another one.
- There is a raised grass berm in front of the courts, where players can watch the games from a higher perch.
- We have backboards! One wall is on the teaching courts, and one is outside the court area, so you can drill on your own while waiting to play.
- 4 watering stations, numerous shade structures, benches, bike racks, many bleachers, and a challenge court.
- The challenge court is also designed to host wheelchair games.
- Skill level designated courts: Beginners, Advanced Beginners, Intermediates, Advanced, and Challenge Court. Each set of courts will have paddle saddles for players waiting to rotate on at that level.
- You can reserve a court online, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. $13 per hour for the court. You do not have to be a Palm Springs resident. You can also reserve a court after 3 p.m., but there will not be as many available. You can check this out online.
Scorpions have bumpy trip to Columbus
Travelling to Columbus, Ohio for the final regular season event of the season proved to be a bumpy trip for the Scorpions Premier team, while the Masters and the Prime teams secured No. 2 seeds for the upcoming championships. All 16 franchises were able to gather in one place for the first time this season at the Match Point Pickleball venue which boasts 38 courts and is the self-proclaimed “largest indoor pickleball facility in the world”.
As usual, the Masters (60s) division started the play with competitions on Thursday and Friday and looked to hold on to their third-place standing. Opening against The Austin Ignite, they were able to control the tempo in both gender and mixed matches and cruised to a 6-2 win.
But the undefeated South Coast Pelicans turned the tables in the afternoon battle leaving the Scorpions on the short end of another 6-2 score. The only victories came in women’s gender (Kim Jagd and Lupita Curiel) by identical 11-6 scores. The other win was in men’s gender (Glenn Erickson, Desert Hot Springs and Dean Ayres) with 11-6, 11-9. After a soul-searching team meeting, the 60+ Scorp Squad vowed to come back strong in Friday’s team battles.
Living up to their commitment, they easily dispatched the Phoenix Firebirds in the morning battle by a 7-1 score. And in their afternoon battle against the Columbus Hotshots, they achieved an extremely rare 8-0 shutout. Coachella Valley residents leading the way with wins were Kim Jagd (6), Scott Burr (5), Glenn Erickson (5), and Rob Dennison (3). The Scorpions finished the two-day challenge with a 3-1 record and ended the regular season in sole possession of second place.
The Premier (50+) Scorpions faced their toughest draw of the year which made their hopes of improving their seeding for the championships a fleeting dream. For the first time ever, the Premier team was shutout losing to Las Vegas (5-7), South Coast Pelicans (3-9), Atlantic City Aces (4-8) and Palm Beach Royals (4-8).
Natalie Hill and Scott Burr (La Quinta) were able to win 3 of their 4 mixed matches but the other pairings while improved were unable to overcome their more seasoned opponents.
Injuries have hampered this team all season as Piet Aldrich had to withdraw from the weekend with a foot injury and Keri Olson missed her second weekend with a stress fracture. Both players are expected to be available for the Championships to be held in Dallas, Oct. 28-Nov. 1, where the Scorpions Premier team will receive the No. 10 seed.
The Prime (40’s) Scorpions had a solid showing, going 3-1 for the weekend, led by the wizardry of Morgan Evans and direction of Bret Bucher. They started off the weekend with a solid win over Oklahoma City (4-2) and an afternoon dominating win over Kansas City (6-0). They started Sunday morning like the finished Saturday afternoon with another 6-0 win, this time over the South Coast Pelicans. Sunday afternoon saw them facing a threatening Seattle Tsunami. They split the gender matches, but could only capture one of the four mixed matches, finally falling 2-4. The regular season final rankings have the Austin Ignite with only 1 loss in first place, the Scorpions in second place and the rising Seattle Tsunami in third.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the MLP Champions Series decided to recognize those who have battled all forms of cancer. To play in the honor of family and friends who suffered from any type of cancer, the players wrote their names on “Rally” placards. There was also a ceremonial first serve that was hit by 20-year breast cancer survivor Kim Jagd.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Pickleball tip of the week: Improve your serve return mechanics
