When Should I reset the ball?
A reset is a defensive shot used to try and disarm, slow-down and minimize an attack underway from your opponents.
To play smart, we need to slow-down and reset the ball when you find yourself in, what I call, one of the ‘Three O’s:’
1. OFF BALANCE
2. OUT-STRETCHED
3. OFF COURT
If we are being attacked on court it is generally a shot with pace at our feet, knees or to the sides of our body, where it is very difficult, if not impossible, to counter-attack. Because the ball is so low to the ground, if we swing fast or our paddle grip is too tight, the ball will rise up higher over the net. This is called a pop-up, which leads to an even more aggressive attack from our opponents.
When we are attacked below knee height our best option is to reset the ball into the kitchen with a soft drop shot seeking to disarm the attack and resetting the point and ultimately neutralizing the attack.
If we find ourselves in one of these three situations:
OFF BALANCE, OUT-STRETCHED or OFF COURT,
a reset will give us time to either come back onto the court or re-gain our balance, composure and continue the point.
(Note: when off court we’re assuming an ATP isn’t available in this circumstance)
The worst thing we can do if we are stretched toward the sideline is speed-up the ball because we’re not in a position or stable enough to deal with a quick counter-attack.
Next time you’re on court, work on resetting the ball so you’ll be ready to play smart and continue the point when you find yourself in one of the three O’s.
For more Pro Pickleball coaching tips and strategies follow @markpricepickleball
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