Keeping it all in the family
This past year, I have had the pleasure of getting to know and getting to watch some very special pickleball players.
In the coming months, I am going to highlight some of these individuals in my column. I appreciate these special people because they come to my social round robins, and they come with a great attitude and positive energy.
Santiago Gonzalez, age 12
First, congratulations to Santi. He won every singles event he entered this year.
Last summer I met Eduardo Gonzalez Sr., who is Santiago’s dad. He brought both his sons to many of my events, playing singles, rotating, and men’s doubles. Occasionally, they brought a partner from the family for mixed doubles.
Most often, Santiago and Eduardo Jr., Santiago’s older brother, won the men’s 3.5 doubles easily. (17year-old Eduardo junior was highlighted last spring in The Desert Sun as a practice/hitting partner for many of the pros participating in the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament.)
All three guys participated in the singles, with Eduardo Sr. and Jr. taking first and second in the 4.04.5-5.0 division, while Santiago would take the 3.5 division.
It really makes my day to see them out there with the community competing, participating, and enjoying a sport together. All in the Family!
Coach Mary’s Tip of the Week
We are circling back to third shot drop this week, with a new video from Kyle Koszuto. Be sure to watch it several times! https://tinyurl.com/bde9hnsy
Kyle is very enthusiastic and talks very fast so rewind and watch it more than once.
What is a third shot? The serve is the first shot, the return is the second shot, and the third shot is executed by the serving team, to get to the NVZ or kitchen line.
Note: If you have a third shot drive and a third shot drop, you can keep your opponent off balance.
Why do you hit this? You execute a long dink into your opponents’ NVZ, enabling you to move to the kitchen.
Why do you hit a third shot drop? The serving team is at a disadvantage because the returning team is already at the kitchen. The serving team has to get to the kitchen without being attacked. If they can execute a third shot drop, which travels slowly and drops in your opponents’ kitchen, you will have time to move up.
How do you hit an effective third shot drop? ** When you serve, stay back, so that you can move in to hit the third shot drop. Do not creep into the court after you serve.
** The three L’s:
Loose grip – tight grip = less control.
Less swing – contact in front of your body, hips and shoulders. Experiment with which foot is forward.
Lift the ball. Your trajectory needs to emphasize an apex that is higher on your side and dropping into your opponent’s kitchen. Apex is eye level on your side.
Note: Paddle tip is pointed at 6 o’clock, low to high. How do you measure a good third shot drop? If they are hitting up on the ball, from below the level of the net, it is a good third shot drop. We do not want our opponent attacking down on the ball.
Topspin drop: Paddle tip down, windshield wiper motion. Puts more pressure on your opponent. Keeps ball lower. More sideways, like a tennis stroke.
Thanks Elaine Garcia for your suggestion.