The difference between good pickleball players and great pickleball players are mistakes.
In fact, it's really the difference at every single level of the game.
Today, I'm going to show you a fun way to help minimize some of those errors you make
on the court.
Stay tuned.
Hey, everybody had CJ Johnson.
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Unfortunately, most of us have a small blind spot when it comes to our mistakes on the
pickleball court.
This fun game that you can use as a warm up is going to help you to see some of the areas
you may be able to improve.
If you aren't sure how to analyze your weaknesses, make sure that you stick around to the end
of this video.
I'm going to give you a free pickleball inventory sheet to help you do just that.
This summer, my friend Carol introduced me to this game that her club uses to help them
point out some of their unforced errors.
Simply defined an unforced error is a mistake made on an easy shot in a non pressure situation.
Now it may be easy to define, but it's not necessarily easy to pinpoint an unforced error.
It doesn't mean that it's the shot that ends the rally.
An example is when your partner hits a dink that's too high and it's attackable, your
opponent goes in for a kill shot that ends up at your feet and your unable to get the
ball back.
That's not an unforced error on your part.
The unforced error actually came from your partner hitting the ball too high and making
it attackable for your opponents.
Another example where there is no unforced error is when your opponent simply hits a
really great shot for a winner.
In this point, everybody is in the right place doing the right things.
I just simply hit a good shot behind James to win the point.
Each player is going to get one serve at the end of the point, simply rotate the serve
clockwise around the court until all four players have had a chance to serve.
Instead of having the server call the score at the start of the point, each player simply
holds their hand up in the air indicating the number of unforced errors they have to
that point, The serve rotates clockwise and play continues.
Here's an example of a point that ends with a perfectly placed backhand winner, right
down the center.
No unforced errors.
Here's a point with an example of a less obvious unforced error.
Lori's going to take away easy overhead from Cheri.
She realizes that after it's an over and charges herself with the unforced error.
Once all four of you have had a chance to serve, rotate one position on the court clockwise.
That way you'll be playing with a different partner.
Now if you'd like to dig a little bit deeper and find out more about your strengths and
weaknesses, I've posted a link in the show notes below.
That'll take you to a free inventory sheet.
I use this sheet with my students to help them to understand what they're good at and
where they need to improve so they make fewer mistakes out on the pickleball court.
If you'd like to minimize some of those mistakes make sure you click on this drills playlist,
it's designed to help you.
If you got value from this video, make sure that you give it a thumbs up or share it with
your pickleball playing friends because together we can train smart, live, bold, and age well.