Never Let Good Enough be good enough!

Questions questions questions–this one yesterday! Dear Coach Dub, I’ve noticed over the past year that I’m having problems maintaining momentum during a game, particularly in the middle of games, when I get close to 10 in a game to 15. I can’t figure out what is going on. I feel like my momentum stalls, and my quality of play will also sometimes drop. Have you dealt with this issue before? How do you break yourself out of a mid-game slump? Signed Slumping in Syossett Dear Slumpster, I used to break the game into three games to five. Once I got …

Recent message drifted across my desk: “Coach, when I practice what height should I hit the ball? Should I let it drop or cut if off high?” Signed, Confused in Colorado Dear CIC, Yes! Sometimes you want to back up and let the ball drop if you have time and shoot the rock low. Other times it is to your advantage to cut the ball off high while your opponent is out of position. Your margin of error is lower when the opponent is not in good geographical coverage. With good technique and angle you can put the ball down …

Another one floated across my desk at mission control recently, Dear Coach Winterton, I am a beginning racquetball player and aspire to play pro racquetball. Do I need coaching? Signed, Bertha Beginner My response: Dear Bertha, Thanks for a great question. I will never forget the long drive back home from a crushing quarterfinal defeat in a tiebreaker in the men’s open. I was the only player to push the number one seed and I realized I could not have played better with the tools that I had. I knew I had to learn more to get better. Luckily I …

As I watch some of my athletes play at the top levels, it occurs to me they probably are not doing what I am prescribing. Prescription after a poor performance. RX for my athletes: 1. Every practice day work on your worst skill 2x more than your strongest skill. 2. Every practice day work your mechanics and footwork. You do not have to do so at full speed or even on a court. 3. Be sure to build in rest days. Too much work and not enough rest leads to poor performance. 4. If you have the mentality that you …

Coaching 101. When you coach team racquetball, you have to work with the athletes you have. Not all athletes are easy to work with. These are some huge mistakes rookie coaches make. 1. Being in total control never works when coaching a huge talent. Since the international teams are stocked with talent, and most of that talent competes on their own all year, trying to control their performances never works. 2. Berating a team group for something one or two players are guilty of does not work. This is a waste of time for most of the team because they …

As Devo used to sing–“Whip it, whip it good” Your racquet arm is either a whip or a board. Tensing your forearm and squeezing tight on the racquet handle makes your arm a board. Relaxing your arm and thinking spaghetti makes your arm a whip. A whip can break the sound barrier! A board can break your back! The forehand is actually a chain of events that starts at the bottom and works up. First your lower body has to do the work. Second your upper body has to rotate into the shot. Third your arm moves and last your …

Happy 4th of July! Happy Birthday USA! To understand the United States of America you have to think of a big family with many cultures, religions, and beliefs to blend into a society that reflects the world. Most of our ancestors came here to better themselves and give hope to the next generation. To be an American means you can be from anywhere, any race, any persuasion, any Religion, and any political affiliation and become a citizen. While it is often pointed out the inconsistencies of “All Men are created equal’, our forefathers did build into the constitution an avenue …

Coach, that’s not fair, my opponent is screaming after every rally! Okay, I got this from two points of view. First, the screamer; It is distracting to have an athlete yell after almost every rally when they hit a good shot. But this athlete is not thinking about anything but winning. This is so important to them they are leaving it all out there. They are not doing it to distract an opponent but to pump themselves up. If they see it does distract the opponent….oh well! Now, the screamee; I get it. I have been there. I used to …

Return of serve 303 level–where you line your feet up to return serve can be huge. I see folks staggering their stance in doubles and even sometimes in singles, with their feet facing the side wall. This puts them at a disadvantage if they are served to the “closed side”(side away from the staggered front foot). They will also have huge issues trying to defend the “wrap around” serve. I see folks lined up closer to center court rally positioning so they can get to that perfect serve. What this does is open the court up for jams, and z …