Another day in the life of Coach Winterton–
I am going over video with one of my athletes and the topic of shot selection comes up. I am noticing something at crucial points in the match. Now stay with me out there in racquetball land because this is important.
The left corner pinch is attempted from 37 feet in back-court. The shot is left up and the opponent eventually wins the rally. I asked my player why that shot? Response: I am a good player and I should be able to make that shot all day. I do in practice.
My response: stand on a piece of 2×4 wood. Balance yourself. Easy, huh? Now put that piece of wood up off the ground 60 feet. Not as easy is it? Pressure and fear of failure makes simple tasks tougher. In this situation let me offer another solution.
What if you hit a down the line left instead? Your opponent’s backhand is suspect, and you would have a greater chance to win the rally. In the crucial points of a match do not be perfect but do hit the shot with the best chance of winning. Put it another way, it you miss that shot, make the opponent beat you with their worst shot, not give them a chance with their best.
Now a mild disclaimer here; There is a fine line between going for it and playing percentages. You are in control of that. In this case my player was the under dog. I’d play percentages rather than going for it. I admit there is no rule for this in racquetball but……….
Want perfect shots? Or do you want wins?