Shot Selection 505 Graduate Level

Here are five errors that are easy to make in reading video of professional players. 1. Shot selection-it is not what you think it is. Shots are not always dictated by what shot is open. Since these athletes possess great speed, the open court is not always open. 2. Shot selection again-be aware of conditions. […]

Know When to Fold’em

With respect to Kenny Rogers and his hit song, the Gambler! –smart racquetball is a phrase many players use. Here’s what’s smart; winning or at least so it seems to the average player. Your opponent will not respect you unless you beat them and even then they can say you were lucky so you have […]

Play Nice Now!!

Tips for coaching the nice player. Comments like, Oh what a sweetheart! What a great sportsman, abound from the adoring crowd. These phrases are used to describe the amiable player. This player needs to be loved by everyone so they are really playing for the crowd. Better yet they get awards because they are no […]

Coach, My Opponent is Making Fun of Me!!

There is a game within the game. This first happened to me in the 1970s. I was in a tie-breaker in a doubles final and my partner asked me about someone in the third row watching the match. I made some comment and he laughed. One of our opponents freaked out and skipped like three […]

Low Ball the Side Wall

Side wall revisited again-okay the video is rolling and athletes are running around hitting the ball and having a great time. The number one issue that keeps people from performing at a higher level? Well, hard to rank but I would start with not using your lower body. Stepping to the side wall seems natural […]

Champ Coaching

Forgive me for rambling on here! Coaching champions is an art form. For one thing, the athlete has to believe in you, even when they lose. Some time ago one of my athletes went down in flames in a tie breaker, 11-8. I have to say though he was pretty excited about his progress rather […]

Efficient or Deficient Racquetball Drills

Another day and another well-meaning coaching post on face book. A young coach thinks they have discovered another great workout routine. My coaching compadre in Bolivia sent it to me immediately. This drill has a nice concept but there is one problem. The athlete is practicing wrong technique. Very early in my racquetball life I […]

Can I Play Tournaments and Conserve Energy?

This came across my desk- “I have a question for you, Coach. I think most of us non-professionals get tired during matches. And when that happens, we end up missing shots that we’d normally hit easily, grounding lots of shots. But if we play higher percentage shots, that keeps the ball in play longer, and […]

Coach-Do I Have to Change?

Coach, I do not want to change that!” Okay, I’d be lying if I did not tell you I hear that from time to time. So here is what I do. I explain why they should change and the ramifications of not changing. At that point most change. Sometimes I modify. Case in point a […]

Dear Juniors

Dear Junior racquetball players, here are some facts for you to ponder in random order. Ten tips for preteens and teens! 1. Adults can be clever, tempermental or fiery. Kids will always be called brats! Unfair, but that is the way it is. 2. Everybody is an expert about how to raise other people’s children. […]