I was talking to some players years ago and it was real late as the matches were running late.
I get asked this question. “What is the best thing you can do to improve?”
My answer-“Play racquetball.”
Next question, “No, I mean what drill is the best or what do you look for?”
My answer, “The drill that is the best is the one you need to do to improve. I do not know that that drill is until I see you play.”
Next question, “Okay will you watch me play and give me a drill?”
My answer, “Yes, of course. Go to my website and pay online or you can just pay me now.”
Next came, “Oh, I not want to pay you, I just want the information.”
My answer, “What do you do for a living?” Response: “I am a landscaper.”
My response: “Will you come over to my house and landscape my front lawn for free?” I do not want to pay you, I just want my lawn to look nice.
Here is another one I got at the same tournament. “Hey Coach, I wanted to come to your camp last year but I couldn’t go because something came up.”
Me: What do you do for a living? Response: “I am a financial planner.” Me: “I almost hired you but I couldn’t because something came up.”
Funny thing about all of this is I do not mind helping folks but I am mindful of an incident where I helped a starving artist type, pro bono (he pleaded poverty) only to find him going to a competitor and paying my competitor a huge sum of money. He did not value what I gave him. Why? Because it was free. When you pay, you commit. When you commit you improve!