Select Page

WANT TO BE A TOP PADDLEBALL PLAYER?

by | Dec 1, 2024 | Uncategorized

Success in Paddleball, as in any sport, requires dedication, persistence, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Embrace the grind, put in the hours, and develop your skills, this is the foundation of becoming a top player. Remember hard work is the key to unlocking your potential.

Top paddleball players, through dedication and hard work, typically develop a combination of physical, technical, and mental attributes that contribute to their success. Here are some key elements to focus on:

1. Physical Fitness:

   – Agility: Develop quick footwork and the ability to change direction swiftly. Jumping ropes is an excellent workout to improve footwork.

   – Strength: Enhance power for striking the ball and maintaining stability on the court.

   – Endurance: Build stamina to maintain energy levels throughout long matches.

   – Coordination: Improve hand-eye coordination to execute precise shots.

2. Technical Skills

   – Serving: Master a variety of serves, underhand & overhand, both just over the short line and deep close to the longline with angle, to keep opponents guessing.

   – Shot Variety: Practice different types of shots, including forehands, drop shots, Spikes and volleys, serve & put away.

   – Placement: Work on accuracy to place shots strategically and exploit your opponent’s weaknesses.

   – Defense: Hone your defensive skills to effectively return challenging shots. Work on returning the ball on the run, this is a critical skill.

3. Tactical Awareness

   – Game Strategy: Learn to adapt your strategy based on your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

   – Court Awareness: Develop the ability to read the game and anticipate your opponent’s moves.

4. Mental Toughness

   – Focus: Maintain concentration and minimize distractions during matches.

   – Resilience: Cultivate the ability to bounce back from setbacks and stay composed under pressure. Do not let calls by referees adversely impact your game.

   – Confidence: Build self-belief in your abilities to perform at a high level.

5. Consistent Practice

   – Training Routine: Commit to regular practice sessions to refine your skills and improve your game, practice makes perfect!

   – Match Experience: Compete in various tournaments to gain valuable experience and learn from different opponents.

Last but very important!

6. Sportsmanship: 

   – Respect for Opponents: Displaying good sportsmanship and respect for all players.

   – Positive Attitude: Maintaining a positive outlook, regardless of match outcome.

By focusing on these attributes and dedicating yourself to continuous improvement, you can elevate your game and reach the top of the paddleball ranks. Remember, hard work and perseverance are the keys to success!

THE LOB

by | Nov 26, 2024 | Uncategorized

The LOB is a Very underrated shot in Paddleball, specially in the Classic Ball game!

The lob is an important shot in paddleball for several reasons:.

1. Changing the Pace: The lob can disrupt the rhythm of the game, forcing opponents to adjust their timing and positioning. This change in pace can create openings for other types of shots.

2. Creating Space: A well-executed lob pushes the opponent back, creating space on the court. This can allow the player who lobs to move forward and take front court position and taking control of the court.

3. Defensive Play: When under pressure or in a defensive position, a lob can be an effective way to regain composure. It gives the player a moment to reset and reposition themselves while forcing the opponent to make a challenging return.

4. Exploiting Opponent Weaknesses: If an opponent struggles with high balls or has difficulty moving backward quickly, the lob can be a strategic way to exploit this weakness.

5. Setting Up Offense: A well-placed lob can set up subsequent offensive shots. If the opponent is forced to hit an awkward return, it can lead to an easier opportunity for the lobbing player to attack.

6. Utilizing Court Dimensions: Paddleball courts are designed with specific dimensions, and a well executed lob takes advantage of the vertical space, making it difficult for opponents to spike the ball down effectively.

7. Variety in Shot Selection: Incorporating lobs into a player’s shot repertoire adds unpredictability to their game. This variety can keep opponents guessing and off-balance.

8. Mental Aspect: Successfully executing a lob can boost a player’s confidence while frustrating opponents, which can have psychological effects on the game.

Overall, the lob shot is a versatile and strategic tool in paddleball that can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes, allowing players to control the pace and dynamics of the match.

I strongly recommend to incorporate this shot into your game!

Alcohol Consumption During Tournament Play

by | Sep 13, 2024 | Uncategorized

A concern has been brought to my attention by several members of the Paddleball community. I believe it is necessary to bring this matter to the forefront and put in place steps to address the issue. 

The concern is that more than a few people involved in tournaments have been seen consuming alcohol at these events. This includes referees and linespersons as well as players. Drinking alcohol could create safety issues for the players in that their judgment may be impaired and their reaction time slowed. Officials engaged in drinking of course may not be able to perform their jobs properly. 

Many of our tournaments are played at NYC parks. Some of you may not be aware of a Parks Department regulation that prohibits the consumption of alcohol in any park and also prohibits anyone from possessing any alcoholic beverage with intent to consume it or allow others to consume it. It’s also illegal to appear in a park while under the influence of alcohol to the point of endangering others or yourself.

So our concerns go beyond player safety and tournament integrity; it’s the law, too! However, we obviously are not equipped to have an elaborate screening or enforcement program, nor is that something we would want to get involved in. The PFA has been a leader from its inception by doing everything possible to implement steps to improve the image of the sport of paddleball and to make it as safe as possible. With that as a goal, we will do the following:

Effective immediately, officials and players who are observed to be engaged in openly drinking alcohol at PFA’s tournaments will not be allowed to play in or officiate games. 

We hope other tournament directors join us in this effort to make our beloved sport safe for all, maintain its high integrity and adhere to the laws in place today.

 

PFA CROWNS FOUR-YEAR CHAMPIONS!

by | Apr 1, 2022 | Uncategorized

By Mike Melendez & Dave Siegel –

Who are the greatest most dominant paddleball teams and the best singles player? Not of all-time, but right now! We know everyone has an opinion and this could be debated forever. But in today’s world of analytics, we can figure this out by the numbers. As most of you know, the PFA has maintained a ranking system for every division and it has been used to determine seeding in PFA and other tournaments. Points are awarded in sanctioned tournaments for placing from first to eighth and are weighted based on number of entries. Of course, teams that have remained intact have an advantage and that’s one reason why this system would be effective in determining who are the exalted ones.

As I have communicated numerous times in the past, the Number One team (or singles player) should be the team or player that is top ranked at year’s end. My long-time goal is to cap off each year with an annual gala sit-down dinner/awards presentation. However, we are not ready to do this every year because currently there simply are not enough sanctioned tournaments to make a meaningful determination. I believe that we need at least five tournaments in each division. It does not make sense to me to crown the BEST of the year based on four or less tournaments in that division. The PFA and the other tournament directors need to work together to ensure that we have at least five sanctioned tournaments yearly for each division and then we can truly crown the BEST at year’s end. Also in order to make a sit-down dinner a reality, we need to make it affordable for the whole paddleball community, and for that we need sponsorship.

To kick off the process this year, we have produced a four-year ranking in each division based on consolidating all of the sanctioned tournaments since 2018, which was the first year the ranking system was used. The PFA Board of Directors has approved this concept and I hope that you, the Paddleball Community, will support it!

Here are the results for the Best of the Best, Congratulations to all:
• Big Ball Doubles:
o Robert Sostre & Freddy Ramirez – Total Points 381.25
• Classic Ball Doubles:
o Dave Blatt & Keith Jackson – Total Points 106.25
• Women’s Big Ball Doubles:
o Jasmine Suarez & Miriam Silva – Total Points 118.75
• Big Ball Mixed Doubles:
o Kathy Guinan & Robert Sostre – Total Points 452.97
• Singles:
o Willie Wheels Chavez – All the Points!