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Mark Goldstein – PFA Weekly Player Profile (6/19/17)

by | Jun 20, 2017 | Weekly Player Profile

Mark Goldstein – Weekly Player profile (6/19/17)

Mark is a left handed player that started playing paddleball with his dad in the 80’s at castle hill beach club and at parks in the Morris park neighborhood in the Bronx. He prefers Small ball paddleball game. Currently his home park is Van Cortland. He usually play twice a week Saturday and Sunday and more if he get some free time during the week. His favorite paddleball shot is “the overhand spike that only Kareem Abdul Jabbar could return” He does not have a particular favorite player. He “watches those he admire live and on video and take pieces of their game and try to copy their style of play into his game”. Mark has a solid game and has placed in various tournaments.

When asked what he thinks about the sport his reply was “This sport is my addiction!. A day doesn’t go by where I don’t look at my schedule and see if there’s any way for me to get to the park and play”. He feels that in order to grow the sport it needs to be introduced to the youth and is the key for its revitalization without question. His view is 100% in line with the PFA’s view. His advice to the paddleball community is to “Keep doing what we’re doing. We should never let this game fade away..I Got Next”  .

CONGRATULATION Mark!!

Manny Hernandez – PFA Weekly Player Profile(6/11/17)

by | Jun 11, 2017 | Weekly Player Profile

Manny Hernandez 
Manny is a right handed player who started playing paddleball 27 years ago at the age of 28. It all started when he saw his brother Sam play the game and soon he was on the courts smacking the little black ball against the wall. He discovered his love for the sport at the courts of Yankee stadium. When the stadium’s courts were knocked down as part of the new stadium he took his game to Van Cortlandt Park which became his home park. His favorite player is his “compadre” Anthony Rodriguez. He loves his compadre serve and has incorporate it into his game.
 
I asked him what he thinks of the sport of paddleball and his response was “ITS THE GREATEST SPORT, NO MATTER HOW TALL OR SHORT OR STRONG ANY ONE CAN PLAY”. He believes that to grow the sport “MORE EXPOSURE ITS A PRODUCT, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A PRODUCT? ADVERTISING”. His advice to his paddleball peers is ” SPORTSMANSHIP, ITS ONLY A GAME, SOME GUYS GO OVER THE LIMIT, TRASH TALKING IS GOOD ,BUT DON’T GET PERSONAL, WE ARE A PADDLEBALL FAMILIA. PLAY HARD ,STUDY THE GAME”. His last statement was  “I GOT NEXT…..”.
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CONGRATULATION Manny. You Got Next!!

Ross Strauss – PFA Weekly Player Profile(6/5/17)

by | Jun 4, 2017 | Weekly Player Profile

ROSS STRAUSS

Ross is a right handed player that has been playing paddleball for 17 years. He is a humble and respectable player liked by the paddleball community. He developed a love for the game at an early age when his father used to take him to the park where Ross would practice by himself and sometimes hit the ball around with his Dad. He started playing paddleball at Newbridge Rd. Park/Cedar Creek Park. He sharpened his game by watching other players and then incorporating what he saw into his own game/strategy. Ross has done very well in paddleball tournaments. He has won many tournaments and finished in the top 3 in many other tournaments.

He said paddleball is a “good way of getting exercise/fresh air, meeting people, using strategy & developing new shots”. He believes that to grow the sport of paddleball we need to “Get the youth interested in playing & following the game, & somehow get more sponsors” His advice to his paddleball peers is to “Concentrate on having a good time & developing your game when playing”.

He would like to give “Thanks to all those who have done things to help keep the game alive – including A-1 & the PFA!”

CONGRATULATION Ross!

Ric Rosa – PFA Weekly Player Profile

by | May 30, 2017 | Weekly Player Profile

Player Weekly Profile for May 29, 2017

Ricardo Rosa,

Nickname Ric/Spike/Lefty, is 55 years old. He has been playing paddleball for 27 years. He started playing in Coney Island, Sea Side courts on West 5th  St. He is a tough left handed player with a very good right hand.  His favorite player is Robert Sostre. When ask what he thinks about the sport of paddleball his response was “The sport of paddleball is great for exercise, it’s like playing chess you got to be 2 and 3 moved ahead of your opponents. It’s a sport where all people, race, gender, age can come together and play their hearts out.” He feels that in order to grow the sport the city outdoor courts need to be repaired and new ones built. His advice to his paddleball peers is “ to be competitive but don’t take it so serious, have consideration for your partner and opponent.”

Congratulation Ric!

Paddleball Hall of Fame

by | Nov 1, 2016 | Informational

The Paddleball Family Alliance will be inducting our first player into the Paddleball Hall of Fame on 1/14/17 at the start of our 3rd Winter Paddleball Classic Tournament to be held at Zerega. Because of the limited amount of time that will be available on that date, we have decided to just induct one player. In future inductions we plan to induct five players at the time at special dinner events. We are happy to report that Howard Hammer will be our first inductee. Many of you might not be familiar with Howard. He retired from paddleball as one of the pioneers of the game and one of the greatest champion of all time. You will learn more about Mr. Hammer in the upcoming months.
HE GOT NEXT!

The Mental Game – Learn the role your mind plays in making you a champion or just improving your game.

by | Oct 12, 2016 | Informational

The Mental Game –

Your mind is what makes everything else work.
—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA legend

Sports psychology is the scientific study of mind, emotion, and behavior as it relates to athletic performance and physical activity. The mental demands of rigorous competition can be enormous, making the sports psychology principles a crucial part of any athlete’s training regimen. Hall of Famers and Olympic champions, backed by decades of empirical research, all agree that the proper use of mental skills and strategies can significantly improve any athlete’s performance.

Athletes who diligently train their minds play their best more consistently, experience greater enjoyment, and increase their odds of victory. As one progresses to the higher echelons of any sport, physical skills tend to balance out among competitors. How, then, does the athlete distinguish him/herself from the pack? It is here where we discover that having a superior mindset is the key to gaining the upper-hand.

Important mental skills for athletic excellence:

  • Supreme, unwavering confidence in your abilities
  • The ability to keep a laser-like focus when surrounded by distractions
  • The capacity to sustain a high-level of motivation throughout a long season
  • The strength of will to conquer all anxiety, frustration, and discouragement
  • The power to bring your intensity to the next level when needed

Effective mental training tools:

  • Clear and challenging short and long-term goals
  • Visualization of making great plays and succeeding on the field
  • Positive, energetic language used to motivate yourself into a winning frame of mind
  • A consistent breath during all moments of action
  • Confident, upbeat body language to get the feeling of success in your body and mind

An athlete looking to improve their game can benefit from mental training at any time. Junior athletes can get a significant head start on their peers by developing their mental strength early on, rather than waiting until college or beyond. Seasoned pros can ensure they stay on top of their game, never letting themselves get complacent, by training their minds appropriately.

Mental training and counseling services can be applied in all scenarios; specific examples include:

  • When the athlete wants to reach their full potential. By fine-tuning their game mentally and emotionally, they can eventually exceed even their greatest expectations.
  • When the athlete experiences any kind of setback, such as a mental block, performance plateau, prolonged slump, demotion, or injury.
  • When off-field issues or concerns begin to interfere with the athletes’ performance.

Your mentality will either hold you down or bring you up. Strive to master your mind rather than being mastered by it. If you don’t, you risk losing every game before it even starts. Think about how you can improve your performance in the following areas:

  • How you prepare mentally in practice and during training
  • How you maintain a winning mindset on the day of competition
  • How you manage your thoughts in the moment of action
  • How you deal with distractions
  • How you use the results of competition to build your character from event to event
  • How you communicate with others as a leader and a teammate
  • How you decompress after training and competition to stay fresh and avoid burnout

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The Mental Game