CJ Johnson Headshot
CJ Johnson
Tony Roig
Tony Roig

Playing Tip: Stay in the Moment

Good players can lose points when they become mentally distracted. The biggest enemy of your pickleball game is self-flagellation. You miss a shot and you beat yourself up about it. The best friend of your mental game is a short memory.

 

When I played competitive golf one of my go-to mental tactics was a 10-second rule. After the shot, I could say anything I wanted to, with only two limitations. It could have anything to do with my performance or skill, we need to keep our confidence intact, and secondly, all commentary ended in 10 seconds.

Get over it right away. Look forward, not to the past. The most important point is the next one.

On the other hand, if you know one of your opponents is still grumbling about his last bad shot, he’s the one you want to hit at.

Have a pickleball rules question? Bev is a master! Put your comments in the post below, and she’ll answer it!

 

CJ Johnson

Hey there — I’m a professional three-sport athlete and coach who has spent my entire adult life earning a living from playing and coaching sports. Since I started coaching more than three decades ago, one thing has remained the same: My commitment to see students not as they are but as what they can become and to move heaven and earth to help them realize their untapped potential. You should know that when it comes to helping pickleball players over 50 live their best lives on and off the courts, I'm an expert. Good pickleball is not just technique; it's the mind and body working holistically. That's why I'm also a personal trainer and weight management specialist. When I’m chillin', you'll find me watching Star Trek with my husband John and our two fur babies, Shirley and Ralph. (Yes, Happy Days)

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