How to Stay Calm on the Pickleball Court
I was on a recent pickleball webinar, and someone posed a really interesting question. How do you stay calm on the court? The person who asked the question didn't elaborate, so it made me wonder whether it had to do with maintaining your composure and not getting upset or being in situations where you are nervous because you are playing with a different group or competing in a tournament.
Amateurs playing drop-in pickleball or entering tournaments need to remember why they are playing the game. I think most people who go to the courts every day are there to get some exercise, improve, and have some fun.
There is no doubt some players are fiercely competitive and don't like to lose. So, it can be in these situations where someone loses their cool either at a bad line call, a poor shot hit by their partner or even their own gameplay. While keeping your cool can be challenging depending on the circumstances, there are a few things you can do before a game, during the moment, and after a game that can help.
Remember That Pickleball Should Be Fun
There’s a fine line between anxiety and excitement - in fact, some people believe it is the same emotion, and how we experience it depends on our frame of mind. If you feel anxious but tell yourself you’re excited, you may recognize that feeling as excitement.
Now, if you are playing in a new situation and feel nervous or are in a tournament and have some anxiety, there are things you should consider. The first thing is to decide whether the anxiety is negatively impacting your game. If not, don't worry about it, and just know your butterflies mean you are excited and ready to play.
If your nervousness is negatively impacting your game, then I would try a few things I taught my sports psychology classes back in college.
The first is to do a breathing exercise by counting your breaths from five to one and then up from one to five. This technique is popular in transcendental meditation, and you can use it between points to help calm you down. The other thing you can do to quickly calm your mind is to take a deep breath just before you or your opponent serves. It will help you to focus on the game and feel calmer.
How to Keep Composure When You’re Angry on the Pickleball Court
Let’s face it -sometimes we get angry when playing sports. It can be because we aren’t performing our best or because our opponents are mocking us, or trying to get under our skin. Unfortunately, some people are quite skilled at pushing our buttons.
To combat this, acknowledge that you’re angry and determine the cause. Once you recognize it and have an awareness of it, it is easier to control.
Next, relax your muscles. More than likely, your shoulders have risen up and are near your ears. Let your shoulders drop back down and shake out any muscles that are overly tense. The simple act of loosening your body will help your mental game.
Breathing techniques can also help you re-center your mind and turn your thoughts inward. Focusing on yourself and what you can control can help get your anger under control.
Positive self-talk can be motivating in the face of anger, especially if you’re mad at yourself for missing a shot. Try to remember that everyone has an off-day and mistakes happen - they aren’t necessarily indicative of your pickleball skills. Slow down and give yourself a pat on the back for being out there playing hard and reward yourself for the effort.
Take a timeout. Sometimes you need more than a few seconds to get over something. Take a break, drink some water, do some stretches, and even talk with a supportive teammate or friend. Once you’ve calmed down, you can head back to the match.
Visualization is scientifically proven to be helpful for athletes. Look at each game as a learning opportunity. Learn what you can from each rally, from your opponent, and from yourself. Think about how you can improve mentally and physically for your next point or your next shot and visualize how to achieve what you want to do. Focusing on visualization and strategy will help control your anger.
Touching paddles at the net in pickleball
Beginner Pickleball Players
Everyone gets nervous when learning a new skill. One of the best ways for new players to stay calm is to practice regularly and focus on mastering the fundamentals. Once beginners become better players, confidence builds along with skill level which helps when facing difficult opponents on the court.
Some fundamentals that all pickleball beginners should learn are:
Additionally, before starting a game, perform warm ups and include basic pickleball drills to loosen muscles and prepare physically and mentally for the game.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re nervous, frustrated, or excited, it can be difficult to stay calm on the court. Use the above tips and tricks to determine how you’re feeling, why you’re feeling that way, and how to manage it in the moment. Also, remember that pickleball is meant to be fun - so go out there and have a blast!
This video from Better Pickleball offers some excellent advice for staying calm on the court and demonstrates some of the techniques above:
