The most important thing in pickleball isn’t the paddle you are using, the court shoes keeping you safe, or your favorite pickleball ball of choice. The most important thing in pickleball is the partner playing next to you and your friends across the net.
Forget the serve you’ve just hit into the net, the too high dink smashed by your opponent, or the overhead you just hit out passed the opponents’ baseline. Remember the paddle tap from your partner even after you made those mistakes. A partner’s paddle tap, four paddle taps at the net, and an opponent telling you, “Nice shot!”. This is the most important thing in pickleball.
Coach Phil,
You are a man of your word and you lead by example. The encouraging environment you provide everyday is a big part of why we love this sport
I had the pleasure of playing against Phil. Even though my team was easily beaten, our opponents were humble in their victory. We had so much fun despite the outcome. Wanting the best play from your opponent brings out the best in you as a competitor. Encouragement ensures all are having fun, no matter what side of the net they are on. While we don’t have great odds at beating Coach Phil in a match, it is guaranteed that a good time will be had.