Hey,

There are 18 days left until ThatPickleballSchool (officially) Launches on October 1st. If you’re already on the priority list, you know about the special offer coming this Sunday. 👀 

And if you’re not, you can get on the list here. 

Today’s ThatPickleballSchool Newsletter has three parts: 

1. 6 Mental Mistakes Ruining Your Game 🧠

2. The Friday Pickleball guys invited me into their YouTube video. It’s funny 🙂 

3. Updates on my pro journey 🏆

6 Mental Mistakes Costing You Games (And How to Fix Them)

Pickleball is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one.

Even with all the right shots, mental slip-ups can quickly sabotage your play. These mistakes often creep in under pressure, mess with your confidence, and before you know it—you’ve lost the game.

The good news? A few simple adjustments can fix those mental errors.

Let’s get into it!

Mental Mistake #1 - Late Game Hero Mode 🦸‍♂️

The Mistake: You’re at game point, and the pressure’s on. Instead of sticking with the smart, high-percentage play that got you there, you go for the flashy hero shot, trying to end the game in style.

Every once in a while, it works, but most often, this gamble backfires and causes you to give away a point or side out. And the next thing you know, the other team comes roaring back, and your one mistake has compounded into losing the match.

The Solution: When you reach game point, stay calm and stick to your fundamentals. Don’t go for the big, risky winner. Instead, play simple and play high the high % shot.

Because think about this: The other team is nervous, and there’s a really good chance they’ll just give you the match if you play the right shot for 5-6 balls in a row.

How to Apply: The next time you’re close to game point (between 8-10 in side out scoring), take a deep breath before you or your partner serves. And give yourself a short reminder.

“Play Simple” or “Be Solid.”

Just something to remind you of this moment when you made the choice to improve your mental game and become a better closer :)

Mental Mistake #2 - Off-Balance Attacks 😵‍💫

The Mistake: It might look like a physical mistake, but it’s really all mental. You know you’re off balance, yet you still go for the big shot, hoping for some magic. More often than not, those off-balance attacks lead to mistakes or weak shots that just set your opponent up for an easy win.

The Solution: Don’t try to force the attack if you're off balance. Instead, recognize the situation and play a smart, controlled shot back into the kitchen so you can get back on balance. It seems simple, but this one mental adjustment will save you from losing a lot of points down the road.

How to apply: Remember this line for the rest of time:

“When I’m off balance, I reset.”

Mental Mistake #3 - Making Decisions Based on Outcomes 😏

The Mistake: You hit a shot that somehow works—maybe an off-balance attack or a lob from a weird position that your opponent messes up and hits into the net. Now, because it worked once, you might start thinking it’s a shot worth trying more often.

On the flip side, you hit a smart, high-percentage shot, and your opponent happens to get it back. Just because the result wasn’t what you wanted doesn’t mean it was the wrong choice.

This is what Annie Duke calls “resulting,” which means basing your decisions on one outcome instead of considering the bigger picture of probabilities.

The Solution: Don’t make decisions based on lucky shots. Focus on making decisions based on solid and repeatable strategies. Ask yourself, “Was that the right shot, or did I just get lucky?”

Analyze the quality of the decision, not just the result.

How to Apply: There are two solid ways to work on this.

1. Watch the pros and study their shot selection. These players aren’t just good because they hit the ball well—it’s their decision-making that sets them apart.

2. Film your own matches and focus on one specific situation (you can always do more later). For example, look at your offensive attacks. Where are you attacking from? Are you balanced? What’s your opponent’s positioning right before you make your move? And how do you follow up after the attack? This will give you insight into whether the attack was a smart choice, no matter how it played out.

The common mistake I see is players thinking the attacks that work at their level will work against stronger opponents. Often, they won’t.

So, keep evaluating your decisions, not just the results, so you’re ready for the tougher competition you'll face as you improve.

Mental Mistake #4 -  Lack of Communication 🙊

The Mistake: You and your partner are playing two different games because you’re not communicating. You assume they know what you’ll do, but you know what they say about assumptions…

The Solution: Talk to your partner—constantly. Call your shots, say where you’re moving, and let them know when you need backup. Communication is everything in doubles. After three years of playing, I’m talking more with my partners now than ever before—and I’m also playing my best pickleball ever. Coincidence? I think not 🙂 

How to apply: Simple phrases like “Yours,” “Mine,” “Watch it,” “GOOD” (to move into the kitchen) — all go a LONG WAY.

It’s interesting, but when we play with strangers, we tend to be even quieter than when we play with our regular pickleball friends. That’s backward! We should actually be communicating more with new partners because we don’t know their style or tendencies.

Be the person who over communicates in your partnership. Trust me, the payoff from this one mental adjustment is huge!

Mental Mistake #5 - Not Thinking Out There 🧠

The Mistake: You’re mid-match, just going through the motions on autopilot—and you don’t even realize it. All you know is, we keep losing every point somehow.

The Solution: Stay mentally engaged. Regularly assess the match while you play. What’s working? Where are your opponent’s weak points? Try to Identify patterns in your opponent’s play and adjust your strategy accordingly.

How to Apply: Have you ever been reading a book or watching a show, and you suddenly realize you haven’t paid attention to a single word you’ve read or have no idea what’s happening on the screen? 

What do we do in those moments?

We reset and rewind.

We flip back a few pages or return to when a character first appeared. You should do the same for pickleball. Sure, maybe you can’t rewind the play, but you can think back to the strategy you set at the beginning: ”Hit to his backhand,” “Get the ball on the ground,” “Focus on deep returns,” etc.

Mentally hit the reset button and get your mind back into the game.

Mental Mistake #6 - Not Knowing Your Targets 🎯

The Mistake: You prepare to hit your attacking shot, but don’t have a clear idea of where you’re aiming. OR, you’re in trouble during a point and have pre-thought out where your safe zones are based on your opponent’s tendencies.

The Solution: Plan your targets before the game even begins. OR, use the first half of the game to identify attacking targets and safe zone targets. SO THEN, when the match gets under way, you’re not wondering where you should attack, you already know.

How to apply: To keep this one simple, try identifying your “attack” targets and “safe zone” targets the next time you play, prior to the game starting.

Quick Hint: If you have a right-hander in front of you, when you attack that person, aim for the right side of the body. That tends to work really well.

AND, as far as safe zones go, find the backhands of your opponents. Those spots tend to help you get out of trouble when you’re in it.  

Final Thoughts

Pickleball isn’t just about the physical—your mental game is just as important even more important. By recognizing these common mental mistakes and making the right adjustments, you’ll play better and win more. Simple as that 🙂 

A NEW YouTube Video I Filmed With the Friday Pickleball Guys

The Friday Pickleball guys are back!

And this time, they're testing their games against mine.

Hilarity ensues.

Watch: “Is ThatPickleballGuy ACTUALLY Good at pickleball? 👇

UPDATE ON MY PRO PICKLEBALL JOURNEY

I don’t have any tournaments for about a month. I’m at home, spending every second of the day on two things:

1. Getting better at pickleball 

2. Making sure everything is ready to go for ThatPickleballSchool Launch (on October 1st)

I am so excited to share this with everyone here very soon. 😊

Until next week,

Kyle

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