Welcome back,

There are only 61 days left until ThatPicklebalSchool launches on October 1st.

Did you miss the Pickleball IQ Test from last week? We’ve had some amazing results, and people seem to really be enjoying it!

See how many of the questions you can get right:

And, before we get into the newsletter, I’d be grateful if you could help me out with this poll. 👇

Now, in today’s ThatPickleballSchool Newsletter 😀 

1. How to Become a Closer 🏆

2. New Resources for YOU 🙌

3. Updates on my Pro Journey 🤨

HOW TO CLOSE OUT PICKLEBALL GAMES

The more I play, the more I realize that closing out a game is a legitimate skill. Just like a third shot drop or backhand dinks, it must be trained.

There’s a reason the best in the world always seem to come out on top in those big moments. Just take a look at world #1 Ben Johns, and you’ll find that he wins so many matches – especially game threes – 11 to 9.

I can remember a hundred times in my career when I’ve been up by four, five, or even more points and somehow managed to blow it. 

Then, on my way home, I think, “I should’ve won that game.”

Have you felt this before?

In fact, there was a rec game not too long ago when I was up 10-8-2 and decided to do something dumb—I can’t even remember exactly what it was…probably a third-shot lob or something really stupid, and needless to say, it didn’t work.

Instead, the other team got the ball back, scored a few points, and won the game.

In my experience, something shifts in our minds when we get the lead at the end of the game.

Many of us become different players. It’s this strange phenomenon I like to call “End of game hero ball.” It’s when you decide to go for that all-or-nothing back foot shake ‘n bake because wouldn’t that be epic for you to make that shot and walk off the court an absolute boss? 😂

But you and I both know what usually happens. You don’t make it. And you don’t walk off the court a boss. Instead, you feel like a clown. Haha

BUT I have good news for you.

You can train yourself out of this end-of-game hero ball mentality starting tomorrow!

Here’s the approach I’ve taken.

When you reach the game point in rec play, think for a moment about how you and your partner got to 10 in the first place. That’s your body of work (BOW). On game point, don’t introduce something new but rather pull from your body of work to close out the game.

I don’t care if I’m playing players at my level or weaker; I’ve implemented this strategy in all my rec matches to build this skill I’ve long been lacking.

And the truth is, it just works.

I saw it play out at my last APP Tournament.

Tanner and I were up 10-9-2 in game three against the #1 seed. I remember thinking to myself, “Get disciplined. ”

Those two words locked me in and reminded me of how I’d been preparing to play in those moments. We played a disciplined point, the opponent didn’t, and we won the game and match.

🤯

Your Assignment 📝

The next time you’re ahead late in a game, no matter what level of play, focus on closing it out. Play disciplined and do the same things that got you to that point.

Do this over and over again, and I promise you’ll become a closer.

UPDATES ON MY PRO JOURNEY

I’ve been super busy with my team getting ThatPickleballSchool ready for launch. But, besides that, I have a big tournament I’m prepping for.

I’m headed out early next week for the PPA Kansas City tournament. I’m playing Mixed doubles with Christa Gecheva and Men’s doubles with Tanner Tomassi. I’ve played a lot of pickle with both Christa and Tanner, so I’m stoked to be entering with two really great players.

We’ll play both qualifier events next Wednesday!

If—I mean WHEN—we qualify, the Mixed Doubles main draw will be on Friday, and the Men’s Doubles main draw will be on Saturday!

In other news, Erik Tice from Dink interviewed Tanner and me and wrote this awesome article about “Team YouTube.”

I could see the name catching on. 😂

He explored both of our pasts and how we each got into Pickleball.

 You can check it out here.

MY UPCOMING SCHEDULE