In Episode 319 of Pickleball Therapy, Coach Tony covers two ideas that seem unrelated at first: how players grow and sportsmanship. Both come down to the same question. Are you clear on why you’re doing what you’re doing?

One sentence that applies to pickleball

Tony has been reading Until the End of Time by physicist Brian Greene. It isn’t a pickleball book. But Tony always reads with his coaching hat on, and one sentence fit the game exactly: “Vital realizations not only provide unforeseen clarity, they also energize us to dig deeper.”

A real "aha" moment does two things. It shows you something clearly. And it makes you want to find out what’s around the next corner. That’s why, as Tony puts it, you’ll never exhaust pickleball. As long as you stay curious, the game will have something to teach you.

Curiosity vs. the coaching plan

Tony encourages questions. Sometimes he’ll redirect a student toward the area that gives the most value. That doesn’t mean the question shouldn't have been asked.

Sometimes what you’re curious about and what will move the needle most are the same thing. Sometimes they aren’t. When they aren’t, your desire should win. It’s your game. Tony’s point is to choose knowingly. There are two good reasons to take a side road:

• You just want to learn it. A roll volley, a spin serve. Fine. Deviate from the plan and learn the skill knowing the reason why.
• Something is bugging you. A lobber, a banger, a strange serve. Table the bigger-picture work for a while, solve it, then come back to the main road.

The trap is chasing something on the mistaken premise that it will move the needle, and ending up with too many balls in the air. Last week's episode of Pickleball Therapy (ep. 318) recommended picking one focus per session. The same logic applies at a bigger scale. One vital realization after another builds a sound foundation. If you’re a Your Pickleball Coach member, the Pickleball Builder is already in priority order: block one, then block two, until you’ve built your PickleWall.

The Riff: When should you challenge a call?

At a recent PPA event, Anna Bright and Anna Leigh Waters were up 11-0, 10-0, one point from moving on, when Bright challenged a ruling. They won 11-0, 11-0, and some people felt the challenge shouldn’t have been made at that score.

Tony disagrees. This is a professional match between athletes who do this for a living. The rules allow the challenge. A pro’s process shouldn’t change because of the score. Up 10-0 or down 0-10, you do the work.

Tony contrasted that with a high school football game. A team was up 56-0 just before halftime against an opponent that barely had enough players, and the coach called an onside kick. The game was called at the half, and the coach was fired. The athletic director said the conduct didn’t fit the school’s identity as a competitor. Tony agrees.

What this means for the rest of us

Most amateur events are played against people who are, more often than not, our friends. Tony suggests that puts us closer to the high school model than the pro one. Before you challenge an out call, an opponent’s serve, or the score, ask which context you’re actually in. That doesn’t mean trying any less. It’s more like giving the backup quarterback some reps. They’re on the team too.

Extra coaching tip: Both segments of this episode rest on the same principle. A side road in your training and a challenge on the court are both fine when you’re clear on why you’re taking them. The problem is doing either one on autopilot.

Original content made by humans. Adapted from Coach Tony Roig’s podcast with the help of AI, then edited by hand before publishing.