- Pickleball Daily
- Posts
- 3 skills that actually matter
3 skills that actually matter
Paul from Pickleball Daily
January 20, 2026
In partnership with
One Simple Scoop For Better Health
The best healthy habits aren't complicated. AG1 Next Gen helps support gut health and fill common nutrient gaps with one daily scoop. It's one easy routine that fits into real life and keeps your health on track all day long. Start your mornings with AG1 and keep momentum on your side.
Tip of the day
Professional player Kyle Koszuta, known as ThatPickleballGuy, shares three critical areas of focus that help amateur players improve their game and gain the attention of higher-level competitors.
One of the most common mistakes is attempting an offensive or winning shot when you are in a disadvantaged position.
A disadvantaged state occurs when you are off the kitchen line, off-balance, or forced to reach for a wide or low ball.
In these situations, your goal should be to hit a neutralizing shot—such as a reset or a sky lob—to give yourself time to recover your court position.
By understanding your "safe zones," you can automate your decision-making and reduce the pressure you feel during a fast-paced rally.
Aiming for an opponent’s backhand or the center of their body creates an "unnatural hitting position" where they cannot easily generate power.
Keeping the ball away from an opponent's reach prevents them from using their full range of motion to whip the ball aggressively at you.
Adopting the "Feel-Fix-Forward" system helps you manage the psychological stress of losing a point and prevents one mistake from causing another.
Taking a few seconds to acknowledge your frustration allows you to quickly shift your focus to evaluating your tactical decisions for the next point.
The best competitors work to stay calm, not just to feel better, but so they can maintain a clear mind for better strategic thinking on the court.
Key Points:
Recognize when you are at a disadvantage and prioritize a neutralizing reset shot over an risky attack.
Target the center of an opponent’s body to force them into cramped, weak hitting positions.
Direct your neutralizing shots toward an opponent's backhand to minimize the chance of a powerful counter-attack.
Use the two seconds after a point to acknowledge any frustration before moving on to tactical analysis.
Evaluate whether you liked your decision during a lost point, rather than just focusing on the physical execution or the final outcome.
Deal of the day
Meme of the day
A good problem! 🤣
That’s it for today! As always, thank you for reading. 🙏
If you’d like to support Pickleball Daily and want to read ad-free, please consider a premium membership.
Happy pickling,
Paul