Are you or do you know many left-handed players? My first female pickleball partner was left-handed. So I learned to play with a lefty early on. I greatly valued this experience and believe it has paid dividends in my tournament play.
Reluctance and Resistant to Change
However, I have seen many instances when a lefty feels like no one want to play with them. It seems that some people are reluctant to try something new. Of course, some people are just resistant to change in order to play effectively with a left-handed player.
Communicate
I realize I have mentioned this in nearly every post, but effective communication is the key to solving many a pickleball challenge. Communication, before play begins, is a good place to start. A short conversation to discuss stacking, covering the middle, etc. is imperative.
Learning how to communicate with people on the court is difficult. It is not only the words we say, but how we say it. I often observe someone trying to help, but instead sounding condescending. Many players don’t want to be “coached” by their “equal”. Learning how to communicate is so important that I dedicated an entire section of my ebook Be the Best Partner You Can Be to this topic.
Stacking
The feeling of being “coached” rather than supported, is especially true when players that don’t typically stack are asked to do so. Stacking allows both players forehands to be in the middle, which can be a huge advantage. This can be especially important when attempting third shot drops.
Many players, however, avoid stacking because they find it confusing. Everything is confusing until you take the time to understand it. If you have any questions, take the time to study this post then practice during recreation play. Be patient with yourself and your partner during this process. Keep in mind, the more tools you acquire the greater your opportunities for success.
Trust
Of course learning a new skill or strategy is important, and learning to communicate before, during and after play is invaluable. But those skills will be for not unless you trust the person next to you. When you have mutual trust, with your partner, you automatically will be in synch and function as a better team. A team that works together, and uses each other’s strengths to the benefit of the team will always be more successful.
My goal on the court is to always be inclusive. I don’t think avoiding left-handed players is helpful in any way. In fact, avoiding these situations may actually hinder your advancement.
