The Power of Nerves and the Love of the Game: Johnson Ranch Mindset Mixer Recap

Last Friday, my drill partner and I attended a "Mindset Mixer" hosted by the authors of Pickleball Mindset—Dayne Gingrich, a senior pro, and Jill Martin—at Johnson Ranch Sports Club, about forty minutes from where I live. I had high expectations going in, and it was very good. The event opened with a "Challenge the Pro" court, where people could line up and play a couple of points against Dayne and another senior pro. It was somewhat obvious the pros were lightening up a bit, but it was still fun to watch, and to be honest, a little bit tough to watch too. As an injured player, not being able to play with them left me a bit envious. 

They beat everyone, but had quite the challenge when an emerging pro mixed doubles team showed up. They were close, at match point for the youngsters, before the senior pros were able to fend them off.

They then led a Q and A session, which I thought was really interesting, even though I felt somewhat unprepared because I didn't have any questions. Still very informative though. I am always reminded by my peers not to take everything written in books, or everything professionals say as the truth - I am sure many authors and professionals would agree too. In fact, I know they frequently change their minds, as they continue to learn more and grow. Anyway, I really enjoyed listening to it. They spoke about a lot of things, like how to deal with nerves on the court, how to continually find motivation during the training process, and how to be able to persevere when things aren't going according to plan. But the underlying theme was very simple. Love the game, be thankful for the opportunity to compete. I found that to be significant and relatable. Personally, when it comes to pickleball, I do feel those pre-tournament butterflies. But more often than not, it’s excitement—Pickleball is one of the funnest things you can do after all! Dayne also talked about the difference between being scared, nervous, and excited. Being scared or nervous often comes from a fear of failure, while excitement means you’re ready to go. Most importantly, they emphasized that nerves aren’t something to get rid of—they’re something to embrace.

Transitioning from that conversation, the question arose: "What kind of mindset should we have going into firefights?" One of the things we emphasized was: don't allow yourself to be afraid, but of course, that is easier said than done. 

If you feel you have quicker hands than your opponent, the fear of firefights and speeding up begins to go away. Knowing you are faster with your hands gives you the natural inclination to engage. Even while I strongly promote working on your counter techniques, your opponent may just have more power and faster hands, so if that is the case, then a reset is likely your best option. You do not want to play to your opponent's strengths, so identifying their weaknesses and playing into those is your goal.

To sum up the moral of the story, you can engage in a firefight if you believe you can win. If you do not believe you can win the firefight, get out of it and try a different tactical approach.

On a side note, Dayne Gingrich mentioned that to him, firefights get to the core of what pickleball is—the engagement in all of the excitement and movement. You could hear the excitement in his voice just discussing it. 

One last thing they introduced in their talk, which I found especially interesting, was the idea of seeing pickleball as a puzzle. There is no definitive path to victory. Success comes from understanding who you are (your strengths/weaknesses), who your opponent is (their strengths/weaknesses), and then mobilizing that information to determine the best course of action. What might work against one player might not work at all against another player, and vice versa.

All in all, the Mindset Mixer was a cool realization that pickleball is just as much about mental fortitude as it is about physical. Whether it is managing nerves, firefights, or figuring out each opponent's puzzle, all success begins with a strong sense of self-awareness and loving the process. I walked away inspired, not just because I wanted to play better, but because I wanted to think better on a court. If you have a chance to go to something like this, I highly recommend.

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