One of my favorite coaches Vic Braden who’s been coaching for over 60 years said this, “the number one mistake I see the average player make in all my years coaching is hitting into the net.” You may be thinking, ‘man this is real basic stuff’ I know why the ball goes in the net. Yet, like Vic, I too have found that many.. many… players DO NOT REALLY KNOW what causes shots to go in the net and how to fix it. I remember years ago I was doing some sparring with a Tour Player. As we practiced he was hitting quite a few shots into the net. So I said to him, “Why do you think that’s happening?” Guess what? He had an answer but, it wasn’t the correct one, he really didn’t know. So, if a Tour Level player doesn’t know, is it any wonder the vast majority of players out there DON’T REALLY KNOW. Remember this, knowledge of why certain things happen is power to fix it. When you have the ability to fix your mistakes you become an independent player. That’s my goal as your coach, to help you become an independent player.
This video clip was taken from the Tom Avery’s Extensive Video Lessons Archives, in the right hand column. There are a lot of similar lessons in the Archives (well worth the price) that will help you become that Independent Player (a player who can correct his/her mistakes to play more consistently as a match progresses).
