You know that feeling when you flinch during a speed-up? Or reach to defend the same crosscourt dink over and over, and pop it up every time?
That’s not just a weak spot in your game. That’s panic, the pickleball kiss of death if you ask Anna Bright.
In her latest newsletter and blog post (if you don’t subscribe yet, you really should), she shares a few pearls of wisdom for remaining calm in the face of adversity.
✅ On admitting you have a problem: “Panic is the worst possible emotion to be feeling on the court.”
✅ On identifying what makes you panic: “The best way to find these areas is to do an extended drilling session with a friend or record yourself and be honest about where you struggle.”
✅ On embracing the suck: “Pickleball can be hard, it can be uncomfortable, but the only way to improve is to get comfortable being uncomfortable. You should even look to embrace it!”
✅ On the power of practice: “Once you know when you panic, you have to subject yourself to that feeling until it becomes home.”
✅ On upping the stakes: “If you work hard on conquering the areas of your game where panic creeps in, you’ll watch improvement happen rapidly. I’m a big believer in ‘trial by fire’ and things only being proven through competition.”
Got all that? Good. Now get out there and compete. Panic only wins if you let it.
