I first met my friend Lauren on the pickleball court. I was somewhat new to pickleball and had been invited to play with a team that competes in one of the largest pickleball leagues in the country. Little did I know I was being “vetted” for the team, but that’s another story. Lauren and I were paired together to play a doubles match, and two things caught my attention: Lauren had a killer forehand volley (seriously, you better get out of the way for those) and she was radically positive with her game. Having a tennis background, I had seen many people beat themselves up after hitting an errant shot or let themselves get negatively affected by a bad line call. Not Lauren. She seemed to have a way of letting things roll off her shoulders and would always dial back in to focus on the next point. 

Months later, after making the team’s roster, Lauren and I started playing as a doubles team more frequently. Our first league match was nerve-racking. We were up against a top team that no one expected us to beat. Frankly, I thought this league thing was supposed to be fun, but our opponents looked tough and mean, and they weren’t friendly. I was already intimidated by watching them hit a few practice balls and didn’t have a good feeling. Perhaps my nerves were showing because Lauren walked over to me during warm-up looking calm, cool, and collected, and said, “Hey, I want you to try something.” Then she asks, “Can you think of a time when you felt genuine euphoria, when you were having the time of your life, or felt on top of the world?”  

Sure, I said – “last week” (I had just returned from an epic 50th birthday celebration trip in the Turks & Caicos). Lauren looked me square in the face and said, “Can you pinpoint where that feeling lives in your body right now?” I took 10 seconds to recall the mesmerizing turquoise waters of Turks, the rich culinary blends of Caribbean food, and the adventurous dive off a wrecked pirate ship, and instantly felt an expansive gratefulness in my heart as I recalled my vacation time. “Keep your awareness of that feeling in your body when you play this match, ok?”, she said. “If you get distracted, no problem, just come back to it as much as you can.” 

I wasn’t sure what Lauren was up to, but before I knew it, the winning pressure I felt before the match was released from my headspace. Remembering all the fun of Turks and Caicos somehow changed my mindset and translated into an 11-8; 11-9 win. Go team Lauren & Casie! 

“What just happened?“, I thought. I wanted to know more. Our match went completely different than I expected, and it was super fun! 

As it turned out, Lauren had employed a version of her coaching technique called Empowerment Pose which she often uses in her executive coaching business, LPV Coaching. I was fascinated to learn that she had already begun integrating these strategies with other athletes, including PPA Professional Ivan Jakovljevic, currently ranked #32 in the world.” 

And there was more to Lauren’s insights.  As she continued to share her expertise, it became evident that her strategies weren’t just theoretical but grounded in real-world success. Each tip she provided was backed by neurological research and data, showcasing how implementing these techniques can positively impact your nervous system and enhance performance.  

Here’s three tips for leveling up your mental game, courtesy of LPV Coaching: 

1. Embody a Character

It starts with a mini audit of your game. Think back on your last few matches. What’s been happening mentally on the court? What’s been present? What, if anything, has been missing? Is there any consistency you can point to? A thought pattern you’d like to break?  

Let’s say you do a mental audit and notice you’re not very aggressive at the net. Maybe, if you’re being honest, you recognize that your opponents often intimidate you. Or, you’ve seized up at an opponent’s drive instead of keeping your paddle out front to block. In short you realize a healthy dose of aggression would help level up your game.  

Now comes the fun part: think of a character that exudes the quality you desire more of in your game. Using the example above, let’s say it’s that healthy dose of aggression — some extra umph in your state of play.  

What do you think of when you consider this “extra umph”? What images come to mind? Maybe it’s the arm-flex bicep emoji 💪 or the green sneer of The Hulk?

Pick one that resonates deeply with you. This image should embody the desired quality intensely so that you can siphon it readily. 

If your image is just a facial expression, a color, or a symbol, personify it. Give it a name. If your image is already a character – an animal, a superhero, a TV persona, etc. – recall its name.  

Now close your eyes and think of that image. If that image were a sensation in your body, what would it feel like? Feel it. If that image were to assume a type of body language, what would it be? Assume it. If that image made a sound, what would it sound like? Make that sound.  

Get familiar with the physical sensations your character evokes in you. Let these sensations expand in your body. Feel them build by concentrating on the image of your character and mimic its quality. Do this before the match (a few times, if possible, to get familiar with the feeling). It should only take 1-2 minutes.  

Then, right before you step onto the court, do it again. And watch what happens to your game. Remember it’s not just picturing your character, but also feeling the sensation of the quality you’re evoking in your body that does the trick.

2.  Go Blank!

No matter what level of skill we bring to the court, our bodies will perform it if we let them. It’s our thoughts that often get in the way of our performance on the pickleball court. When our mind is focused on our game and in sync with our bodies, we can operate freely at our own level of play. However, our mental focus is precarious – it doesn’t take much for us to get sidetracked, or worse still, let in the self-critic.  

Think about it: we hit a bad shot at a pivotal moment, and it sits with us, taking up way too much space for way too long. Between points we often focus on the score, the disappointment of it or the fear of letting it drop, instead of how to change it or maintain it. It’s not uncommon to get thrown off by our opponents. The list of distractions is bespoke and long. And they happen to everyone, even the pros.  

So, what to do when the noise gets loud? Go Blank. When thoughts get swirling and your game starts faltering, one of the best hacks to get us “zoned back in” is to wipe the slate clean. We’ve got to turn down the head noise so our muscle memory can work with our learned instincts to get the job done.  

To help go blank, pick a small detail to focus all your attention on for at least 10 seconds. It’s easiest if you do something physical with your body.  

For example, wiggle your right pinky toe and focus on how it feels against the side of your shoe within your sock. Or, squeeze your paddle in your hand a few times quickly and focus on the sound or sensation of the air that puffs between the rubber and your skin. Anything specific and minute will do, so long as you focus all your attention there for at least 10 seconds. Then hit the ball. Play out the point and see what happens. 

PPA Professional Ivan Jakovljevic believes that mastering his mental game is equally as important as mastering his technical skills on the court. “I have to learn to keep my perspective throughout the game. I have to let mistakes go and keep the big picture in mind. The technique of “Going Blank” is one I use to stay settled and loose on the court.”  

Jakovljevic also knows that going blank doesn’t guarantee a winning point. “It simply clears a runway for my skills to come alive and give me the best chance at winning the point. It’s a way to help fortify my mental focus and level-up my game. 

3.  Strike a Pose (an empowerment pose)

Sometimes our mental space just needs a little boost. We’re thrown off our game by one of the aforementioned distractions – maybe disappointment is alive and thriving after a few unforced errors and we’re down on ourselves or simply not having any fun.  

One of the easiest ways to “kick the ick” is to recall a time when you played a particularly good game. Competing in a tournament, practicing with your team, having fun with friends — it doesn’t matter the context as long as you can recall the match and how good you felt playing it.  

During a time out, go back to that memory. Zero in on a couple of plays, what you did, how it felt. Then bring that feeling into your body. Where does that feeling live in your body? Put your awareness there.  

You can do this exercise before your game so that you can easily assume your empowerment pose during a time out, but once you have the pose, take your body there and try to siphon the feeling of the memory. Walk around in it for 20 – 30 seconds and once on the court, channel it during your play.   

In Summary:

While these tips may seem unconventional, I can personally attest to their effectiveness. Since incorporating them into my game, I’ve seen a remarkable improvement in my performance on the court. So, I urge you to embrace your inner superhero, give your pinky toes a wiggle, and strike a pose! Share your experiences with us in the comments below. We can’t wait to hear how these tips help elevate your game!