Top Coach Leigh Waters Unlocks Amateur Potential with Three Key Pickleball Drills
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Leigh Waters, widely recognized as one of the top pickleball coaches in the game and the mother of World No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters, has recently shared three fundamental yet highly effective drill tips aimed at empowering amateur pickleball players to significantly enhance their skills. Waters, known for keeping her winning strategies closely guarded, offered these valuable insights on a recent episode of the Talk Pickle To Me podcast, focusing on building consistency, developing offensive weapons, and improving hand speed.
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Unlike many other professional players and coaches who frequently share their training methods and strategic insights, Leigh Waters typically maintains a more private approach to her coaching methodologies. Therefore, her willingness to divulge these key drills provides a rare and valuable opportunity for amateur players to learn from one of the best in the business.
The first crucial drill emphasized by Waters is consistency. While acknowledging that consistency drills can be "super boring," she stresses their fundamental importance. Waters revealed that when coaching her daughter Anna Leigh and professional player Christian Alshon, she makes them practice dinking from every possible direction, requiring them to successfully dink 100 balls in a row on their own. This seemingly monotonous drill is designed to build mental focus and the ability to apply pressure to oneself in practice. Waters explains that while the early days of pickleball often revolved around endless cross-court dinking, the modern game demands the ability to consistently hit targets under pressure.
Her second key tip focuses on the development of weapons. Waters encourages amateur players to identify their strengths and diligently practice shots that can actively put pressure on their opponents. This could involve mastering the third shot drop, developing aggressive serves, or honing specific put-away shots. The goal is to move beyond simply returning the ball and to start dictating points with intentional and well-executed offensive manoeuvres.
Finally, Waters highlights the critical importance of developing fast hands in the increasingly rapid and dynamic nature of pickleball. She suggests taking inspiration from Christian Alshon's training regimen and incorporating wall drills to improve reaction time and hand-eye coordination. Alternatively, practising with a drilling partner who intentionally speeds up the ball and relentlessly counters shots can be highly effective in developing quicker hands. Waters emphatically states that in today's game, regardless of skill level, "if you have slow hands…you’re not going to win a game".
The World Pickleball Verdict
Leigh Waters' decision to share these three fundamental pickleball drills offers invaluable and actionable advice for amateur players seeking to elevate their game. Her emphasis on the foundational skills of consistency, offensive development, and hand speed provides a clear and effective roadmap for focused practice. Given Waters' esteemed reputation as a top coach and the remarkable success of her daughter Anna Leigh Waters, these tips carry significant weight and credibility. By focusing on these key areas, amateur players can build a stronger foundation, develop more effective strategies, and ultimately enhance their enjoyment and success on the pickleball court. Waters' willingness to share her expertise is a valuable contribution to the amateur pickleball community.