Collin Shick and Jack Sock’s Guide to the Perfect Poach: Master Game-Changing Tactics

Collin Shick and Jack Sock’s Guide to the Perfect Poach: In a detailed match breakdown on Selkirk TV, Collin Shick, a rising star in the pickleball world, revealed a critical moment in a doubles match at the Selkirk Red Rock Open. The breakdown focused on his partner, Jack Sock, and how he executed a perfect poach—an aggressive move in doubles play where a player moves across the court to intercept a shot.

Shick shared insights on how players can read these opportunities and apply similar tactics in their games. He emphasized three key principles: using your brain, legs, and body to maximize pressure on your opponents.

Using Your Brain: Recognize the Moment

During the point, Shick hit a third-shot drive from his backhand—his strongest shot. The drive was low and well-placed, forcing the opposing player into a defensive stance. Shick explained that whenever an opponent sends a ball towards your strength, or one you can drive low with topspin, it’s a signal to seize the opportunity.

Typically, for many players, the forehand is the power shot, but for Shick, it was his backhand. When a return bounces high and soft, Shick sees this as a “green light” to drive the ball. The key is for the partner to recognize the opportunity to poach if the opponent sends the ball back high.

Using Your Legs: Commit to the Attack

Once an opportunity arises, decisiveness is crucial. The player not hitting the third shot must rush forward behind the drive, creating a formidable presence in front of the opponent preparing to return the shot. This kind of pressure can force an error or require the opponent to hit a perfect shot to stay in the point.

Jack Sock executed this flawlessly in the match. As Shick drove the ball, Sock sprinted towards Pablo Tellez, anticipating a down-the-line volley he could intercept. Sock’s quick move put Tellez under pressure, contributing to a mishit and a quick point for the Shick-Sock duo.

Using Your Body: Be the Target

Positioning is critical. Knowing where the opponent will likely place their next shot allows a player to move between the ball and that target. In the breakdown, once Sock read the play and moved in, he anticipated Tellez’s return and positioned himself perfectly. When the ball popped up, Sock crushed a backhand winner down the middle.

Defending a low, hard drive often leads to mistakes or easy putaways for the opposing team. If Sock had stayed back or moved up too slowly, the opportunity might have vanished, forcing them to find another way to win the point.

Building the Muscle to Poach

Shick emphasized the importance of practicing poaching in games. If a partner is strong at driving the ball, it creates opportunities to intercept an opponent’s weak response. Communication is key—using cues like “Go” before hitting the ball can prompt a partner to act decisively.

With practice, players can learn to identify ideal poach situations and execute them effectively, becoming a formidable presence on the court.

The Takeaway: Pressure Creates Opportunities

Shick’s breakdown offered a lesson in how to apply constant pressure on opponents, using positioning, anticipation, and decisive action. Understanding when to make the move and how to execute it can elevate a team’s game, turning even a small opening into a game-winning play.

In the competitive world of pickleball, the ability to recognize and capitalize on poaching opportunities is a game-changer—something that can set you apart and make you a force to be reckoned with on the court.

News in Brief : Collin Shick and Jack Sock’s Guide to the Perfect Poach