Callie Jo Smith’s Disguised Speedup Pickleball Technique: Professional pickleball player Callie Jo Smith took to Instagram to share a pivotal lesson from her early career. Known for her ability to adapt and evolve her game, Smith discussed how she turned a predictable habit into a strategic advantage by refining her shot mechanics. Her approach to disguising speedups not only neutralized a weakness but added complexity to her playing style.
The Early Struggle: A Predictable Pattern
Smith began by recounting a challenge she faced early in her career. Before every speedup, she would pause or “hold” her paddle, a habit that allowed her opponents to anticipate her moves.
“Everyone always knew it was coming. They’d make fun of me for it, and I’d think, ‘How the heck do you know what I’m doing?’” – (Callie Jo Smith)
This predictability often left her at a disadvantage during points. However, rather than abandon the hold altogether, Smith saw an opportunity to use it in a way her opponents wouldn’t expect.
View this post on Instagram
Turning a Weakness Into a Strength
Instead of “un-training” herself to stop pausing before speedups, Callie Jo Smith decided to incorporate the hold into all of her shots, including her dinks. This adjustment masked her intentions, making it nearly impossible for opponents to discern whether she was preparing for a dink or a speedup.
“Now my opponent doesn’t know when I’m going to speed up the ball,” Callie Jo Smith explained. This strategic evolution allowed her to transform what was once a liability into a deceptive tool that enhanced her overall game.
The Importance of Disguising Shots
Callie Jo Smith emphasized that many players struggle to disguise their shots, particularly when switching between dinks and speedups. The ability to keep opponents guessing is crucial in pickleball, where split-second decisions often determine the outcome of a rally. Her technique involves adding a subtle hold or pause to every shot, creating consistency in her movements and preventing opponents from identifying patterns.
“As I move or dink, I kind of do a small hold. Then I go—dink, hold, speed.” – (Callie Jo Smith)
This uniformity across shots ensures that even the most observant opponents can’t predict her next move.
Inspiring Innovation in the Pickleball Community
Callie Jo Smith’s innovative approach to addressing her early-career challenge continues to inspire players across the pickleball community. By sharing her journey, she not only provided a practical solution for disguising speedups but also demonstrated the value of embracing feedback and thinking creatively about strategy.
Her Instagram post invites players to reflect on their habits and consider how they might refine their game. As Callie Jo Smith herself puts it, “What habit do you have that gives away your speedups?”
News in Brief: Callie Jo Smith’s Disguised Speedup Pickleball Technique
Professional pickleball player Callie Jo Smith shared an Instagram lesson on turning a predictable habit into a strategic advantage. Early in her career, her habit of pausing before speedups made her moves predictable. Instead of abandoning the habit, she adapted it by incorporating the pause into all her shots, including dinks, making it harder for opponents to anticipate her next move.
This technique of disguising shots adds complexity to her game and keeps opponents guessing. Callie Jo Smith’s story emphasizes the importance of adaptability, self-awareness, and using feedback to refine one’s strategy and elevate overall performance.
ALSO READ: Callie Jo Smith Exposes the Biggest Mistake That Pickleball Players Make When Speeding Up the Ball