Deciding-game pressure points

Setup

1. Pairs of similar standard on a table with a score flip chart; a third player can umpire.
2. Each game is played as a deciding game: to 11, win by 2, two serves each until 10-all, then one each.
3. Ends change when the first player reaches 5. Serve order carries on unchanged after the change.

How it runs

1. Round 1: start at 4-4, so the change of ends comes almost at once. Practise the routine: towel, breath, plan, back to the table.
2. Round 2: start at 8-8 or 9-9, decided by the coach; the server is the one who would be serving at that score.
3. Round 3: start at 10-10. Each player serves one point at a time until someone leads by two.
4. Rotate opponents after each round. Keep a tally of deciding games won.

Coaching points

• Have a plan for the big points before the game starts: a reliable serve, a safe receive, a first attack you trust.
• Use the same short routine before every point: walk away, breathe out, decide, then play.
• At 10-all with one serve each, think about the serve you most trust, not the riskiest one.
• Play the ball, not the score: aim for good targets with good margins over the net.
• After a lost point, reset quickly; the next point is worth the same.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting to change ends at 5 in the deciding game.
• Serving twice from 10-all, or changing the service order after the change of ends.
• Playing far too safely and letting the opponent take every initiative.
• Rushing between points when nervous.