LEARNING JAI ALAI:
Instruction/Tutoring: The
North Miami amateur location is a good
place to learn, actually it is the
only place I know you can go and
learn. Surely there are players that are
eager to help out, and also those
who will teach for a fee, you would
need to call and find out that information. My
recommendation is to get some instruction, that
will save a lot of frustration and
will get you playing a lot faster
with the added advantage of learning the
correct form and not develop bad habits
which are very hard to get rid off
later, but very easy to acquire when
you learn by yourself.
What to expect if you go:
If you are new, expect disappointment
and discouragement. Disappointment that you
can’t throw the damned ball straight,
much less catch it, and discouragement
because for weeks you still won’t
be able to throw the ball straight,
much less catch it. This is the
stage where most potential players will
either decide to continue on, or just
give up. Are you up to the challenge?
All I can tell you to help is
that it gets better with time and
practice. Those who see the obstacles
as challenge will go on, those who
get frustrated easily will give up, and
will miss a truly rewarding, unique, challenging
and exciting sport experience. There is
usually lots of players that are only
too happy to offer advice and help
you get started. Most of us are fascinated
by the sport and only want to see
it grow and have a healthy community.
I am an avid raquetball player classified
as club “A” level and have
played baseball and softball, but once
I learned jai-alai, never looked back,
I was captivated and fascinated and still
am. I am currently playing plastic ball
again with a new PVC-like ball available
that brings back good ol’ memories
from hardball, and had the hardball court
been open, I would definitely still be
playing. Try it, you won’t regret
it.
My experience as a newbie:
Most people, me included, learn
by trial and error by themselves, and
in jai alai, all newbies will probably
have the same problems starting out as
I had. Let me describe your first
attempt at jai alai- You will go
ahead and disregard my advice of practicing
with a tennis wall against a school
or warehouse wall or something similar,
and you will try the trial and error
first before getting formal instruction. You
will then go ahead and buy a used
cesta, no helmet yet as is not required
in rubber ball, where you will remain
for a sure long time, you will then
try your first throw with your new
cesta and find it extremely difficult to
keep the ball inside the cesta without
falling, then after finally managing to
get your cesta with the ball behind
your body, you’ll heroically hurl the
ball forward, only to find out that
you ended up throwing it at your shoes,
or maybe 90 degrees sideways, or basically
any way EXCEPT forwards to the wall.
You think it is discouraging?, nahhh,
try catching the ball, it will jump
out every single time. Well, welcome to
jai alai, I told you to seek instruction
first and you didn’t listen, but
it is just part of the fun and
challenge, in fact, it’s what kept
me going. I kept going to see the
professionals and the good amateurs and
concluded that if they could do it,
I could too, and I wasn’t going
to stop until at least I could throw
and catch the ball. Needless to say
if you get to that stage, there is
just no stopping, it took me a lot
longer (3 months or so) than it would’ve taken
me had I sought instruction, but I
made it and I have had a great
time all these years. If anyone ever
asks what my favorite sport is, no
hesitation, it’s jai-alai, see you there!.
Back to Jai Alai home page
Levels of Play
Jai Alai Equipment
Screenshots
and downloads
My experiences as an amateur
