5 Pickleball Concepts That Give You the Biggest Bang for Your Buck
Summary
Coach Jess of Athena Pickleball boils improvement down to five concepts that pay off at every level. First, points are won at the kitchen line, so the returning team should move all the way in behind the return and take the third shot from high to low. Second, use the basic pattern of send it down, get it up: aim at your opponent’s feet from anywhere on the court so they have to lift the ball for you to attack.
Third, be stopped (stable) just before your opponent makes contact so you are not running through balls in transition, and earn your way in like red light, green light. Fourth, keep the paddle up and in front in your ready position and while you move, with no backswing past your leg, so you are ready when a dink gets sped up. Fifth, the biggest mistake of all: stop driving off the bounce when you are mid-court. Drop it at their feet, get the rest of the way in, and then go after the high ball.
Key takeaways
- Your goal is the kitchen line; returners should arrive behind the return
- Send the ball down to their feet to force a ball up
- Be stable just before your opponent hits, every shot
- Paddle up and in front; no backswing past your leg
- Mid-court bouncing ball = drop and move in, not a drive
Action items
- On every return, sprint-walk to the kitchen and note how often you arrive before the third shot
- Play a game where you only attack balls above net height
- Run a transition drill calling ‘stop’ each time your opponent makes contact
- Film your ready position and check the paddle stays at chest height