The old serve and volley is one of the OG tennis strategies…it’s also useful for the Pickleball stage.
It’s easy to become sucked in to the methodical rally from one end of the court to the other. Developing a strategy to take control of the net can be a game changer for your Pickleball team.
This gives you the ability to win points early in the play rather than engaging in the long rally.
What is this sport? Is it tennis? Is it badminton? Is it ping pong? To be honest, it’s a bit of all three. Pickleball may seem a bit confusing at first when you step out onto the court with your oversized ping pong racquet and see a badminton net set up as if it were tennis; but with a quick summary of the rules, you’ll see that Pickleball is uniquely its own. Here’s what you need to know to be a Pickleball pro:
Serving:
We often have people contacting our office because they really want to play in a league, but are unable to commit to one specific night a week for an entire season. We completely understand that some work or personal schedules are just too unpredictable, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get out there and play some sports! We highly encourage individuals that find themselves in this kind of situation to register as a sub.
Here’s a quick step-by-step on how to go about doing that:
Whether you’re just starting out, you have a few seasons under your belt, or you’re a gherkin’ pro, I’m about to serve up some shots and strategies that even the most brined player should know to up their game.
SHOTS
After a few seasons as one of the newest ESSC sports, we have had the opportunity to see lots of Pickleball matches. While observing the game of Pickleball we have noticed there are a few different types of Pickleball players.
First there are the Power Players. These players smash the ball like they are in a tennis match every chance they get. Most of the balls will be near the end line and you risk the chance of these shots going out of bounds. This method is typically less accurate, but I admit, it does look pretty cool when you nail that power shot.
I’m sure if you’re reading this, then you must ‘relish’ the opportunity to get out on the Pickleball court. The game is taking the world by storm and we want to set you up for success!
So you signed up for Pickleball this Fall and think you’re the real ‘dill even though you’ve never taken a swing at that famous green whiffle ball? Maybe you are, maybe you’re aren’t. I don’t know you, so I won’t judge. If you are new to this game, here are a few tips and tricks from the Pickleball pros themselves (not from me… if you’ve ever seen me play, you’d know why):
I’m sure there are a lot of people who only associate double bouncing with trampoline shenanigans, but those people have never played Pickleball. The double bounce rule is one of the most confusing rules in the sport. The rule states that each team must play their first shot of each rally off a bounce. This means that the receiving team has to let the serve bounce before returning it; then the serving team has to let the ball bounce before playing their next shot.
We have all experienced those players on our team, you know, the one who only shows up to about 40% of your league games. Their excuses are always (somewhat) valid – “I’m swamped at work,” “My car got stuck in the snow,” “I had to feed Mr. Meowington” – but they usually pay their league fees in full and they’re always up for a post-game beer, so we put up with them anyway.
You don’t want to play short (again) so you need to find a sub. This can sometimes be a tedious task, so here are a few tips to help simplify your quest:
WHO TO ASK
Let’s set the scene. It’s the summer of 1965, you and your two friends return to your home on Bainbridge Island and your families are sitting around with nothing to do. You walk in the door and are immediately bombarded by your kids: “Daaaaad, I’m bored,” “Daaaaad, let’s play.” Yes – you’re the dad in this scene. So, you, being the MacGyver of Bainbridge Island, look outside and see three things; a Badminton court (because you’re crazy rich, apparently), ping-pong paddles, and a couple of whiffle balls. What do you do? You put them together.
