This blog post is long overdue. I have been playing for 4 years now and teaching for 2, I think. I’ve given a lot of thought on what I wish people would have told me when I began playing pickleball. Somethings were a real shocker. So, here are the 10 things I wish I knew when I started playing pickleball.
- It is a fast game
People will tell you that pickleball is a great game for seniors because it uses half of a tennis court, and you don’t have to run as much, as let’s say tennis. Wrong! Pickleball is a very fast game and if you want to be a competitive player, then you better get ready to move. Run to the kitchen! Get that lob! Make no mistake, the better players are going to speed up the ball and you better be able to get to it. I’m do not want to discourage new players, I just want you to be prepared.
2. You will fall!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen on the court. Luckily I have extra padding in the way of body fat that seems to protect my bones. Oh, there are some benefits of carrying the extra pounds. Do not think that falling gives you a free pass. Nope. Falling does not stop the play and your opponents will target a down player. Yup! So, get up and shake it off.
3. You need some athletic ability
I have seen people show up to drop-in play with no obvious athletic ability. They stumble around, wobble on weak ankles, and become out-of-breath after a few minutes. Why? Because someone told them that pickleball was the “in” thing to do as a Baby Boomer. It is great, but before you give it a start, Mr. or Mrs. Baby Boomer, please go to step class or yoga class, and work on your balance and endurance. Falling on a hard court can be life changing, and not in a good way. Many people end up in the ER after playing pickleball. It is not something you can just pick up after not participating in any physical activity for years and years. Pickleball is not as easy as it looks. And players are very competitive pushing you to your physical limits. I would recommend taking a private lesson where the coach can carefully assess you and your abilities, before your participate in open play. When I started playing, I was already a racquetball player and took yoga classes, but I still had sore muscles for 2 weeks after I started playing. It is a very physical game.
4. Why you have to get up to the kitchen?
When I first started, my partners were always yelling at me to GET UP TO THE KITCHEN. Well, I was terrified of going up to the kitchen. The kitchen is the area 7’x20′ from the net on either side. You can stand at the kitchen line or NVZ (non-volley zone) but God help you if you step into the kitchen unless the ball bounces in the kitchen first. What? Wait, you want me to run up to the kitchen but not step into the kitchen, and block any balls coming at me at 20 miles per hour? SO SCARY!!! I tell my students to NOT FEAR THE KITCHEN and to get up there. My mantra is SERVE AND STAY, RETURN AND RUN! The reason beginners are staying back by the baseline is because they have more time to react to a ball, and a better chance of a successful return. Next time you play a beginner, don’t be so hard on them with the GET UP TO THE KITCHEN! That will come but they have to get a feel for the game first before they get confused by all the rules and strategies. I used to go to bed hearing GET UP TO THE KITCHEN yell.
5. Why it is important to dink.
I was playing for months before someone explained dinking to me. This was an interesting concept. The people I was playing with were just banging the ball back and forth with no so-called dinking. Here’s the problem. You learn to dink (soft hits over the net keeping the ball in the kitchen area hoping that the opponents lose patience and pop it up, and this results in you slamming it down the court) but no one else dinks!!! That’s right. All that pregame, warming up and dinking, and then once the game begins everyone resorts back to banging.
“Dinking is boring,” somebody said. And the percentage of winning shots are greatly increased when you slam the ball instead of dinking…when you are a beginner, novice and intermediate. However, if you want to be considered advanced and a competitive player, then you better become consistent at dinking.
6. Drilling is important!
Ah, another thing I wish people had whispered in my ear when I took up pickleball, is you have to drill. But again, some people find drilling so boring. That’s like expecting to be great at a sport but not practicing. That makes no sense. I found out the “rule” is; drill 80% and play 20%. But finding drilling partners is so hard. Last year, I put together a drill group and it became very obvious that if you get a bunch of pickleball players together, they are going to want to play games. Anyway, the drill group fell apart, but I get all my drilling in now by coaching. I drill, drill, drill with my students. And they can’t say, “NO!” because I am the coach. Drilling problem solved.
7. You have to learn the 3rd Shot Drop
Along with drilling, no one told me about the 3rd Shot Drop until I was a year into pickleball. A 3rd Shot Drop is what the server does when he/she carefully lobs the ball into the kitchen in front of the opponents. Why is this shot important? It gives the serving side enough time to get up to the kitchen. Again, another great drill is doing the 3rd Shot Drop over and over again. If you want to get in on my drills, come to my weekly clinics at the Y Berlin on Fridays, 1:00 – 3:00.
8. You are going to meet some knuckleheads along the way.
No, it’s not you. That angry player is mad at everyone. That’s just his game face. Some people are intensely serious when they play. They don’t smile. Some don’t even acknowledge your amazing shot. (Hmmm) There are people who don’t want to play with you. (She’s not good enough.) There are people who will be friendly but guarded. People who will not give you the time of day. All kinds of personalities you will come across on the pickleball courts. My suggestion is ignore. I’m not saying you should let the court bully push you around, but choosing not to engage is probably a good idea. After all, it’s just pickleball.
The following people you will meet:
-The clickers…they are still in the high school mindset and want to play only with people in their “click.”
-Eye rollers…every time you miss a shot they roll their eyes.
-Ball hogs…They soon determine that you are way below their level so they decide to run all over the court and take every shot.
-Paddle slappers…every time they miss a shot they slap their thigh with the paddle causing a shockingly loud noise.
-Paddle movers…they think they are being sly and when your back is turned they move your paddle and put theirs ahead of yours.
-Paddle throwers…they get mad and throw their paddle as if they had 10k on winning the game.
-Anti-netters…they come late and leave early so they don’t have to put a net up or take one down.
-Stinkers…they argue about everything from calls on out balls to the score.
Preachers…they like to give unsolicited advice even when you didn’t ask for it.
-Potty Mouths…well, you know what that means.
-Yellers…when they hit a ball or miss a ball, they yell or grunt. (yes, me)
If you have more to add, email me at dinkpickleball@gmail.com
9.The score thing.
Telling the score is the hardest part. That’s what I tell my students. I create a reenactment of a game and move the students around like pawns on a chess board. I have them go over and over saying the score. I explain to them how important it is to fully understand the concept of when the starting server is on the right side of the court, the score will always be even. I have them wear a rubber bracelet to indicate who begins serving, that I pickled up at some of the tournaments I played in. I also try to relieve my students’ frustration by telling them, “It took me 6 months to learn how to say the score.” That makes them smile.
10. And lastly find a Pickleball Terry
When I started, I didn’t have a Pickleball Terry who hosts weekly 2 hour clinics for $7.00, or gave private lessons. I mean there were instructors when I started but they were too busy, or I had to drive 2 hours to get a lesson. I say all the time, “I wish I had a Terry when I started.” I remember clearly what I went through when I began, and I know what I wish I had explained to me. What are the strategies? What is the difference between a volley and a rally? Why doesn’t that player want to play with me? What paddle should I use? What are the best court shoes? Oh, things could have been simpler. So, my suggestion if you are beginning pickleball, is find a Terry to help you out, or just call me.
Thanks for reading.
Pickleball Terry
941-400-0978
USA Pickleball Ambassador
PPR Certified Coach
Owner of SarasotaPickleball.com
Dinkpickleball@gmail.com
Thanks, these are good. I’ve only been playing two months, no racket experience.