February 2022 – Sarasota Pickleball Organization, LLC

One night a couple of months ago, I was playing pickleball with a few people at Colonial Oaks Park. The lights were on and the mosquitoes where biting. I saw a older man and a young man around 15 peering through the fence with great interest as to what we were doing. After about 5 minutes I couldn’t stand it anymore and I asked them if they wanted to give it a try. “Really?” they responded with surprise mixed with enthusiasm.

They were soon on the court with paddles. I learned that it was a grandfather and his grandson. Their names I cannot remember now as I tell you this story. What I do remember is that the grandson was cocky and rebellious. He was my partner, and as I tried to explain the rules he would look away or roll his eyes. When I tried to help him serve with some tips, he would angrily answer with. “I know what I’m doing.” Jeeezzz Louiseee! I thought. I began to regret that I extended the offer for them to play.

And then I looked down at the grandson’s feet. A-ha! He had flip flops on. A good reason to suspend his play. Besides, I had other players showing up. I said to him, “You can’t play with flip flops. Can you go home and put of some sneakers?”

He replies, “If I go home, I’m not coming back.” So what do I care if he comes back, but I look across the court and I see his grandfather trying to send me a message. His eyes are pleading with me to let his grandson stay and he mouths PLEASE!

I say, “OKAY, you can stay.” Boy, I must have been in a good mood that night to let a teenager with attitude stay and play. A teenager I didn’t even know and his grandfather.

Eventually, another net was put up and we had around 10 people playing. The teenager greatly improved as the night went on. Granddad called the rest of the family and soon uncle, aunts, mom, dad, the cousins all arrived and played with balls and tennis racquets and frisbees on the other side. All ages were running and yelling. It was a total zoo. But then I saw it. A smile across the cranky teenager’s face. His eyes were lit up and even with flip flops on he was getting the ball past his opponents. He latched on to one of the male players that had come that was a really good player, and together they were the dual to beat.

His grandfather had come over to me as we were getting ready to take down the nets…oh yes, they stayed for hours…and told me that what happened tonight was amazing. He said that they were concerned about his grandson who was very depressed and wasn’t socializing anymore. To see him playing and interacting with the other pickleball players brought tears to his eyes. He had called the rest of the family to observe this “miracle.” By then, the teenager was smiling and joking with all of us. He was now transformed from a moody kid to a fun to be around person.

Then this happened…he came over and hugged me and said, “thank you!” I froze for a second before I wrapped my arms around him and looked past him to see his mom and dad smiling at him. They were so happy.

I invited him to come back anytime he wanted to play with proper shoes, I joked, but I have not seen him since.

The other day, I was talking to somebody who explained to me that pickleball is the sport that brings the athlete out of the average person who didn’t know they were an athlete. Pickleball is more than just a sport. It is a way to be social. It molds an introvert into an extrovert.

I’ll never forget that night, the eyes of the grandfather pleading with me, the smile on the sulky teenager, the laughter and banter from the pickleball players. And I’ll never forget to bring bug spray again to Colonial Oaks Park. Ouch!

Here’s to playing pickleball with flip flops and may that never happen again.

Thanks for reading.

Pickleball Terry
Terry Ryan
Coach Terry owner of Sarasotapickleball.com
Clinics/Lessons
941-400-0978
Dinkpickleball@gmail.com

If I had a dollar for every time I am asked a question for clarity about the KITCHEN, A.K.A. the non-volley zone (NVZ), I’d be buying a home in Monaco. The kitchen rules are mind benders for beginners, and especially for former tennis players. I can tell by the way their eyes glaze over that THIS DOES NOT COMPUTE! My patience for repeating and reconfirming the rules again and again deserves an award for determination. Sometimes, my newbie will try to contest the rules, but I calmly repeat, “No, you cannot rush the net and slam the ball unless it bounces in the NVZ.” My newbie’s face, that a second ago had the look of VICTORY, turns into a sour frown. But, but, but….they respond.

Along with figuring out how to keep score, keeping out of the NVZ ties with -scoring on hard to remember. That 7 feet by 20 feet area is a big hurdle to get over. No, you cannot go in the kitchen unless the ball bounces. Yes, you can hangout in the kitchen all you want but you still can’t hit the ball if it doesn’t first bounce in the kitchen. Oh, that confuses them more than the 2 bounce rule.

So, here are the most questions I answer about the kitchen as a pickleball coach.

Student: So you mean I can’t go into the kitchen?

Me: Yes you can but it’s not a good idea to hangout there because you can’t hit the ball during a volley.

Student: What’s a volley?

Me: It’s when you strike a ball in the air before it bounces.

Student: Can I go into the kitchen after the ball bounces in the kitchen?

Me: Yes, you can enter the kitchen if the ball bounces but it is a good idea to get right back out or you will be a target for the next shot.

Student: Why do you call if the non-volley zone sometimes?

Me: Because kitchen is another name for the non-volley zone or NVZ. A volley is striking the ball before it bounces.

Student: Yeah, but why “kitchen.”

Me: Because pickleball is several sports put together and KITCHEN comes from shuffle board. You are penalized for being in the kitchen in shuffleboard.

Student: Can I go into the kitchen before the ball bounces?

Me: Yes you can.

Student: Do I have to go out of the kitchen and back in to hit a ball?

Me: If the ball bounces in the kitchen again you don’t have to go out and back into the kitchen.

Student: What if I hit it in the air?

Me: Then you do have to be out of the kitchen and both feet have to be on the ground to hit a volley ball right after you hit a ball that bounces in the kitchen.

Student: So, you’re saying I can’t rush the net?

Me: You can if the ball bounces in the kitchen.

Student: Can the ball go into the kitchen during a serve?

Me: No, that’s a fault.

Student: Can I return a ball into the kitchen after it is served to me?

Me: Yes.

Student: Can I go into the kitchen after I hit a volley outside of the kitchen?

Me: No, your momentum cannot take you into the kitchen.

Student: If my toe is on the NVZ line is that considered being in the kitchen?

Me: Yes.

Student: If the ball bounces outside of the kitchen in the court and I hit it then run into the kitchen is that okay.

Me: Yes.

Student: Can the ball strike the NVZ line on the serve?

Me: No. It’s a fault.

Student: If being in the kitchen is so dangerous, why are you always telling me to RUN UP TO THE KITCHEN?

Me: Because being at the kitchen line gives you the advantage of cutting your opponents reaction time and putting the ball away winning the point.

Some other things I point out.

You cannot drop anything in the kitchen during a volley like a hat, a ball that drops out of your pocket, a tissue, etc. It’s a fault.

Your partner cannot pull you out of the kitchen during a volley so you can hit the ball if he/she is standing in the kitchen. It’s a fault.

You cannot hit a dink then strike the net. That’s a fault. A dink is a light hit of the pickleball that drops it just over the net into the kitchen area.

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to email me at dinkpickleball.com.

Thanks for reading!

Pickleball Terry
Terry Ryan
dinkpickleball@gmail.com
941-400-0978
SarasotaPickleball.com – owner/Gearbox Dealer

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