10 Ways to being a better pickleball partner

By Pickleball Terry

10 Ways to Be the Pickleball Partner Everyone Wants

Let’s face it—pickleball is 50% skill, 50% strategy, and 100% about not driving your partner crazy. Here are ten essential ways to be a great partner:

1. Call Your Shots… Nicely

It’s a dink, not a boxing match. Instead of yelling, “I GOT IT!” like you’re trying to scare a bear, use a calm, confident tone. Also goes for “OUT!” (Yes, you can still call a ball OUT before it actually bounces out of bounds. It’s partner’s communication.)

2. Don’t Be a Court Hog

Nobody likes a partner who plays like it’s singles. If you’re sprinting across the court to steal every shot, you’re not impressing anyone. Instead, you’re just auditioning for the next season of Alone. Who wants to play with a court hog in rec play? Or somebody who acts like it’s a life and death situation if they don’t win the game. Don’t be that person. Let your partner play too even if they are way below everyone’s level on the court. EVEN if the opponents know your team’s weakest player and keep hitting to them. It’s rec play. Period!

3. Apologize Sparingly

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Missed a shot? No problem. Apologize once and move on. If you keep saying “Sorry!” after every bad hit, your partner might start wondering if they’re playing with someone on a guilt trip. And there is this saying, “There’s no sorry in pickleball.” And this one, “Pickleball means never having to say you’re sorry.” (Okay, I’ll stop now.)

4. Be the Hype Person

Cheer them on like they just hit a winner at Wimbledon, even if the ball barely cleared the net. A good “Nice shot!” can erase a whole morning of double faults. And, hey, who doesn’t love a morale boost? Leave them with a positive experience, and wanting more. Don’t forget paddle taps between shots. Bad or good. Checking with your partner for the correct score. Smiling. No eye rolling. Giving them the silent treatment. Oh my goodness! Stop being the negative Nelly on the court. It’s just pickleball!

5. Know the Rules

If you’re caught camping in the kitchen, don’t argue the call or pretend you don’t know the rule. Your partner is judging you in silence while pretending it’s fine. It’s not fine. Remember the score. Keep your head in the game. Run for a loose ball. Don’t let your partner run for everyone. Know where you are supposed to stand. Be on your toes. Don’t know all these points? Take one of Pickleball Terry’s clinics. I’ll set you straight.

6. Communicate Like a Pro

Shouting “YOURS!” doesn’t cut it if both of you are already staring at the ball like it’s a UFO. Try something clearer, like, “I’ll cover the lob, and switch!” Communication saves points and friendships. I also talk to my partner about who takes the middle (forehand) before we start the game. If the person is a lefty, are we going to stack? Plus, talk tips about the opponents. Something like Jenny never comes up to the kitchen, etc. Talking behind your paddles to each other also makes the opponents nervous.
Cat saying what did I do
7. Keep the Critiques to Yourself

Unless your partner specifically asks for advice, resist the urge to channel your inner coach. Nobody wants to hear, “You know, you should try slicing your backhand more.” Instead, focus on slicing your attitude. Unsolicited advice is not always welcomed. Here’s an email I received the other day:

My 3 grandsons and myself had the unfortunate experience of encountering “Chuck” at %&(*!@ Park, who claimed to be 80 years old & proceeded to butt into our private games uninvited, to give us a lesson. He was not a teaching pro nor did he have useful advice to offer.

He did not leave. We left & reported him to the office at the community center. He wanted to argue about everything, from outdoor balls vs. indoor balls, paddles, rules, etc. Is he a known persona non grata?

Don’t be that guy.

8. Dress the Part

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Pickleball is a game of finesse, so don’t roll up looking like you just rolled out of bed. You also don’t have to have matching visors and coordinated outfits? Invest in good court shoes and decent shorts. Bring a towel if you sweat a lot.

9. Ignore the Chaos

A guy yelled at your partner because your ball rolled on his court. You body-bagged a player by accident and they told you off. Some macho player keeps slamming the ball at your partner who happens to be 80 years old. Ignore! Don’t get pulled into their drama. Don’t engage. Just ignore, or if you have to, walk away. Do not embarrass your partner by getting in to a war of words. Take the high road.
Cartoon of two men fighting over the middle of a pickleball court

10. Always Bring Extras

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Be the partner who shows up with extra protein bar and water, and you’ll achieve legend status. Granola bars, orange slices, maybe even a little pickle (because, you know… pickleball). Water, I always bring an extra water for someone who needs it. Need a ball? I’ll have one. Forget your paddle? I usually have five. Want to move my paddle down so your friend can play with you? No problem.

In Conclusion:

Being a great pickleball partner isn’t about having the fastest serves or the deepest volleys. It’s about teamwork, positivity, and not hogging the court like it’s a one-person show. So next time you hit the court, remember these tips and, above all, have fun. Be the sunshine on the courts!

Thanks for reading!

Pickleball Terry
picture of pickleball Terry

January 19, 2025January 19, 2025

Flick Weight: The Secret Sauce Your Paddle Needs

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How long as everybody known about flick weight and why have I just heard about it? Pickleball…I learn something new everyday.

First, a new paddle company called me from North Carolina and asked if he could send me one of their paddles to try? (Of course, I said, “sure.” This Pickleball Terry thing does come with great perks.) Then he started telling me about paddle weight, swing weight and then flick weight. Flick weight? What the heck? I let it slide. But then I’m on TikTok (bye bye TikTok) and there was a pro showing how to to apply a swing weight to your paddle. Okay, now I have to do a deep dive. Flicking is essential to a 3.5 level player and up. And here is what I found.

When someone says a paddle is “heavy,” they often mean it feels unbalanced (hello, high flick weight 🙄).
A paddle with a high swing weight doesn’t have to be slow at the kitchen line—it might actually have a low flick weight and feel zippy.

Curious? Stick around, and we’ll dive into the details.

The Pickleball “Heavy Paddle” Myth 🧐

There’s this old-school idea floating around pickleball circles:

Heavy paddles = power on drives but sloooow at the kitchen line.

Everyone says it—weekend warriors, paddle nerds, even your favorite pro.

But here’s the twist: this “wisdom” might be totally wrong.

You can absolutely have a paddle with the power of a cannon and the speed of a hummingbird. The key? Understanding flick weight.

You can absolutely have a paddle with the power of a cannon and the speed of a hummingbird.

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What the Heck Is Flick Weight? 🤔

First, let’s talk about the usual suspects:

Actual Weight (Static Weight): How much the paddle weighs, like 8.1 oz.
Swing Weight: How heavy the paddle feels when you swing it from your shoulder.
Twist Weight: How stable the paddle is on off-center hits (goodbye, wobbly mis-hits).

Now, meet the underdog: Flick Weight.

Flick weight measures how the paddle feels when you flick your wrist. It’s the secret sauce for quick reactions at the kitchen line.

High flick weight: The paddle feels sluggish and clunky.
Low flick weight: The paddle feels light and snappy.

Why Flick Weight Rules in Pickleball 👑

In pickleball, flicking your wrist is everything—think rolls, dinks, and counter-attacks. Unlike tennis, where big shoulder swings are the norm, pickleball requires speed and precision right at the net.

That’s where flick weight comes in:

A paddle with low flick weight is like a ninja—light, fast, and always ready.
A paddle with high flick weight feels like swinging a frying pan at a fruit fly.

The Balance Point Experiment 🧪

Some paddle fanatics measured 20 paddles using a Briffidi BP1 Racquet Balance Device (fancy, right?). Here’s what we found:

A paddle with a balance point at 24.1cm (6″) from the butt cap feels… balanced (duh).
Adding weight to the butt cap lowers flick weight without messing with swing weight.

Here’s how it works:

1/4 oz (7g) on the butt cap drops flick weight by 1 point.
Add 1 oz (28g), and your paddle goes from flick weight 6 (balanced) to flick weight 2 (crazy fast).

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Why “Heavy” Doesn’t Always Mean Heavy 🤯

Tested this with players ranging from 4.5 to 5.5:

They were given a 9 oz paddle (flick weight 3.2) and an 8 oz paddle (flick weight 6.8).
Every single player said the 8 oz paddle felt heavier.

Why? Balance. The 8 oz paddle had a higher flick weight, so it felt clunky despite being lighter.

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Flick Weight Made Simple Here’s an easy scale:

Flick Weight 6: Balanced.
Below 6: Head-light, faster paddle.
Above 6: Head-heavy, slower paddle.

a pickleball paddle showong the flick weight

How to Tune Your Paddle Like a Pro 🎯

Want your paddle to feel light and fast? Try this:

Add Weight to the Butt Cap:
- Start with 1/4 oz (7g). Even small changes make a big difference.
- Pro tip: Replace your grip with a Hesacore and an overgrip (like Yonex Supergrap) to lower flick weight by 2 points.
Keep Swing Weight in Check:
- High swing weight for power? ✔️
- Low flick weight for quick hands? Double ✔️.

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The Big Takeaway 🎉

Understanding flick weight lets you have your pickleball cake and eat it too:

Power for drives? Check.
Speed at the kitchen line? Also check.
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So grab your paddle, play around with weights, and get ready to dominate on the court. Happy tuning! ✨

Hope this post is entertaining and informative.

Thanks for reading,

Pickleball Terry
dinkpickleball@gmail.com

Pickleball Terry at her pickleball clinic with students in Sarasota, FL

September 26, 2024September 26, 2024

2nd Annual Sarasota Slam Tournament

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE SARASOTA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES

POSTER OF 2ND ANNUAL SARASOTA SAILORS SLAM — To register click here https://swishtournaments.com/product/2nd-annual-sarasota-sailors-slam/

Only 6 teams per division. Spots are filling quickly. Signup before they are closed. There will be a waiting list. Email dinkpickleball@gmail.com to be put on the waiting list.

We are using Swish Tournament software which means you will be able to find your opponents and court assignments on your Swish apps. You will also be able to see everyone’s score in realtime.

You do not need to have a DUPR score but you will need to signup with DUPR. When you register at Swish by clicking the link above, they will instruct you on how to validate your DUPR account. This is a sanctioned DUPR tournament. All scores will be recorded on the DUPR site.

We will have giveaways, 50/50, T-Shirts, Medals, Cash prizes, Free water and snacks, Free Kona Ice Slushies for participants, and so much more!!!

Booth rental space is $50.00 for vendors who want to sell pickleball related items.

We want to thank Archwell Health for supplying the Kona Truck.

Thank you,

Jenn Stutler and Terry Ryan

September 10, 2023

The Question I Get Asked Most Coaching Pickleball

As a pickleball instructor and having taught over 1k students so far, the question I get asked most by novice to intermediate players is, WHY DO WE PRACTICE DINKING IF WE NEVER DINK DURING A GAME?

What is dinking? A dink shot in pickleball is a type of shot that is used to control the pace of the game and to gain an advantage over the opponent. The shot is executed close to the net, usually with a soft touch and with the aim of landing the ball just over the net.

Good question and so true. Warmup in my bootcamps/clinics/private lessons starts with dinking. Usually 100 times back and forth. followed by cross-court dinking, I can image that it is boring to some or even futile as when they play on the public courts, all they do and their opponents do is BANG! Slam! Hit as hard as the can.

Make sure you signup for the tournament at Pompano Park in Sarasota.

I explain, hitting the ball as hard as you can works well during lower level play, but not in advanced intermediate to advanced. If you are not seeing dinking in your games, you are playing in a lower level. Period.

In advanced games, dinking is an essential strategy. Keeping the ball low is mandatory, and one pop-up is what your opponents were waiting for, and it’s no second chances.

EASY BLUEPRINT What should you do?

1.Serve deep
2 Return deep
3. 3rd Shot Drop
4.Dinking with patience
5.Waiting for your opponents to make the unforced errors

To win in a dinking battle a player must practice dinking in a non-game setting like in one of my clinics. We drill, drill, drill.

If you would like to join one of my BOOTCAMPS, send me your email address and I’ll add you to the list. We practice keeping the ball low, speedups and resets, target practice, put-a-ways, doubles strategies, and 3rd Shot Drops.

Thanks for reading and keep playing pickleball.

Pickleball Terry

941-400-0978
Dinkpickleball@gmail.com

February 27, 2022

Questions Players Ask Me About The Kitchen

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