Ever wondered what tennis, badminton, and table tennis would like if they were morphed into one game? Well, that’s what Pickleball is, and it’s the fastest growing sport in the US today, with more than 3 million players and 5000 courts across the country! Back in 1976, the first Pickleball tournament was held in Tukwila,...
Racquet sports have been in vogue for decades now, with games like badminton, table tennis, and tennis enjoying widespread recognition, huge fan followings, and entire resorts and video games dedicated to them. Today, however, some of the less mainstream racquet sports have been picking up the pace, and you can find athletes training to win...
With Pickleball on hiatus in most places due to the Coronavirus, I thought I would reach out to Pickleball instructors and ask them to give their #1 tip on what it takes to move up to the 4.0 level. I asked this question to IPTPA Level 2 Certified Pickleball Teaching Professionals. These are players who...
If you’ve played Pickleball for any length of time, then you’ve heard of the third shot drop. This is the key shot for the serving team to be able to move up near the non-volley zone. The normal progression is to hit a serve, then your opponent returns the ball, and then the serving team...
Have you ever wondered why some people who are brand new to Pickleball are better than others who have played for years? Most likely they have played some other racket sport or at least some other sport using a ball such as soccer, basketball, hockey or football. So, what is the advantage of having played...
Warning: You may not want to read this if you don’t like stories and don’t want to hear what I learned while travelling and playing Pickleball the last few weeks. I spent the last few weeks travelling around the country trying to stay out of the cold in the Northeast. As part of my ventures,...
One of the first things you learn in Pickleball is to stay out of the kitchen. What’s the kitchen? It is a term for the non-volley zone in Pickleball or an area seven feet from the net running the width of the court. This means you cannot hit the ball in the air if you...
Some people laugh at the name Pickleball. Others laugh at the sport itself. In other words, not everyone loves Pickleball. Detractors, who likely have never played the game, consider it the same as ping pong but with oversize paddles. Granted, Pickleball started with ping pong paddles but the game quickly evolved to one requiring considerable...
Hitting down the middle is a strategy used by many Pickleball players. It can be effective for a variety of reasons. However, it is not always the right shot depending on who you are playing. Let’s take a look at the situations when you should and should not hit down the middle in Pickleball. Communication...
I admit it. I haven’t played in a Pickleball tournament. I go to drop ins and play in round robins but I’ve never played in a Pickleball tournament. The funny thing is that I’ve competed in hundreds of tournaments. It was just in other sports like basketball, volleyball, racquetball, tennis and soccer. So what gives?...
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