“Watch the ball hit the racquet (or paddle)!” We’ve all heard it, and on the surface it makes sense. However, the irony of this instruction is that it is impossible. Don’t get me wrong. There is Definitely merit to the instruction, “watch the ball.” After all, tennis AND pickleball are complex and fast-paced sports. In a fraction of a second, players need to judge, prepare, and position for each incoming ball. Of course you need to watch the ball! But, can you really see the ball hit the paddle? The answer is “no.” Test it for yourself. Just bounce the ball off the paddle up in the air repeat ..read more

There are thousands of tennis ball machines in the United States alone, but how many of the players are really enjoying the potential benefits of ball machine use? Sure, there is some benefit to hitting ball after ball after ball, but why not make the most out of your ball machine practice. Here are the 6 keys to good ball machine practice that will be discussed in this article. 1) Use a remote or practice with a partner 2) Do not hit more than 10-12 in a row 3) Pause for 15-20 seconds in between each sequence 4) Move into position for every shot 5) Time the machine to the ball you are hittin ..read more

Imagine driving your car the wrong way on a one-way street. A police officer pulls you over and asks what you were thinking. You reply, “Not much, Officer. I am just happy to be driving!” Although it may not be a matter of life and death, isn’t it similar when you hit a winner by accident? It just turns awkward when your partner gives you a high-five and says “Great shot!” Unfortunately you had no target in mind at all and were just happy to hit the ball. Should you confess and risk having your partner think less of you? The point is that every shot should have purpose. This includes aiming ..read more

Ball sports have many things in common. One of them is the effect of ball rotation on the sport. Baseball has curve balls and football has spirals. In bowling, basketball, soccer, and even golf, the effective use of spin has its connection to successful performance. And, in table tennis and tennis, although multiple ball spins are possible, topspin has the most impact. What about pickleball? Compared to tennis, pickleballs do not spin very much. Why? Because the balls are much harder than tennis balls and there are no strings in pickleball paddles to grip, grab, and create spin. How does thi ..read more

The next time you are on a pickleball court, stand on the baseline and bend down so your eyes are about three feet above the court surface. Look straight at the top of the middle of the net (standard pickleball net height is 34 inches at the center strap) and you will be looking on a straight path parallel to the ground. This is your “line of sight.” Then slowly stand up and walk forward toward the net, stopping at the point where you can look over the net and see a reasonable target size of about five feet inside the opposing baseline. What can we learn from this exercise? You can only hit s ..read more

What’s the major pickleball difference between women and men? In this “Cup of Joe” let’s compare the genders in terms of pickleball. While the conclusions may line up with commonly observed characteristics, having real statistics to confirm the observations is arguably important. The two match statistics we will look at for men versus women are the percentage of touch shots and also the length of the average point. In men’s doubles, 40% of the balls hit are touch shots, and their points average 8.6 hits. However, in women’s doubles or mixed, the touch shot average is 45%, and the average poin ..read more

We all hate to admit it, but despite pickleball’s many attractions (which include exercise and fitness!), most people play pickleball over tennis because the court is smaller and there is less movement! That’s right: for most pickleballers, less is more. After all, it’s better to get a modest amount of exercise than be overwhelmed by the size of a tennis court and not play very often. Let’s compare the number of steps to cover a pickleball court in doubles versus tennis. The pickleball court is 20 feet wide with a diagonal from two feet behind one baseline corner to the center of the kitchen ..read more

How to Market Your Ball Machine PART ONE: OVERVIEW Ball machines are generally one of the most underused assets at pickleball events and facilities. While the benefits of ball machine use are broadly understood, only a small percentage of coaches and players use them to their potential. An active assortment of ball machine programs at a facility can provide a dynamic range of fun and energizing opportunities to players. It can even generate income to pay for itself! Ball Machine Selling Points to Players: 1. EFFICIENT USE OF TIME – Hit up to 4 times as many balls as regular play. 2. FLEXIBLE ..read more

Recognize these four major mistakes and know how to make quick adjustments to raise your playing level in no time. Of course, it’s normal to make some mistakes. Just try to seldom make the same mistake twice in a row, and never three times in a row. Remember the definition of insanity? “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” The four major mistakes are:  1) Hitting long,  2) Hitting into the net,  3) Hitting out of bounds to the right,  4) Hitting out of bounds to the left. MISTAKE #1: Hitting Long Cause: 1) Swinging too much low to high ..read more