There are several reasons why technical issues with the serve can manifest at the worst times – pressure from the game, fatigue both mental and physical, or environmental conditions. Consider these possible solutions to a flawed serve. Pickleball is a fantastic sport for players of all ages and skill levels, but it’s essential to recognize and address common serving mistakes to improve your game. Focusing on your footwork, ball toss, power control, paddle technique, and variety of serves, will get you on your way to becoming a more formidable player on the court. Remember, practice makes pe ..read more

Pickleball Elbow 8 Ways to PREVENT Sport Injury Avoiding Injuries 10 Common Types of Sport Injuries ..read more

A yearly training plan is long-term, flexible tool to help organize your training. Your plan is highly unique from other pickleball players. There are many factors that affect your play. Your training should reflect your potential to maximize your time on the court. If you are like me, a huge amount of my time is spent in the present but at this time of year, I like to take a look at the long-term picture to utilize every moment so time does not slip through the cracks.  A Flexible Approach Of the players I’ve met, coached, and play with, most have set times at their club to play, content with ..read more

Hello Fellow Pickleballers, As we celebrate the holidays I want to thank you for being here with me. Almost 9 years ago I landed in a world that has brought me joy, friendship and discoveries about myself in relationships & competition that I would never have imagined. I try and bring all these aspects to you in the form of technical & tactical skills, along with mental development and physical aspects of the sport. What I have learned over the years is that this has been a gift in my life. I am fortunate to be part of the pickleball community and I have learned a lot along the way. Th ..read more

In case you missed it, USA Pickleball has a few new changes to the 2024 rules.  Paddle Specifications (2.E.2/2.E.5.a/2.E.5.c) Paddle specifications have been updated to address new and emerging paddle technology, features, and to clarify the alterations that players are allowed to make to certified paddles. Section 3 Definitions 3.A.19. Live Ball – The timeframe from when the referee or server (or server’s partner per rule 4.D.1) starts to call the score. 3.A.X. Ball In Play – The timeframe during which a rally is played, from the hit of the ball to make the serve until the ball becomes dead ..read more

Teaching is the highest form of understanding Aristotle Pickleball play is dynamic so when looking for someone to critique tactical awareness, decision-making in shot selection, technical knowledge, or physical preparation ensure your coach is SUPER. Look for skills like listening, motivating, effective communication, the ability to recognize potential, embrace change, and their zest for learning. 1. Great Listening Skills The number one skill of a good pickleball coach is the ability to listen. Great coaches take time to hear what frustrates clients when they play but super coaches take list ..read more

Sport Nutrition Physical preparation depends to a large extent on training. Sound training depends on knowing how training works and how it affects your performance. Physical preparation also depends on planning. Developing your energy systems systematically plays a key role in of competition preparation. Al training has a couple things in common, physical changes due to the right kind of demands performed, and tactical approaches due to adaptation. There are five areas of focus necessary to to optimize physical preparation – intensity, work time repetitions, volume, pause periods, and routi ..read more

Every Year, pickleball players are given an opportunity to submit suggestions for rule changes to the USA Pickleball Association. 2023 is no exception, 92 suggestions had been made by USAPA members back in May and the public was able to make comments on the proposed rule changes until May 31st, 2023. The USA Pickleball Rules Committee met in June to review the proposed rule changes and viewed all the public comments made. The Rules Committee voted on the proposed rules changes by approving the proposed changes as it was submitted, approved the proposed change with amendments or disapproved the ..read more

Howling cold winds in the North, blazing sunshine in the South – knowing how these conditions will inevitably affect your game will give you an upper hand when battling for points during a pickleball game. Whether it is the extreme heat, cool dampness, or blustery conditions you want to respond with a mentally tough attitude toward the challenges ahead. How can you embrace the challenges of harsh weather with a positive outlook? Here are 3 Pro tips on coping with tough weather conditions. Coping Strategy #1 – Tough Condition Training Most pickleball players dread playing in the cold or in extr ..read more

The main aim in pickleball is to enjoy competing with players at a similar level. How can players find their level without playing a lot of one-sided games? Players can estimate their own rating based on how they perceive their skills but it can be difficult to judge your own standards without seeing the level of play in the different divisions. The Wonderful World of Rating Systems A rating system is used to place players in appropriate levels using an algorithm based on recent results from tournament play. There are many ranking systems today in pickleball and they generate their own ranking ..read more