I love the fact that in pickleball I am better able to disguise my shots, to change the direction of the ball, more easily than in tennis. Today I will offer a pickleball drill to help you work on this important skill.
Proper Technique
People are always asking me to help them with on-court strategy. However, providing an effective on-court strategy without teaching the proper technique to execute it is worthless. I think the same holds true as it relates to a pickleball drill. So before I describe the pickleball drill, let’s focus on a few key items:
- Your pickleball paddle must stay in front of you. There is no need to take a big swing in pickleball. Your paddle should never be behind you. The court is smaller than in tennis. The paddle is much smaller than a tennis racket and the ball is much lighter. Keeping your paddle in front of you is key to recovering more quickly and allowing you to prepare for the next shot. It will also make it easier to stay balanced and in control of the ball.
- I want you to imagine a larger circle in front of your body. Start at your neutral position, and draw a large circle in front of you with the tip of the paddle. When I move to a ball, I use the circle as a guide. If the ball is high, the tip of my paddle comes over the ball and brings it down. If the ball is low, the tip of my paddle lifts the ball over the net.
- The paddle always moves in front of me, allowing me to change the pace of the ball and maneuver the ball in a way that deceives my opponent.
Square vs Round
Pickleball has evolved over the past few years. Ten years ago, many pickleball instructors suggested that you should hold
your paddle in front of you parallel to the net. This is what I call square pickleball. Just as the game has evolved, so has the instruction provided.
Today, nearly all pickleball instructors suggest you keep your paddles in front of you with the tip of their paddle pointed at 11 o’clock. If you watch elite players you will see this is the position they have found most beneficial. We have evolved into what I refer to as round pickleball. If you adopt this position and focus on the circle in front of you, I believe you will have more success.
Pickleball Drill
To work on changing direction and connecting with the ball in front of you, let me suggest a simple pickleball drill. This pickleball drill requires three players. Start by placing two players on one side of the net at the non-volley zone, and one of the other side at the line. We will call the solo player the target player. The goal of the two players is to hit the ball to the target player so that he or she does not have to move. The goal of the target player is the change the direction of the ball at will. Perhaps you begin by alternating, right then left. Next, you might create a three-ball pattern such as right, middle, left. Then two balls to one spot and two to another.
Your goal is to hit the ball to any spot at will by simply moving your paddle in front of you using the circle as a guide. Focus on:
- Keeping the paddle in front of you;
- Not moving your body, but rather
- Simply moving the paddle along the circle.
Your goal is to be able to change the ball’s direction from anywhere on the court. Once you have practiced from one spot, you can either rotate players or choose a different spot. Keep in mind, this pickleball drill is most effective is all three players remain engaged and focused. While the target player is focused on changing direction and disguising his or her shots, the other two players are focused on hitting a specific spot so that the target player does not have to move.
Be Creative
I love being able to disguise my shots. I feel I can be more creative playing pickleball rather than tennis. Pickleball offers me more variety. In addition, I know that changing the depth of the ball (even if only by a few inches) can make a huge difference in a point. So take time to practice this pickleball drill and add a little flair to your game.
