31 Quick

Pickleball Tips
CJ Johnson

Pickleball is part sport and part strategy,

the better you get the more strategic it becomes.
These tips are a mix of basics and strategies to help you to improve.
**Click on the highlighted text for more in depth information

1. Keep your paddle up in front of your chest. Don’t let it drop between shots.
High level and younger players might be able to get away with it, but time
slows our reflexes and it will take us longer to get the paddle to the correct
position.
2. Just before your opponent hits the ball watch their paddle and body angle it
should tell you where the ball is going
3. We all have a favorite shot. Cover the one you opponent likes to hit and
make them try a different shot.
4. The feet are one of the best targets in pickleball. A ball hit on a downward
angle towards your opponent’s feet gives them a chance to miss it and is one
of the hardest shots to return.
5. Serve placement is usually more important than power. If the server can
create a short return of serve that gives the serving team an easier 3rd shot.
6. How do you create trouble for the serve returner? 1. It’s In 2. It’s Deep 3. It’s
in the direction of your opponent’s weakest shot, usually the backhand 4.
Make them move.
7. If you are not as fast as you used to be, try a softer shot with a higher arc to
buy yourself extra time to get to the NVZ.
8. If you have to hit up on the ball, which means in most cases you are bending,
it’s probably best not to try to hit a winner.
Youtube www.betterpickleball.com Facebook
 9. When in doubt, hit it soft.
10. If one person is at the back of the court hit shots to keep them there.
11. Down the middle often causes confusion for your opponents, especially if
they don’t play together very often.
12. If your opponent likes to poach one or two good shots behind them will
probably having them poaching less.
13. Rec and drop in play are all about fun but in a tournament one of your
best strategies is to isolate one player on the other side of the net and
direct your shots them. If they are successful, try the same strategy to the
other player.
14. Not every shot needs to be a winner. Stay patient and wait for the right
opportunity to attack.
15. The faster you hit the ball the less precise your placement. Hit it only as
fast as you need to win the point.
16. If the ball hits a line it’s going to have an odd bounce.
17. Watch your opponent’s service return as it’s crossing the NVZ line on your
side. Can you see the holes in the ball? Which way is it spinning?
18. Call your shots even the obvious ones, you’ll know who is going to take it
and it helps you breathe.
19. If you are playing outside be mindful of the wind direction. Look at tree
tops, flags anything around the courts to give you a clue.
20. Stay balanced on the balls of your feet so you can move in either direction
quickly. Most players get flat footed at the net.
21. The team with the least unforced errors usually wins.
22. Placement is often more important than power.
23. Stop moving (split step) when your opponents paddle is about to contact
the ball.
24. For most service returns wait about a foot behind the baseline. It’s usually
easier to run forward versus back up or return the serve on a short hop.
25. If your opponents push you back from the kitchen line make sure you go
back to the kitchen line once you have hit the shot.
Youtube www.betterpickleball.com Facebook
 26. In a tournament, develop a team strategy and then stick to it, i.e. hit to
player B’s backhand. During time outs check with your partner to see if
you are both sticking to your strategy.
27. Take 5 minutes to warm up, get your heart pumping and then do some
dynamic stretching.
28. If you want to get better you have to drill not just play.
29. Don’t run to the kitchen line blindly on the third shot, watch the trajectory
if it’s too high prepared to defend.
30. Most players are not fast enough to switch hands successfully.
31. MOST IMPORTANTLY----Be kind to your partner and gracious to your
opponents. This is only a game!

Youtube www.betterpickleball.com Facebook