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PICKLEBALLCENTRAL.COM
Pickleball Basics
Pickleball is a sport described as "a combination of ping-pong, tennis, and badminton", played in schools, parks and recreation centers, correctional facilities, camps, and retirement communities mostly in North America. It uses a simplified combination of tennis rules and strategies.
History
Pickleball was created during the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island - a short ferry ride from Seattle, WA. The original purpose of the game was to provide a sport for the entire family, according to co-inventors U.S. Congressman Joel Pritchard, William Bell, and Barney McCallum.
Pickles was the family dog that would chase after the errant balls and then hide in the bushes, thus Pickle's ball which was later shortened to the namesake of Pickleball. Initially, families played Pickleball in their backyards on a hard surface, on driveways, and on residential dead-end streets. Since the mid-1970's, Pickleball has grown and expanded from a family activity game to a paddle court sport with formalized rules. Now, over 20 years later, Pickleball is played in thousands of school P.E. programs, parks and recreation centers, correctional facilities, camps, YMCAs and retirement communities. This sport is becoming very popular among active senior adults at community centers.
The Court
The game itself is played on a court that is the same size as a badminton court (20 feet wide by 44 feet long). The net is set at 36 inches high on the edges and 34 inches in the middle.
The Ball
A ball similar to a wiffleball, made with a more rigid, heavy material and having smaller holes, is used in outdoor game play. Indoor play often uses a similar ball made of thinner material. The balls have also been classified as being similar to a Floorball ball.
The Paddle
When game was invented, wooden paddles were used and are still used at many institutions due to lower cost. In addition to wooden paddles, lightweight fiberglass and composite paddles are now common due to their lower weight and higher durability.
Pickleball's small court allows younger players or those with varying degrees of mobility to participate in a way that the larger court of tennis sometimes prohibits. Additionally, a rule prohibiting volleying (hitting the ball in the air) in the non-volley zone (the space 7 feet from the net) helps to equalize play and reduce overpowering smashes at the net.
Pickleball has become a common high school sport in gym classes and
has gained popularity with teenagers as well as seniors. Schools often host
tournaments. In New York State alone, it is estimated that over 500 schools
include Pickleball in their curricula.
The Game
Pickleball is a simple paddle game played using a special perforated, slow-moving ball over a tennis-type net on a badminton-sized court.
The ball is served underhand without bouncing it off the court and is served diagonally to the opponent's service court.
Points are scored by the serving side only and occur when the opponent faults (fails to return ball, hits ball out of bounds, etc.). The server continues to serve, alternating service courts, until server faults.
The first side scoring 11 points and leading by at least a 2-point margin wins. For example, if both sides are tied at 10 points, then play continues until one side wins by 2 points.
Unique Pickleball Features
- Serve Position: Server must have both feet outside the baseline, at the moment of serve.
- Service Bounce Rule: Following serve, each side must make at least one ground-stroke, prior to volleying the ball (hitting it before it has bounced).
- Non-volley Zone: A player cannot volley a ball while standing within the non-volley zone.
Winning Strategies for Singles
Follow these general rules
Try to keep serves firm and deep. Vary
direction but make sure they're in bounds.
Serve from near the center line so you can get at most
returns more easily.
Try to keep returns deep and to the corners.
Generally stay near the back third of the court.
Try to force opponents to use their backhand, most
players are weaker there.
Anytime you can, hit a deep forcing shot into the
corners, where your opponent doesn’t have time to set up for his shot.
That gives you a chance to come to the net and hit a passing shot.
Face your opponent, you're in a better position to
return a shot to either side.
Never hit a drop shot when your opponent is
deep. Good players will get to it quickly and be in position to hit
a passing shot.
Vary your shots so opponents can't anticipate you,
occasionally try to make them think you're doing one thing but do another.
Generally move left or right as opponent moves but
stay closer to the center line.
Use lobs only when necessary and your opponent
is at the net or non volley line.
If your opponent has managed to
get to the net and you are still back, then you have 3 choices. A) hit a hard
passing shot. B) hit a dipping
shot that hits the ground at your opponents feet. C) hit a
lob. The best choice of which shot to hit depends upon your skill level
with each type of shot. The best players
rarely lob because it's a difficult shot to hit deep enough to keep a good
player from putting it away.
Winning
Strategies for Doubles
The Serve
How many times
have you heard “just get the ball into the court”? Well, they’re
right. Forget the spins and trick shots unless you’re very proficient.
Instead focus on just getting the ball in play. Make them move if
possible. If your opponent has a weak back hand then exploit that
weakness, but always, always just get your serve in and preferably the deeper
the better!
Service Return
Returning the
ball to the center is always good because it makes your opponents move and
guess who’s going to hit the ball. If at all possible return the ball so
it bounces within a foot of the baseline. Never hit a short return!
Keep them back and follow your return to the net. Just keep the ball in play any
way you can. AND, don’t try a kill shot on your first opportunity unless it’s
just perfect. Be patient and just get the ball back, preferably deep in
the middle, while you wait for that perfect put-away! Your opponent may
just hit the ball into the net.
Opponents Weaknesses & Paddle Position
On most
occasions, your opponent will “telegraph” where they are going to hit the ball
with the angle of their paddle and perhaps their body just before they hit the
ball. It happens quickly. Cover that area.
Just one example: During warm-ups
you can get an indication of your opponent’s potential weaknesses so that you
can exploit them in the game. If they never hit a backhand shot….guess
what. Also, when he/she returns a serve, if they tend to slide more to
their backhand side then guess what. I’d serve to their backhand all day
long and hit there as well during play.
Watch for tendencies. If
your opponent always hits the same shot to the same location…then cover it. The
opposite holds true as well. You need to vary your shots!
Don’t Play Catch
Too many players are hitting the
ball back (horizontally) to their opponent while at the net. AND, the ball is
coming right back! To win the point you should be hitting the ball at a
down angle into the middle of the court at your opponent’s feet. If
you’re hitting to your opponent and its coming back to you then your doing
something wrong and may well lose that point.
Anticipate
/ “Open” alleys / Angles
Always assume that the ball will
be hit back to you. Be ready. Anticipate your opponent’s returns.
If you hit a particular shot, where do you think he/she will return the
ball…..THEN COVER that area. Hit for the open alleys. Make your opponents
move. Don’t play catch! Hitting angles wins points.
Move
Your Feet
Have you ever watched the top
tennis players and how they glide around the court? How they are always moving from
side to side and front to back. That’s not by accident. Their feet are always
in motion positioning their body to hit the next shot. The same should be true
with the game of Pickleball. Keep those feet moving
even when you’re at the non-volley line getting ready to hit that next
shot. Planting your feet at the kitchen line is a no-no!
Your
Body & Paddle Positions
I believe the game is won when
all four players are at the net. Therefore you ask, what’s so important
when you’re at the net. How about your reaction time for a start?
If you agree, then keeping that
paddle up and in front of you ready for a quick response to hit the ball is a
key. It takes much too long to hit the ball when your paddle is either at
your side or down below your waist. Try keeping the paddle up right in
front of your face. Sounds funny but give it a try.
Things you should try to do.
Improving your
game
Always get to the non-volley line when you
can. It's the strongest position.
Face the player who will hit the ball, not the
non-volley line. You will be in a better popsition
to hit the ball.
Keep you paddle high, near your chest. It's
easier to react to hard shots at you.
Keep the ball in play! 75% of all ralleys are won or lost because of errors, most of
them at the baseline. Don't try to hit the ball right at the lines,
the odds are too much against you. Let your opponent make the mistakes.
Return serves soft and deep, that gives you time to
get to the non-volley line.
Don't try to make hard serves or serves
near the side lines
Return your baseline shots with your forehand and to
the center line as often as you can.
Use your forehand as much as you can, few people
have as good a backhand as their forehand.
Don't short hop the ball at the baseline.
Stand back a little to get a higher bounce.
Keep both feet behind the baseline when when serving or receiving a serve, remember that both the
serve and the serve return must bounce before you can hit the ball.
Don't try to power the ball, location is much more
important.
Don't try to make a lot of "sideline"
shots they are a low percentage shot. Just try to hit to open areas.
Always make note if an opponent is right or left
handed. Avoid hitting to their strong side.
Try to stay in the middle of your side of the
court. Don't take your partner's shots away.
Moving your
game to a higher level
Learn to "Dink" the ball proficiently, be
patient. Don't try to make a "kill" shot unless it's
really there to make.
Know when to hit the ball hard or softly. It's
not about power.
Watch your opponent's paddle hit the ball, it tells
you a lot about where the return will be going and how hard it will be hit.
Hit the ball to opponents feet or backhand,
especially if it's weak.
Develop a drop shot (just over the net) from the
baseline. This is an important shot when your opponent(s) are
at the non-volley line. Never use it when your opponents are back near
the baseline.
Work on a cross-court dink.
"Ratchet" overhead smashes (straight
arm). It works better than snapping your wrist.
Have friends make some shots to you that you don't
like and work at returning them. Maybe your opponent doesn't like them
either. Try them on him or her.
Look for patterns in your opponent's play.
Sometimes you can see things during pre-game warmups.
When you see that your opponent is about to hit the
ball try to stop moving, especially forward or backward. It's much easier
to hit the ball and control it if you are stationary.
Pickleball Terms
Dillball- a ball suceeding contact with the court (hitting the ground once) and currently live
Flabjack- a midair pickleball that must bounce on the playing surface (return of serve, or returning the return)
Champion Shot- a ball which double bounces in the No Volley Zone
Llama- a player attacking a ball in the No Volley Zone, illegal in game plan.
DangerZone- nickname of the No Volley Zone
Falafel- aka dead paddle, when a ball is hit with little to no force causing the shot to be extremely short.
Pickledome- the court on which the Championship Game is played on
Pickle!- shouted by the server pre-serve to alert the the playing field of the serve
OPA!- often shouted after the Flapjacks have been played and
open volleying begins
Carry – Hitting the ball in such a way that it does not bounce away from the paddle but tends to be carried along on the face of the paddle during its forward motion.
Cross-court – The court diagonally opposite your court.
Dead Ball – A dead ball is declared after a fault. See fault.
Dink Shot – A soft shot that is intended to arc over the net and land within the non-volley zone.
Double Bounce – A ball that bounces more than once, on one side, before it is returned.
Double Hit – One side hitting the ball twice before it is returned over net. Double hits may occur by one player or could involve both players on a team.
Drop Shot – A groundstroke shot that falls short of the opponent's position.
Drop Shot Volley – A volley shot that is designed to “kill” the speed of the ball and return it short, near the net, to an opponent positioned at or near the baseline. This shot is especially effective when initiated close to the non-volley line.
Fault – A fault is any action that stops play or creates a rules violation.
Groundstroke – Hitting the ball after one bounce.
Half Volley – A groundstroke shot where the paddle contacts the ball immediately after it bounces from the court and before the ball rises to its potential height.
Hinder – Any element or occurrence that affects play. Examples: a stray ball that enters the court or people who disrupt play by walking across the court.
Let – A serve that hits the net cord and lands in the service court. Let may also refer to a rally that must be replayed for any reason.
Lob – A shot that returns the ball as high and deep as possible, forcing the opposing side back to the baseline.
Non-Volley Zone – The section of court adjacent to the net in which you cannot volley the ball. It includes all lines surrounding the zone.
One Hand Out – A term used to describe the condition when a serving team loses the first of its two allocated serves.
Overhead Slam/Smash – A hard, overhand shot usually resulting from an opponent’s lob, high return, or high bounce.
Passing Shot – A volley or groundstroke shot that is aimed at a distance from the player and is designed to prevent return of the ball (e.g., a line drive close to sideline).
Permanent Object – Any object near the court or hanging over the court that interferes with the flight of the ball.
Rally – Continuous play that occurs after the serve and before a fault.
Replays – Any rallies that are replayed for any reason without the awarding of a point or a side out
Service Court – The areas on either side of the centerline, bounded by the non-volley line and the baseline.
Side Out – Declared after one side loses its service and other side is awarded service.
Technical Foul – The referee is empowered to add one point to a player's score or a team's score when, in the referee's judgment, the opponent is being overly and deliberately abusive.
Volley – Hitting the ball in the air, during a rally, before the ball has a chance to bounce onto the court.
http://pickleballcentral.com/Basics.html
http://www.usapa.org/officialrules/pbrules.html
http://training.usapa.org/home
Links to other sites with
helpful tips on playing Pickleball
Official Pickleball
Handbook - by Mark Friedenberg
Pickleball Strategy Guide - by Richard Movsessian
Tips on Pickleballstuff.com - by Barney
Myer