David Zapatka
We’ve all heard the saying, “Pickleball is won at the net.” What does this mean?
Honing your skills around the non-volley zone (kitchen) can improve your play and results. Here are a few key points:
1. It all starts with hitting a deep serve, putting the opponents in a position where it’s tougher for them to get to the non-volley zone. Deep serves create shorter returns making it easier for you to hit your third shot. A common mistake is stepping into the court after serving. Stay behind the baseline. If you don’t stay behind the baseline, a deep return will make you backpedal. Third shots are very challenging to hit when moving backward. You lose power and accuracy. Instead, position yourself deep enough to move forward into the third shot.
2. For the receivers, it all starts with hitting a deep return, putting the servers on the defensive. Hit any return you can that lands near the opponents’ baseline, preferably on or near the center line. This allows you time to get to the non-volley zone before your opponents do. The non-volley zone is where the game is decided.
3. Once at the non-volley line, get in the ready position and face the action (meaning where the ball is coming from). Have your knees bent, be on your toes, feet moving and paddle up.
4. No matter what shot you are going to hit, the ball should be contacted in front of you. With the ball in front of your body, you will have much more control and will be able to choose the shot you wish.
5. We all know to hit volleys behind the non-volley zone. However, a common mistake is not moving deep enough into the kitchen early enough to hit the ball off the bounce. Don’t wait for the ball to come to you. Get into the kitchen, properly position yourself and hit the ball. Remember, if the ball is below the net, your best shot is a dink. Hitting hard up and over the net results in errors.
6. Speaking of volleys, resist the urge to use a long swing and hit hard. Hitting the sweet spot on the paddle creates enough power. Use a compact stroke. It’s like a block or a punch. This will give you power and accuracy.
7. For soft shots at the net, use a soft grip. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being extremely loose and 10 being extremely tight), this means holding the paddle lightly in the 2-3 range. Don’t be concerned. You won’t lose your grip on the paddle. For hard shots, think in the range of 6-7. You never need to grip in the 8-10 range. Gripping hard equals loss of control.
Have a question about pickleball? Want to know more about the sport, the rules, equipment, or have some pickilicious news you would like to share with our pickleball community? Email David Zapatka at [email protected].