PICKLEBALL INSTRUCTION
PICKLEBALL 411
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BY RUSTY HOWES | WWW.PICKLEBALLCHANNEL.COM
Pickleball 411 is a highly successful video show
THE SOFT RETURN
on Pickleball Channel that is dedicated to providing
helpful information about the sport of pickleball. But
we know it is sometimes nice to read something you
can turn back to when you’re not on the court. In this
article we are lucky enough to have Bob Youngren
and Gail Dacey talk about how you can improve your
game by working on your soft return. Bob and Gail
are great 5.0 players who’ve competed in numerous
tournaments, but they also teach other players how
to improve their games. They are going to tell us
what the soft return is, why it’s important, and how
you can improve yours! Once you read through the
article, make sure you watch the full-length video
that really gives you the visual tools you need to fully
understand the concept of the soft return.
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Bob Youngren: In all my years of teaching, I think the soft
return is probably the easiest shot to learn, and it improves
your game tremendously.
Gail Dacey: I like the soft return, and I use it all the time as
do most of my competitors. It’s also great for beginners and
intermediate players.
Bob: The soft return is nothing more than what some people
would call a lob. It’s just a very high, arching shot, and if you
can get it deep, it would be perfect. A very common mistake to
make on your service returns is hitting the ball too hard. Also,
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