Pickleball Magazine 2-4 Courtesy of PickleballTournaments.com | Page 30

PICKLEBALL INSTRUCTION
DINKING STRATEGIES
BY DAVE WEINBACH, CURRENT US OPEN AND USAPA NATIONAL MEN’S DOUBLES CHAMPION
W
hen I’m not playing on the tour, I truly enjoy
meeting new people and running clinics around the
country. My clinics often begin at the kitchen line where
I talk about the fundamentals that apply to players of all
levels, from 2.0 to 5.0 Pro.
WHERE TO STAND
When my clinics begin, I generally gather everyone
around the kitchen and ask the question, “Where should
you be standing when at the kitchen line?” I give three
options:
1. Stand 10" behind the line.
2. Stand as close as possible to the line.
3. Stand two feet back from the line to give yourself
time to react.
Generally, I’ll receive several hands raised for each, but
there is a right answer: Option 2… but it’s not just good
enough to be on the line, you also want to be leaning
forward toward the kitchen. The reason it’s important to be
close and lean in is that it is much easier to attack a ball hit
from your opponent that is hit a little higher or deeper into
your kitchen.
The next question is, “Should players of all levels take
this advice and lean into the kitchen?” The answer is a
definite “Yes.” Some players fear that an aggressive position
at the net will put them in jeopardy of being lobbed over
their head. While this is true, the risk/reward is well worth
it. If you are leaning in, you have a strong advantage over
your opponent who is not leaning in.
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There are times when your opponent will throw up
a lob. If you are prone to missing overheads, or if you
have difficulty hitting deep lobs, you’ll really want to pay
attention to this next tip… Recognize the potential lob by
watching your opponent’s paddle before and during his/her
impact with the ball. If you see an open-faced paddle, take a
step back and get ready. If the opponent dinks the ball, get
back in and reset the point.
GRIP PRESSURE
This is one of the most important parts of the game,
yet it is often overlooked by many players. Grip pressure
controls so much of your game.
Players choose paddles with different core and surface
densities to maximize their feel, while being able to balance
it with power. Softer paddles hold the ball a fraction of
a second long on the paddle, giving more control and
feel. Unfortunately, most players don’t actively realize
that altering their grip pressure is the best method for
controlling a ball’s direction and pace.
Whenever I instruct pickleball players on dinking, I
always ask the question, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how tight
do you hold your paddle at the kitchen line?” Nine times
out of 10 the players are gripping way too tight. Players
with a tight grip lose feel, sensitivity and control. This
ultimately leads to less consistent shot-making.
On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the tightest) most
players are 7 to 8. I teach between 3 and 4 on all soft shots
(dinking and third-shot drops). If you do that, the ball will
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