PICKLEBALL INSTRUCTION
When to
Lob
BY SARAH ANSBOURY
U
tilizing a lob is
a great tactic
in offensive
play at the NVL.
Timing is the
most important
aspect of lobbing.
Most often, at higher levels, lobs are
used offensively from the NVL to move
opponents back to the baseline to push the
opposing team into defense. A lob at the wrong time
can mean a player hits an overhead vs. running down
for a lob, which creates a difficult position for your
opponent. Pushing your opponent back to the baseline
forces him/her to hit a drop shot back in the NVZ to get
back to the net. If the opponent is unable to, he/she will
often lob defensively to try to create more time.
When looking for an opportunity, there are a few
cues to pay attention to:
1. If your opponent’s paddle is face down toward the
ground, when his/her paddle is dropped, the
chances of hitting an overhead go down.
2. If your opponent is hunched over, this will create a
more difficult position for him/her to turn and go to
the ball.
3. If your opponent’s head is down—head movement
is a key part to stability—the more the head moves
around, the harder it is to move to the ball
efficiently.
Here are a few things to remember
when hitting your lob:
1. Hold your position at the NVL and do
not back up—players often disengage and
watch their opponents run down the ball or
back up to hit a lob.
2. Expect the ball to come back—whether it’s a
short overhead or a lob, expect to hit the next shot.
3. Keep your paddle above the net after you hit the
lob. When the ball comes back, you want to be able
to get to it quickly and keep taking time away from
your opponent.
Using an offensive lob is effective at every level. The
most important thing is to create it at the right time.
Players often rush the lob and it ends up short. A
good lob from the NVL looks very much like a dink; it’s
disguised well. •
Five-time National Pickleball
Champion Sarah Ansboury
is Education Consultant and
Lead Clinician for Professional
Pickleball Registry (PPR) as
well as a 5.5 tennis player and
former NCAA women’s tennis
coach. She is a two-time US
Open Pickleball Champion and
a sponsored HEAD Pro Player.
Sarah is currently the Touring
Professional and Director
of Pickleball Instruction at
Palmetto Dunes Resort on Hilton
Head Island, SC.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 |
MAGAZINE
53