left knee and vice versa (either in place or walking
forward), and even skipping. Do this for at least five
minutes—many of you will be surprised how winded
you feel, but it’s OK, you have been off the court for
a while.
2. Hydrate before you play. It’s probably been a while
since most of us did any sweating on a pickleball
court, so it’s really important to drink plenty of
fluids at least a couple of hours before you play—
even if it’s still cool outside where you are.
3. If you’re playing outside, wear sunscreen and
remember to reapply every 2-3 hours.
What about court restrictions? Many facilities are
only allowing the same group of four to play on a court
and some areas are only allowing singles. If you don’t
like playing singles, even skinny singles, here’s a good
drill that can be used either at the baseline or nonvolley
zone.
1. Corner to Corner—players stand at the baseline on
opposite sides of the net and hit either crosscourt or
down the line. Players attempt to have a continuous
rally where neither player can hit the same shot
twice. For example, Player 1 cannot hit 2 forehands
in a row. The purpose of this drill is to be able to
accurately place groundstrokes/returns of serve.
2. Corner to Corner—players stand at the non-volley
zone line on opposite sides of the net and hit either
crosscourt or straight ahead. This is the same drill,
except the goal is for the players to consistently
move the dink around the court.
3. Corner to Corner variation—players must hit 2
forehands then 1 backhand and may take advantage
of any attackable balls.
Follow the restrictions, stay safe, be well, and most of
all—have fun! •
Sarah Ansboury is PPR’s education
consultant and lead clinician, and she is a
Head pro player.
Nicole Hobson is the PPR Member Services
Director. She also serves as an Ambassador
for USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) and
is a USAPA-certified referee, tournament
director, and a lead clinician for PPR.
JUNE/JULY 2020 | MAGAZINE 19