Brian Ashworth
Winner of Numerous Silver
Medals All Over the Globe and
Founder of SickTrx
Team: Pro-Lite
My favorite shot would
probably be the dropto-a-knee
smash return.
To execute this sorcery,
first you need a wellplaced
pop-up to your
opponent’s paddle hand
and preferably close to
the kitchen. Once you
have executed this, you drop to your knee and get your
paddle low. I do this because we have all been drilled to
hit our opponent’s feet, so I place my paddle essentially
where my feet would be. When your opponent smashes
the ball, try your hardest not to smirk. Let your paddle
hit the ball and let their force bring it back to them. Now
is the time to chuckle but also stand back up. I promise
you, no shot feels as satisfying as this one.
Joey Farias
Top Pickleball Pro Bronze Medal
Specialist
Team: Gearbox, Jigsaw Health,
Tyrol Shoes, Black Ice
Follow: jfariaspickleball on both
Instagram and Facebook
The offhand flick
is one of my favorite
SickTrx shots. It’s a good
way to add even more
deception to your game,
especially up at the
kitchen by using your
non-dominant hand
to attack. I enjoy using it when I am dinking cross court
for a while and faking my normal backhand dink while
switching the paddle to my left hand and flicking the ball
up the line to keep my opponent off guard.
The offhand flick should be used at the kitchen line
due to most players’ lack of power with their nondominant
hand. From the kitchen line, deception can
really affect the player, and not much power is needed
if the shot is executed correctly. When trying to execute
this shot, timing and accuracy are everything. You must
pick the right time when your opponent either least
expects it or has not seen it coming before. Accuracy is
needed with this shot because you are trying to either
hit your opponent’s weak spots, or keeping it away from
their power side. Be careful trying this shot all the time,
as players will start anticipating the attack.
Go home and enjoy trying to add this new SickTrx
to your arsenal and keep bringing your own flare to
pickleball.
USA Pickleball Nationals Junior Party with SickTrx, 2019. Photo by Kyle Klein.
SickTrx started with a group of young adult pickleball
players who shared a common goal and vision for
pickleball. They wanted to elevate the strategy and pace
of the game by regularly incorporating SickTrx shots
into competitive games. The idea is that by increasing the
speed, unpredictability, and athleticism required
to compete at the highest professional levels, this would
increase the visibility, interest in, and passion for the
sport from junior and younger athletes.
SickTrx has evolved from there with the aspiration that
everyone can and should embrace the development of
their own style and creation of their own SickTrx shots.
We can all contribute to elevating the game of pickleball
for all ages, levels and sexes by learning from one
another’s creativity and pushing back on historical-based
constraints that suggest there are only a few correct ways
to play pickleball properly.
The SickTrx team is continually impressed and
encouraged by the progress of the game, the increasing
entrance of incredibly talented new players, and the
heightened level and depth of competition. Keep
trying different shots. Keep exploring your personal
capabilities. Keep having fun in the creative process.
And find that SickTrx style and shot that personalizes
your game and separates you from the norm. Most
importantly, when you successfully hit your SickTrx shot,
shout “SickTrx” loud and proud. •
42 TO SUBSCRIBE, CALL 888.308.3720 OR GO TO PICKLEBALLMAGAZINE.COM