ball by jumping. This makes it a difficult shot to avoid
or see coming. If executed correctly, the shot is both
effective and versatile. And bonus, it looks really cool!
The Jumping Erne can be played off any shot that gets
too close to the sideline. This applies a lot of pressure
to your opponent because it effectively shrinks their
“safe” portion of the court by a couple of feet. It also has
a wealth of placement options due to your contact point.
The shot can be hit with a forehand or a backhand. I
personally prefer to hit it from the left side with my
backhand. Here are some keys to hitting the shot: 1. Jump
with the foot that is closer to the sideline, landing on the
leg that is closer to the middle of the court. 2. Attempt to
time your jump so that your contact point with the ball
is as close to the net as possible without going over it. 3.
Make sure you turn your wrist DOWN to keep the ball in!
You’ll often hit it long if you don’t, because of your close
contact point and momentum.
Remember, it’s OK to look silly trying new things!
Eventually you’ll start to feel the timing of your jump and
when to go for it. Next time you go out to play, give this
SickTrx a try!
Kyle Yates
12-Time Pro Major Champion
Team: Paddletek, Jigsaw
Health, PB1965
Follow: kyleyates.pb (IG), Kyle
Yates Pickleball (FB) and Pickleball
Vlog (YT)
One of my favorite
shots in pickleball is the
tweener! I’ve always had
an affinity for exciting
the crowds. A tweener,
when executed in an
effective manner, and at
the right time, can surely
Photo by Belinda Elaine Photography. get the spectators on their
feet! The creativity involved with this shot is what truly
defines it as a SickTrx.
Most of the time, some might consider this shot to
be “unnecessarily flashy,” but I say NAY! Sometimes it’s
absolutely necessary and an ideal option. As difficult as
it may be, I’ve found it to be extremely useful on many
occasions. For example, I recall pulling it off in a third set
tiebreaker in the semi-finals of the US Open Pro doubles.
The packed stadium roared in delight by what they’d
witnessed. That crowd energy pushed us on to victory
and ultimately the prestigious title.
Picture this: Your opponent has just hit a timely, wellstruck
lob over your or your partner’s head. You have
no time to make a decision, and surely cannot jump
high enough to immediately take the ball in the air. In a
nanosecond, you swivel around to see the ball a halfcourt’s
length away, and traveling quickly. Instinct kicks
in and you make a beeline toward the ball as it bounces
deep near the baseline. At this point, you can either call
it out or run full speed, gain ground and catch up to the
plastic ball as it reaches its apex, and begins to descend
once again. You’ve got no time to concoct a plan. Once
you reach the ball, you have no time, nor room, to move
around the ball to take a normal swing; the ball is already
between your legs. The only play is to simply keep your
speed, and run right through/over the ball, and play it
back right between your spread, galloping legs.
This delicate maneuver is not for the faint of heart,
nor well-endowed. Simply getting the ball back over the
net this way is a feat in itself… 25-30 feet away, full sprint
away from the net, striking the ball between the legs,
backward, and yet still dropping it perfectly, gently, over
the net and safely into the kitchen. At this point, with
the poise of a rocket surgeon, you must turn around and
immediately return to battle and finish the point. It is
SickTrx like this that really get my adrenaline pumping
and reignites my passion for this great sport!
Photo by Patrick Kelley.
Vicki Love
0-Time “Pro” Major Champion
Team: No affiliations
Follow: Not applicable (Seriously,
how am I part of this team?)
Any member of this
team would be among
the first to say that you
should not be taking any
pickleball skill advice from
me. My playing style is…
uniquely scrappy, and
should not be replicated
(unless you also thrive in
chaos).
With that caveat, I’d
have to agree with Irina that my favorite SickTrx shot is
misdirection. For example, if you are in a cross-court
dink battle and notice, using your peripheral vision, the
player straight across from you is slowly moving toward
the center of the court, then hide a last-second flick of
the wrist (or push) to redirect the ball toward the body
of the opponent in front of you or down the line. Hitting
that player by surprise or “burning them down the
line” is a potential way of keeping them accountable for
protecting their side of the court and line.
Besides misdirection, I personally think that one of the
best “shots” to master in an effort of elevating your game
is not a shot at all. It’s simply being comfortable with
letting out balls go.
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 | MAGAZINE 41