courts have close fences , etc .). Dinks don ’ t help much with information on court surface speed . With a threeminute dink warmup you ’ re not ready to play , and you really are woefully unprepared .
Instead , have a useful routine . Have one you can adapt to practice matches ( 10-15 minutes ) and one you can adapt to tournament play ( 3 minutes ). Do not waste a moment . The match really begins when you walk on the court , not when the referee calls 0-0-2 . The minute your match is called , start stretching with an exaggerated walk , ankle lifts , and some side-to-side twists . When you reach the court , begin the warmup by starting with a purposeful first hit . Both players should be at the baseline . Instead of just casually putting the ball over the net to your partner , use that first hit to get your range . Start the ball as if you ’ re serving deep . Bend your knees . Watch where the ball lands .
In the warmup you must find the baseline , because it ’ s better to hit the ball long than short since it ’ s easier to pull the ball down and in rather than hit out on the ball once the match begins . Nerves shorten most shots , so you should warm up long rather than short on both your serve and your groundstrokes . If the ball is long , it ’ s an easy fix — bend your knees . That will bring the ball down into the court without your having to change your stroke .
Next , both players should move toward the No Volley Zone and simultaneously work on volley exchanges with control and pace . Make the shots playable for your partner , but hit them with authority . Once you have become comfortable with the deep volley , have one player step back and hit a few lobs so that you can check the angle of the sun , speed of the wind , and work on your footwork preparation .
Each player should hit a few drops to the partner at net , and the partner volley or place the ball deep in return . Now you ’ re ready to dink . Get down low and work the ball side to side . Work on your control and get comfortable with staying low . There is no logical reason to dink for three minutes and then play a match of serves , returns , first volleys , and putaways .
Confidence comes with preparation . Have a routine that gives you confidence and information on the conditions . You need to be able to count on your routine whether it ’ s a windy day , evening under the lights , against bangers , or against good third shot droppers . You ’ re ready and you have the checklist to help you adapt .
Warmup Focal Points : 1 . EARLY PREPARATION . Paddle back early . If you play bangers you ’ ll be ready .
2 . BEND YOUR KNEES . This will keep the trajectory of the ball at a lower angle so the ball you hit is a “ heavy ” ball .
3 . WATCH THE BALL . Watch the ball from the moment you hit the starter ball in the warmup . It ’ s game time right then , not when the referee asks if the players are ready .
4 . MOVE FORWARD . Warm up by moving forward into your groundstrokes . Your goal is to be King of the Mountain . That means you need transportation to get to the NVZ line . Good groundstroke followthrough is that transportation .
5 . GET DOWN . Get down and stay down on your dinks . Practicing and warming up by staying low will make you comfortable in that position . Muscle memory and all that !
6 . PADDLE UP . Keep your paddle up and leading the way on your volley . Don ’ t be lazy . Sight the ball early .
7 . CONTROL YOUR OVERHEAD . Your overhead in the warmup needs to help you establish a rhythm . Establish a confident swing . No need to overplay it . The overhead in pickleball is a position shot ; you establish good position and you prevent your opponents from obtaining good position .
8 . CONFIDENT FOLLOW-THROUGH . Don ’ t quit on the ball . Stay with it . Warm up with an extended , exaggerated follow-through . You ’ ve got this .
9 . PURPOSEFUL PRACTICE SERVES . Take practice serves and use that time to see how the conditions affect your serves . Make sure you know the wind direction and speed . See what kind of serves your opponents like to use . Gather information .
10 . SYNCHRONIZE . Make sure your partner is ready . Ask if she needs any certain shot to hit to feel comfortable and ready . Forge a bond by making an encouraging comment . Your partner ’ s warmup is as critical as yours . Yes , the players ARE ready ! •
Alice Tym was ranked 13th in the world for tennis in the ‘ 60s . She ’ s been named USPTA Coach of the Year and was a USPTA Master Professional . As a 4.5 pickleball player , she won gold in Huntsman , NSGA Nationals , US Open , and USAPA events around the country . Alice is an IPTPA member , SSIPA founding board member , Bainbridge Cup Originator and gold medalist in Spain , Italy , and Germany .
DECEMBER 2020 | MAGAZINE 29