Pickleball Magazine 7-3 | Page 80

INSTRUCTION By PPR ’ s Collin Johns

Left-Handed Advantage Lefties are among the most irksome and awkward opponents to face , and it often feels like everything is frustratingly backward when you come up against them . The good news is they are far more fun to play with than against . If you are lucky enough to be a lefty or have a left-handed partner , you want to maximize this enormous advantage by employing a specific strategy to increase the strength of the team unit . Efficient teamwork is important for any partnership , but it can be made even smoother by getting full use out of having a lefty . Assuming most players know what stacking is and how to do it ( position each team member on one specific side on every point ), we will dig into why stacking the lefty on the right side gives your team a big advantage in a variety of ways .

Double the reach when covering the center .
As players rise to a higher level , they become aware that the most commonly hit attack is the one through the middle . But even when a hole is opened in the middle as one player is pulled wide , it becomes doubly difficult for the opponents to sneak an attack through the center with the player ’ s partner covering the extra space with the added reach of a forehand .
Poaches in transition can be made with the forehand from either side .
This is especially effective during a shake-andbake combination ( third shot drive followed by fifth shot poach ) when you are attempting to apply maximum pressure on your opponents by setting up your partner to intercept the opponent ’ s reply to your drive . The added reach and power supplied by a forehand coming across the court is a significant advantage when poaching .
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