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THE TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES IN PICKLEBALL
By Joe Dinoffer
There are two main objectives in pickleball . You may think this is overly simplistic . Read on and you may be in for a wonderful surprise , as understanding this concept can boost your playing level very quickly . But , first let ’ s set the scene by reviewing the two types of errors . Then we will share our sport ’ s two main objectives .
UNFORCED ERRORS
SCIENCE OF PICKLEBALL
We all know most points end in what ’ s called an unforced error . If you want to know what percentage of points that you play end in an unforced error ( defined as a shot that you could have kept in play ), just have a pad and pen by your court during a practice match and make notes after each point . Take the number of unforced errors and divide by the total number of points played to get a percentage of unforced errors .
FORCED ERRORS
This means that , for your playing level , the shot hit by your opponent was too difficult for you to return . This is a subjective categorization and , like unforced errors , you can keep track of these in the same manner as well .
Now let ’ s move to the two main objectives in pickleball that are hiding in plain sight :
OBJECTIVE # 1
Hit the ball over the net . It may sound simple , but if you hit the ball over the net , you have accomplished 50 % of your basic objectives . Players often think they should hit the ball very low over the net . While it is true that lower is better , it should not be at the risk of hitting the net itself . Keeping this in mind should help you get that extra ball in play to put the pressure back onto your opponents to hit that extra shot !
OBJECTIVE # 2
Hit the ball inside the lines . While this also sounds simplistic , each side of the court is 21 ' x20 '. Some players think they need to hit close to the lines . While this is theoretically true , trying to hit too close to the lines can cause unforced errors . Again , keep the pressure on your opponent to hit that extra shot and you will be surprised how many “ free ” points you will get due to your opponents making that unforced error instead of you !
SUMMARY
Hit the ball over the net and inside the lines and you are at the very least giving your opponent a chance to make an error or perhaps even set you up to close out the point . Remember that power is of secondary importance to consistency and control ! •
Joe Dinoffer is a master professional in the USPTA and PTR , has written nine books , produced 22 DVDs , and has appeared on the Tennis Channel . His company , at
oncourtoffcourt . com , designs and manufactures training aids for pickleball , tennis , and yoga . He has also produced dozens of pickleball tips for YouTube .