BEGINNER by ALICE TYM
A BEGINNER’ S MANIFESTO
At one of the regional championships recently, a friend told me that there is a need for entry-level player information. People want to know how to get started and how to get up to speed with players who started sooner. So, here are some suggestions to prepare you for the ride.
PART I: HOW TO GET STARTED
Buy a pair of good-quality shoes that are designed for lateral movement.
Become a member of USA Pickleball. Support the sport you play. Visit usapickleball. org.
Take lessons. Ask around the courts and find out which teaching pro suits your style and pocketbook. If you are at a recreation center, suggest that it offer a beginners clinic.
Look at the many videos on YouTube. There is excellent instruction available and it’ s free.
Join a league. The more people you meet, the more available practice partners you will have.
Play tournaments. That will help you find people of a similar level, and competition will highlight the things you need to work on in your game.
Hit against a wall. You can practice all the things you learned on YouTube and experiment. The wall will help you prepare earlier, keep the ball in play, watch the ball better, and control the pace.
Drill. When you drill— as opposed to playing games— you hit more balls, you focus on specific qualities, you develop useful patterns, and you are practicing productively. Pickleball is a game of placement so you need to drill accordingly.
If you are at the point where you know you like pickleball, now is the time to buy a quality paddle. Your teaching professional can make suggestions for you. Take advantage of demo paddle programs to try out different brands. Be an informed buyer.
Learn the venues and court times for your level in your area. Familiarize yourself with the USAP website so you know how to locate available places to play near you and when you travel. You are going to want to take your paddle everywhere.
Read the rules. Ask questions at the courts. Learn the terminology and the rules of the game.
Absolutely, first and foremost, learn the etiquette. Never go on someone else’ s court. Don’ t fetch the ball on anyone’ s court other than your own. Politely wait until a point is finished and then ask for your ball. If a stray ball goes on your court, pick it up and toss or hit it with a high bounce so the player doesn’ t have to stoop to pick it up. It is the Golden Rule and commonsense safety. Respect. You want to be accepted into the pickleball pack. Proper etiquette will make people want to encourage you.
PART 2: UNDERSTANDING THE STRUCTURE OF THE GAME
Learn the difference between mechanics, strategy and tactics. This will help you when you take lessons, and it will help you build a game rather than just hit shots.
Mechanics are the physical things you do to hit the ball, such as watching the ball, bending your knees, and following through with your paddle.
Strategy is the overall plan you have to defeat your opponent, such as moving him all over the court in singles, or keeping your opponents off the NVZ line in doubles. The NVZ is the non-volley zone. You may not step into this zone and volley the ball; you must let the ball bounce before hitting it. However, you want to position yourself close to the NVZ line to control the net and the point.
Tactics are the shots you are going to hit to accomplish your strategy. For example, in singles you need sharp-angle crosscourt shots to move your opponent, and in doubles you need deep serves and returns to keep your opponents back off of the NVZ line.
Understanding these three terms will help you build an effective game rather than just a set of shots. Every shot should have a purpose.
PART 3: HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
Start by watching the ball. Develop this skill because it will be essential whether you just play for fun or become a touring pro. Everything is predicated on watching the ball. It allows you to anticipate when you see the ball come off the opponent’ s paddle. It allows you to start moving in the right direction immediately.
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