Most players like to dink crosscourt, sideline to sideline. It makes sense for a few reasons: The crosscourt dink travels over the low middle of the net and moves your opponent wide. But there’s a few ways this strategy can get you in trouble. When the ball has to travel a longer distance (sideline to […]
If you’ve spent a decent amount of time watching pickleball instructional videos on YouTube, there’s a good chance you’ve come across this one. It was made in 2018 and introduced a concept that has since been adopted by players, teaching pros and social media influencers across the pickleball landscape: Respect the X. It’s designed as […]
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you already know about stacking in pickleball — when you and your partner decide the strongest formation for your team, then get into that formation every rally, regardless of the score. The core concept of stacking is to give your team the highest chance of success on […]
Over the years, pickleball strategy breakdowns have been some of our most viewed and requested content by players. Today we’re breaking down a 4.0+ women’s doubles match rally by rally with the help of coach Tony Roig, a senior pro pickleball player and well-known instructor. Roig takes a closer look at what made the good […]
Tony Roig is a senior pro pickleball player and well-known coach. In recent years he has dedicated thousands of hours to helping players understand the game at a deeper level instead of just collecting tips. He discusses strategy, the mental game and the decisions that decide pickleball rallies in his teaching. In this video he […]
“You’ll have fun!” “You’ll meet people!” “You’ll compete again!” All of those things are true about pickleball. But you also will get your heart broken. If you play long enough, it is inevitable. I’m a clinical psychologist and a competitive doubles player, and after years of playing this sport and studying relationships, I’ve come to […]
This article is part of a series in which we debunk three big myths that pervade our game. Myths are tricky – they sound right, and everyone is repeating them. So we follow them. And our game suffers as a result. The first myth we tackled was “Move with your partner.” Here’s why that’s not […]
You and your partner have goals. Of course you do. Win the bracket. Hit 4.0 by fall. Don’t lose to those two again. Maybe you’ve never said them out loud, but they’re there, humming under every game you play together. Here’s what the best competitors in every sport already know: Outcome goals don’t drive performance […]
Your third shot in pickleball starts your transition forward to the kitchen line. The drop shot is a great option for your third as it can disarm your opponents and give you time to advance safely if played well. Of course, not all drop shots are perfect. After you hit your third shot, evaluate the […]
Everybody is looking for a partner. Maybe you’re between partners right now, rotating through open play, trying people out. Maybe you’ve got a tournament coming and a decision to make. So you run the checklist we all run: Similar (or higher) skill level, compatible style, available when you are, wants to compete as much as […]
