The 2024 Major League Pickleball (MLP) Premier season has come to an electrifying close with the final showdown at the USTA National Campus in Orlando this past weekend.
It’s not surprising that most players learn the basics of the game and then continue playing without fully understanding the complete set of pickleball rules.
Over the years of playing pickleball there’s been a few common phrases, but one that stands out is “It’s all about the third shot drop.” However, is this still the case?
Why is it that in pickleball you can have a long rally that’s highlight reel worthy but the point ends with someone hitting off the edge of the paddle and the ball falls into the net?
Really, what is the difference between a pickleball lesson and a clinic? Or a workshop versus a camp? Really, there’s not much differentiating any of these examples of programming.
Do you get caught with your paddle tipped in one direction or the other? Many players feel more confident playing their forehand or backhand. Yes, backhand can be favoured in pickleball.
These days, pickleball is almost as much about equipment as it is about skill. While choosing the right paddle is crucial - not to mention a really fun process to go through - many players overlook ...
I get a lot of questions about pickleball equipment care and selection. Whether you're a seasoned player or just getting started in the sport, it's always helpful to learn more about pickleball so I ...
If you follow pickleball news you will likely have seen that all of the Joola Gen 3 paddles are no longer certified by the USAP, the governing body for pickleball and can't be used in any tournament ...
Deciding to leave "out balls" in pickleball can be a game-changer, influencing the outcome of matches and adding an extra layer of strategy to the sport.
I finally tried padel. Some friends who had previously played a few times finally convinced me to play with them, so a court was booked, a spare paddle was provided and onto the court I went.
In pickleball, player skill levels are commonly classified on a scale ranging from 2.0 to 5.0+, with 2.0 being the beginner level and 5.0+ representing a professional or expert player.
Many times we get caught in long, crosscourt dinking rallies which can tempt us to do something different - mid-rally. Usually, that means looking for an opportunity to attack, to turn the dinking ...
Sometimes weird things can happen on a pickleball court and you’re not sure if it’s “allowed” to happen or not, which usually leads to the rally stopping.
When I think of being balanced in pickleball I picture someone standing in an athletic stance with the knees bent and body weight tilting at the feet and chest both tilting the weight forward.
As you now may well know, an area that I constantly write about is the room for improvement with footwork; getting into the proper position to hit the ball will give you your best opportunity to hit ...
The centerline on the pickleball court is a way of tracking whether the ball is being served on the correct side of the court or not but oftentimes people also think it’s meant to help divide a team ...
The return of serve seems like a good opportunity to get creative: You can slice, chop, drive, lob, or spin the return and it can land anywhere on the court.
A pickleball game is typically played to 11 points (win by 2 points) and the serving team is the only team who can gain points after winning a rally - this is considered to be “traditional scoring".
Tournaments are a great way to test your skills and mental fortitude against people of a similar level. It’s a fun way to meet new players (possibly new partners), catch up with old pickleball ...
In a previous article, I shared some of my favourite games to incorporate into practice. Intertwining games or ending a practice session with one is not only a fun way to cap off the day but it’s ...
Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Jorge is a well-known Canadian professional pickleball player. If you don’t follow him already, Quintero often shares his skills and trick shots on social media and ...
Pickleball has been on the rise for years and showing no signs of stopping. The difference between when I first entered the game in 2016 and today is that it’s rising on the professional level just ...
What’s a shot that is necessary to have but you don’t want to utilize it all the time? It can take time away from your opponent and allow you to advance to the non-volley zone?
When in doubt, call the ball…. In. But how many people actually follow this code of ethics? Shaky line calling can actually lead to people avoiding certain players.
Well known for his online presence, Zane Navratil is an elite professional pickleball player who presents himself professionally but also lighthearted and with a genuine, approachable personality.
What was once considered to be a ‘trick shot’ by many players, hitting the ball Around-the-Post is still a glam shot but as the game has grown and evolved, it has become more common to execute and ...
We’ve all probably come across the posts where people ask ‘how long will my paddle last’? It’s a fair question and one that probably everyone asks when first entering the game.
There have been many occasions where I’ve wondered just how “put together” pickleball really is. Across all levels. Because the reality is that pickleball is growing in popularity faster than the ...
Do you define yourself as a certain type of player? Like a dinker or banger? How about the side you play on - does that define you as a pickleball player?
There’s a good chance that you, yes you, take feet for granted. If you’re a pickleball junkie and can’t seem to take more than a day or two off of pickleball, then it’s even more important to take ...
The snowbirds - who don’t play pickleball - have already started their exit out of Florida, and just in time for people all over Canada, the US and beyond to take over Naples, FL. East Naples, to be ...
As people start to get into pickleball they eventually branch out to various resources to collect information. For most, this is how they learn the game. Inform, adapt, plateau, repeat.
Having a solid forehand drive is a great way to increase the offensive side of your game. When done correctly, the drive can be a winning shot or set up the next shot for a winner - or cause a forced ...
Recently, a friend of mine came by for a visit and as usual, I had pickleball streaming on the TV. This friend of mine, whom I’ve come to know through pickleball but comes to the sport with a strong ...
Wes Gabrielson is a seminal person and player within the sport of pickleball. He has captured over 11 USAP National medals and many Canadian National medals as well.
There's some great content on social media defining the various types of pickleball players. Most of this content speaks to playing style, like the “bad line caller” or the “looks down at their ...
This is now the third Pro Series article where I’ve featured a Canadian pro player. Matthew Kawamoto has been on the scene longer than most of us and has been playing alongside his family since the ...
Maybe you're waiting for that one player who always arrives a little bit late. Or maybe there are three of you in your group of pickleball friends who want to drill more than the rest.
Julie Johnson has been a left-handed force of nature on the Senior Pro Circuit for a number of years now and her two children JW and Jorja also play at the pro level.
Each year, USA Pickleball amends and updates its rulebook. It might seem a tad annoying but in the history of sport, this does tend to happen and the way I see it, the official rule book is not so ...
Have you ever wondered why you sometimes see players stand on the same side as their teammate during their serving? Or, when you see players switch sides after returning a serve?
This is the fourth edition of the Pro Series and you may notice that, so far, I have started each article by sharing some of my own experiences and/or perceptions of each player.
It snowed here this week. So, goodbye outdoor season and hello “I’ll take what I can get”. Indoor pickleball is a little bittersweet for me because although there are now many dedicated, indoor ...
Not one single person out there wants to feel a tight elbow, but the reality is that many of us experience tightness or inflammation due to pickleball.
Sometimes you can play a game with a complete stranger and it just clicks. You’re moving up to the non-volley line together, you know who’s taking the middle ball and who’s taking that third shot of ...
Kyle Yates is one of the first players I started following online in 2016, back when watching pickleball on YouTube didn’t include live streaming and pro tours definitely did not yet exist.
If there is one thing lacking about pickleball it’s definitely not the shortage of paddles to select from. Newer players ask me “what should I be using?” all the time, but the truth is that they ...
There is a basic skill that often goes overlooked or undetected and that is the ready position. Many people perceive that the “ready position” is all about the paddle being “up”.
After a couple of years, the National Bank Open - formally Rogers Cup - was back at it last month. I’m glad that in the past I’ve seen Serena Williams compete, because this year I sadly missed ...
Back in the day, I would attempt to play tennis with a couple of friends at a local court. We were just three people rotating between games. At that time, I had never received any sort of racquet ...
Starting out in pickleball I never thought of myself or other competitors being a “type”. Although many players are identified or self-identify as “dinkers” or “bangers”, I never put emphasis on ...
Kylie Jenner has a pickleball court in her backyard. The Kardashian family exposed pickleball on an episode of their show Keeping up with the Kardashians. To name a few more celebrity “sightings” in ...
When matches aren’t enough to get your skill to another level, it’s probably time to hit the practice court. There are a few games that I really enjoy incorporating into lessons or practice sessions ...
I finally got the time to watch some of the matches from the USA Pickleball Newport Beach tournament that occurred late June/early July. The women’s doubles gold match was completed pretty ...
My journey in pickleball started off typical for most players: show up to drop-in and someone shows you how to the basics; you learn about the non-volley zone and the two-bounce rule and give it a go ...
With pickleball increasing in popularity, the variety of talent is also rising and I don’t just mean on the court. Folks with different backgrounds are becoming involved in the sport. Recently, I ...
Who else has experience playing pickleball on every type of surface possible? If you’re like me and you bring a paddle wherever you go - vacations included - then you’re likely going to come up ...
Pickleball is growing in popularity so quickly that in many ways the industry is barely keeping up with demand. I definitely believe that, for most people, it’s within their right and interest to ...
Tournaments are competitive, no matter what sport you’re playing. It’s a place where athletes come together to test their abilities against others and sometimes emotions can run high.
Tournaments are a great way to play competitive pickleball while also increasing the social aspect of the game. The great thing about tournaments is that they are available to everyone, not just ...
The doubles format is the preferred way of playing pickleball, unlike tennis, where singles is the more popular choice - and no - it’s not because pickleball “is for older people”! One of the great ...
I’m at the Mountain Diamond Regional tournament near Las Vegas. Nestled within snowtop mountains are 24 professional courts. It’s quite the change from Canada and needless to say me and the group I’m ...
There are quite a few recurring questions in pickleball that I hear from players, especially when it comes to purchasing a paddle. One question in particular, although I might not hear it all the ...
When done properly, the lob is a very effective way to move one person or a team off of the non-volley line (NVL), especially when players are hugging the line closely.
If you’re looking to take your pickleball game to a higher level, then acquiring the ability to reset the ball will definitely help you get there. Resetting an opponent's shot is a blend of tactical ...
In pickleball, rec or drop-in play often refers to “open skill” play. It is currently still the most common way to engage in pickleball and has proven to grow communities across Canada. It’s also ...
