Skills That Fly Under the Radar in Pickleball

We all love how dynamic and fast-paced pickleball can be.

It does, though, require a diverse set of skills in order to excel past your opponents and peers.

While some skills like strong serves and low, hard volleys will often steal the spotlight, there are some skills that play a significant role in determining the outcome of a match but are often overlooked.

Let's shine a light on some of these unsung heroes and explore why they are crucial for success on the pickleball court...

Soft Game Mastery

In a game that is now often dictated by power and speed, mastering the soft game is an underrated skill that will give players a competitive edge.

The ability to execute a precise drop shot, angular dinks, and soft reset volleys can disrupt your opponent's rhythm and force them out of position.

Developing touch and finesse through the soft game allows players to control the pace of the game and set up winning shots with precision.

If you are a player who incorporates drills into your practice routine, be sure to balance out the practice by incorporating resets and repetitive dinking.

Court Awareness

While court awareness is mentioned it’s not as easy to practice and drill, as it is to practice dinking.

The importance of court awareness is often underestimated. Understanding your position on the court, anticipating your opponent's moves, and recognizing openings are all critical aspects of court awareness.

Players with a heightened sense of court awareness can strategically position themselves to capitalize on opportunities and cover weaknesses, making them difficult opponents.

If you do a dynamic warm-up before playing, you can add lateral lunging to your routine. While doing so, count how many steps it takes you to get from the sideline to center line (and then the full width of the court).

Knowing the amount of steps will inherently help you gain more court awareness.

Have you ever heard of the saying “shoulder high let it fly”? This general rule of thumb helps when making that split decision whether to hit the fast ball heading towards you or determining to let it go past you and outside the court parameters.

Of course, if the ball is shoulder high but is dropping rapidly chances are the top spin will keep that ball in the court.

Communication in Doubles

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful doubles play in pickleball, yet it's an underrated aspect of the game.

Clear and concise communication with your partner helps in coordinating shots, determining responsibilities, and maintaining cohesion on the court.

Whether it's calling out shots, signaling intentions, or providing encouragement, effective communication can elevate your doubles game to new heights.

Image credit: Sara McInnes

Recovery and Defense

With rallies increasing in pace pickleball, the ability to recover quickly in order to play strong defense is often overlooked.

A strong defensive game involves anticipating your opponent's shots, reacting swiftly to incoming balls, and maintaining composure under pressure.

If you start considering what shot you or your partner has given your opponent will also help you anticipate what your opponent might do.

As an example, if you pop up the ball to their “shoulder high” then you know that the ball is on its way down to your feet.

Most players will stay in the same position, though, watching the unfortunate situation unfold, rather than getting into a low, defensive position with the paddle closer to the ground.

While it’s tempting to hit flashy offensive shots, it's often solid and patient defense that wins points and frustrates opponents.

Mental Toughness

Pickleball is as much a mental game as it is physical.

Developing mental toughness to stay focused, resilient, and composed during critical moments is an underrated skill that can make all the difference.

Sometimes the smallest “thing” can unnerve a person or team, such as the opponent doing what they can to get under your skin.

I’ve seen it all, chirping, cheating, bad line calls, bad attitudes, there are people out there who will do what they can to shake your focus.  

Whether it's overcoming setbacks, managing nerves, or staying positive in the face of adversity, mental toughness will absolutely help players maintain their competitive edge throughout a match.

While common, flashy skills in pickleball may receive more attention, it's essential not to overlook the importance of these underrated aspects of the game.

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