Some More Drills & Games For You

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 also a great way to reinforce everything you’ve just worked on.

If you want to break down how to learn a skill, you see how it’s broken down, physically speaking; you learn why it’s important to gain the skill and finally, you start to practice those broken-down elements.

Finally, you would practice that skill entirely and again, round everything out with a game. So, here are some more drills & games that should help you develop your pickleball game...

Photo Credit: Sara McInnes

Drill One - Crosscourt Dinking

Simple is as simple does. This drill might seem “boring” but it’s going to elevate your game. Stand diagonal from your drilling partner and hit crosscourt dinks to one another.

To start, you’re just dinking clean and consistent contact shots whilst keeping the ball down and take any ball out of the air that you can.

I like to count the number of dinks (excluding the initial feed) and aim to increase that number with my partner. Throughout this drill be really cognisant of your balance; you want to be grounded and stable as you’re pushing through the shots. 

Drill Progression: Once the consistency has built up (you can hit 25 dinks in a row on a consistent basis), focus on placing the ball down at the other person’s feet, then, focus on placing the ball in various areas forcing your partner to move slightly off balance.

Drill Two - Walk the Line Vollies

This drill is amazing for increasing hand-eye coordination and learning to stay relaxed while volleying the ball. Stand on the opposite side of the net from your partner at one sideline - head on to one another.

Take a big step inside the non-volley zone. Feed the ball gently to your partner as a volley and hit back and forth to one another, once you catch a rhythm, take a step sideways and continue hitting back and forth while you walk across the width of the court.

Once you make it to the other sideline make your way back to the original sideline, all while volleying back and forth. This drill reminds me of a passing drill I did in soccer.

The idea is to hit slightly ahead of your partner so that's they move they actually walk towards the ball. I also really like this drill because you can work on staying on the balls of the feet while hitting (which some people struggle to remember to do).

Drill Progression: If this drill is too difficult to start, break it down and begin by just volleying back and forth inside the non-volley zone but not walking.

After you and your partner hit back and forth to one another with controlled volleys, move outside of the non-volley zone and hit your volleys behind the NVL.

You should immediately feel the difference in how well you can move and react to the ball from your partner - that extra distance equals more time for you.

Drill Three - The Lob Reset

What I really like about this drill is that it allows the feeder to practice their lobs and the other person to practice the lob reset. One person will be feeding lobs and one person will attempt to reset the lob as a drop into the non-volley zone.

Start by standing head on from your partner and begin dinking the ball. After a few consistent dinks, the feeder will find the right shot to lob the other person - and that person must chase the lob and aim to reset the ball back into the non-volley zone.

Once a successful drop/reset has been made, move back up the court and play out the point as a regular point.

Drill Progression: Instead of playing out the rally, the person who just reset the lob becomes the feeder - both players go back to dinking the ball and the roles reverse. This means that the drill will continue in succession as long as lob resets are being made.

Game One - Cat and Mouse

Best played as two-person but can be adapted to a four-person game. Both sides will start the game by dinking.

Once an attackable ball presents itself the person will take the opportunity to do so - the other side must try and defend the rally back to neutral. Play the point until someone forces an error or hits a winner.

There are variations of this game, so make adjustments depending on what you’re interested in working on, ie. instead of one person playing defense, that player can counter-attack and the rally is played on until someone wins or forces an error.

This game in particular is great for learning to read your opponent's body language, setting up or preparing for the attack, and hand speed.

Photo Credit: Sara McInnes

Game Two - Dingles

This is a classic dinking game that I got introduced to by two long-time ambassadors of the game.

I will always incorporate this game into my lessons and clinics because it really makes dinking fun for those who are somewhat doubtful of this aspect of the game. This game usually requires four people.

Two players of one team will start off with the ball and feed a dink to the other side, from there, you are playing crosscourt dinks only (forehand to forehand and backhand to backhand) and all dinks must land in the non-volley zone.

Once a ball is hit into the net or outside of the non-volley zone then someone calls out “dingles” and the remaining ball that’s still going can be played as a regular point - this includes lobs, speed ups, dinks, literally anything that you would do within a rally.

The side that eventually wins the overall rally takes a point and those teammates switch sides - so then you get to play against both opponents.

If the ball of the second rally ends immediately following “dingles” that’s still a point for the winning side. If both rallies end at the same time then no point is earned.

Game Three - Focus on One Aspect

This might be obvious and/or I’ve also mentioned it in previous articles. When playing a rec game focus on one aspect only for the entire game.

Oftentimes, people analyze every rally once it’s finished: “what did I do wrong there?”, or “I should have done ______ instead”. That’s probably not productive thinking in the long run.

What will be helpful for you to improve your game is before the game begins choose one area to focus on and leave it at that.

For example: I might focus on hitting crosscourt third shot drops - that doesn’t mean I can’t drive the ball, but when I do elect to drop, it will be on the crosscourt only.

By focusing on one area it will allow you to play freely (which is so important in pickleball) and not get down on yourself for every rally you don’t win.

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