The 3.5 Habits That Quietly Frustrate Better Players — and What to Do Instead
A lot of rec players assume higher-level partners get annoyed by missed shots. Not really. Better players can live with misses when the idea was right. What tends... Read more.
The Counter-Shot Fix Most Rec Players Need: Stop Over-Committing the Elbow
Our friend and pickleball coach Will East recently shared a really useful tip about counter shots, and it gets at a mistake a lot of rec players do not even realize... Read more.
The Winning Pattern Most Rec Players Skip: Make Balls, Then Get to the Kitchen
We recently heard the following advice from pro player Callie Jo Smith’s and is deceptively simple: make balls and get to the kitchen. That may not sound flashy,... Read more.
Why You Play Like a 4.0 One Day and a 2.5 the Next
If you play pickleball a lot, you have probably had this thought before: How can I feel sharp, patient, and in control one day… then come back two days later and... Read more.
The Simple Step That Helps Keep Your Pickleball Dinks Low
A lot of beginner and early intermediate players think popped-up dinks are mostly a hand problem. They blame the paddle face.Or their grip.Or their touch. Sometimes... Read more.
How Long Should You Give a New Paddle Before Deciding It’s Your Go-To?
A lot of rec players do one of two bad things with a new paddle. They either fall in love after 10 minutes because they hit three great drives in warm-up, or they... Read more.
Why Your Toenail Keeps Turning Black From Pickleball
It is not the glamorous pickleball injury. Nobody posts a proud selfie of it. Nobody brings it up after open play unless the nail is already halfway black. But a... Read more.
What Should You Actually Do When Your Partner Won’t Come to the Kitchen?
A lot of rec players think the answer is simple: “Just poach everything.” Sometimes that works. A lot of times it does not. The real answer is more nuanced.... Read more.
How to Attack Shoulder-High Balls in Pickleball Without Muscling Them
A lot of rec players struggle with this exact situation. The ball floats up a little too high — maybe off a weak dink, a hanging reset, or a soft drop that sits... Read more.
Defensive Drives in Pickleball: When to Use Them, Why They Work, and How to Stay Alive in the Point
Recently, pro player Collin Johns talked about a shot that a lot of rec players do not think about enough: the defensive drive. Most players think of the drive as... Read more.