PickleBall fundamentals master the basics and compete with COnfidence

Acknowledgments v Introduction vii Key to Diagrams xv Chapter 1 Warming Up and Stretching 1 Chapter 2 Ready Position, Grips, and Ball Control 13 Chapter 3 Forehand and Backhand Ground

Fundamentals

USA Pickleball Association With Mary Littlewood

“USA Pickleball Association.”

1 Pickleball (Game) Handbooks, manuals, etc I Title

GV990.L58 2015

796.34 dc23

2014047773

ISBN: 978-1-4925-0413-9 (print)

Copyright © 2015 by USA Pickleball Association and Mary Littlewood

All rights reserved Except for use in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Notice: Permission to reproduce the following material is granted to instructors and agencies who

have purchased Pickleball Fundamentals: pp 11, 141 The reproduction of other parts of this book

is expressly forbidden by the above copyright notice Persons or agencies who have not purchased

Pickleball Fundamentals may not reproduce any material The USAPA does not mean to imply dorsement to any of the brands or equipment shown or mentioned throughout the book.

en-The web addresses cited in this text were current as of January 2015, unless otherwise noted.

Acquisitions Editor: Tom Heine

Managing Editor: Nicole Moore

Copyeditor: Jan Feeney

Senior Graphic Designer: Keri Evans

Cover Designer: Keith Blomberg

Photograph (cover): Neil Bernstein

Photographs (interior): Neil Bernstein unless otherwise noted; Terry Guerrant for figures Intro 4,

1.4, 2.3a, 3.3, 4.3, 5.1, 5.6b, 8.1, and 8.3.

Visual Production Assistant: Joyce Brumfield

Photo Production Manager: Jason Allen

Art Manager: Kelly Hendren

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Acknowledgments v

Introduction vii

Key to Diagrams xv

Chapter 1 Warming Up and Stretching 1

Chapter 2 Ready Position, Grips, and Ball Control 13

Chapter 3 Forehand and Backhand Groundstrokes 33

Chapter 4 Serve and Return 45

Chapter 5 Volley 61

Chapter 6 Dink 81

Chapter 7 Lob 91

Chapter 8 Overhead Smash 103

Chapter 9 Drop Shot 113

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Thank you to the Ahwatukee Recreation Center Pickleball Club,

who provided the courts for the photos; Sandra Stultz, who

as-sisted the author with numerous tasks in the writing of this book; and Jim Hackenberg, who served as a technical advisor to the author Thanks also to the following players who devoted their time and energy to be the models for the photos in this book: Jaimi Foster, Rena Han, Gigi LeMaster, Patrick Leonard, Ron Robinson, David Zapatka, and Dianne Zimmerman

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If you are not already involved in the sport of pickleball, you’re

probably wondering what it is It is an easy-to-learn game that can

be played either indoors or outdoors on a badminton-size court A seamless perforated plastic ball the approximate size of a baseball, such as a Wiffle ball, is hit with a solid, smooth paddle either after one bounce or in the air The object of the game is to hit the ball over the net, which is approximately 3 feet high, to the opponent in such a way that it cannot be returned successfully While singles and doubles are both played, doubles is currently more popular

Because of its popularity, this book focuses more heavily on ball doubles play than singles play Similarly, instructions and photos are based on play by right-handed players; the assumption is that left-handed players will reverse the instructions

pickle-Pickleball, enjoyed by players of all ages and skill levels, is soaring

in popularity Courts are springing up in backyards and public parks regularly, and the game is now being taught in many schools This book provides you with information about the skills and strategies of pickleball so that you, too, can enjoy this exciting game

History

The game was created in 1965 by Joel Pritchard, congressman from the state of Washington, and Bill Bell, a successful businessman, at Pritchard’s home on Bainbridge Island as a means of entertaining

Accounts of how the name pickleball inated vary A July 16, 2013, article in the

orig-Wall Street Journal says this: “The name comes not from the family dog, Pickles, as popularly related According to a newspaper column by Pritchard’s wife, Joan, it was so heavily based on other games it remind-

ed her of the pickle boat in crew, ‘where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.’” Popular belief as related over the years is that the game was named after the dog, Pickles, who chased after the ball Others claim both accounts may actually be true Regardless of where it came from, the name pickleball has endured

The game gradually caught on, and the first known pickleball tournament in the world was held in the spring of 1976 at the South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila, Washington Many of the participants were collegiate tennis players who knew very little about pickleball In fact, they practiced with large wood paddles and a baseball-size Wiffle ball

As more people played the game, liked it, and wanted to continue playing, the need for consistent rules, established tournament formats, and equipment standards became more important Consequently, the USA Pickleball Association was organized in 1984 and published the first rule book in March of that year The USAPA continues to serve as the national governing body of the sport Detailed information about all aspects of pickleball is available on their website, www.usapa.org The International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) was formed for the purpose

of standardizing pickleball competition and rules worldwide and duced its first rulebook in 2010 The USAPA now recognizes the IFP’s

pro-Official Tournament Rulebook as the official reference for competition throughout the world

Pickleball was included for the first time in the 2003 Huntsman World Senior Games in St George, Utah The games, whose mission is to foster global peace, health and friendship, originated in 1987 and is the largest annual multisport event in the world for athletes aged 50 and older The visibility of pickleball on that stage spurred a rise in the popularity

of the sport worldwide According to the USAPA, by February, 2015, pickleball was being played in all 50 states at more than 3,000 sites

The first pickleball court on the

Pritchard’s property.

The first wood paddle used.

tain to the non-volley zone apply to the line Therefore, a served ball landing on the non-volley zone line is a fault Each service court is

15 feet long and 10 feet wide (4.6 by 3 m) The net is 36 inches high (91 cm) over the sidelines and 34 inches high (86 cm) in the center

of the court

44 ft

15 ft

Non-volley zone

While years ago the only choice of a pickleball paddle would have been wood, now there are many choices Wood paddles still exist and are sold; however, most players prefer to use a lighter-weight paddle made of newer materials such as composite, graphite, aluminum, fiberglass, or vinyl Paddles made of newer materials range in weight from 6 to 12 ounces (170-340 g)

Paddles also have various grip materials and range in size from

4 to 4.5 inches As a new player, you should use a paddle that is light enough for you to swing without putting undue stress on your elbow and one with a grip that is the right size for your hand Most pickleball clubs have demonstration paddles that you can use briefly

if you’re a new player so that you can make an intelligent choice If that opportunity doesn’t exist, some online retail companies allow a trial period of up to 30 days before you commit to the sale

BALLS

A pickleball ball is made of durable plastic material molded with a smooth surface that is free of texture It is 2.75 to 3 inches (7-7.6 cm) in diameter and weighs between 0.8 and 1.02 ounces (22.7-29 g) The spacing of the holes and overall design of the ball must conform

to the straight-flight characteristics required for play Some balls are specified as being better for indoor play Most brands of balls come

in various colors as well as arrangements and sizes of holes and are available through online pickleball stores The preferred brand of ball is determined by the tournament director or club

CLOTHInG AnD SHOES

Rules are flexible on clothing for pickleball Any clothing that

per-mits free movement is acceptable as long as it is not distracting in any way and is in good taste Shoes must have soles that do not mark or damage the playing surface Tennis shoes with a smooth sole are thought to be safer on a pickleball court than running or other types of shoes that have deep ridges on the soles

Scoring and Action

The first team or player to score 11 points wins the game That team

or player must be at least 2 points ahead of the opponent Either the player serving or the referee (if there is a referee) announces the score A match consists of the best two out of three games Before the match, a coin flip, a twirl of the paddle, or some other objective means determines which team or player will serve first and on which side of the net each team will begin the match Teams switch sides

at the end of the first game and, if the match should go to three games, when one team reaches 6 points Upon agreement by both teams or players, or if decreed by the tournament director, a match can consist of only one 15-point or one 21-point game While an official match consists of the best two out of three games in which each game goes to 11 points, it is sometimes advantageous to play shorter matches

DOUBLES SCORInG

In a doubles match, the player positioned behind the right service court

of the team serving to begin a game will serve the ball That player will continue serving from behind alternate service courts until her team

is 0, and the second server is serving After the serving team loses the rally, the serve goes to the opponents From then until the end of the game, both partners have the opportunity to serve The third number

in the score will always be either 1 or 2 While it may seem confusing

at first, after you’ve played a few times it will become automatic

SInGLES SCORInG

Doubles scoring chart.

B B

D

Rally # Score Server (circled)

Rally Winner Results

Sideout

Point

Second server Point

A

A

D D C

his right service court If the server wins the rally, the score is 1-0 The serving player’s score is always given first He then serves from

behind his left service court If that player continues to win rallies,

he continues serving from behind alternate service courts If he loses

the rally, the serve goes to his opponent, who serves from behind the court that is determined by his score When a player’s score is even, he serves from behind the right service court; when his score

is odd, he serves from behind the left service court

Etiquette

Many of the rules of etiquette and sportsmanship for pickleball are

common to all sports Most important is to remember your objective

in playing the game While it is widely written that playing should be

fun, you know that it’s more fun if you play up to your capabilities

Doing your best is all that should be expected of you Being able to

accept graciously a loss as well as a win is the true gauge of good sporting behavior

■

■ Be on time for matches

■

■ If you are playing on a court that requires you to walk through

another court, be sure that their play is stopped before you enter their court

■

■ Agree with your opponents about the warm-up procedure you’ll

follow before a match

■

■ Many matches will involve players calling their own line faults

Make all calls on your side of the net fairly, giving your

oppo-nents the benefit of the doubt on close calls

■

■ The ball should be clearly out before it is called as out All balls

not called as out are assumed to be in If partners disagree about

whether the ball is in or out, it is in, and the rally should go to

The bulk of the information is in four sections:

D DS DV HV F L OS P PA PB PC PD R1 R2 S1 S2 Sh SP

Player executing a dink Player executing a drop shot Player executing a drop volley Player executing a half volley Feeder

Player executing a lob Player executing an overhead smash Any player

Player A in a doubles match or drill Player B in a doubles match or drill Player C in a doubles match or drill Player D in a doubles match or drill Receiver

Receiver’s partner Server

Server’s partner Player shagging balls Stronger player on a doubles team Target

Player executing a volley Weaker player on a doubles team Balls

Path of player Initial path of ball Secondary path of ball Path of ball

Bounce (small solid circle)

V

T

WP

Key to Diagrams

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CHAPTER

Warming Up

and Stretching

Before you participate in any sport or activity that is more strenuous

than is normal in everyday life, you need to spend a few minutes warming up your “engine” and stretching your muscles and tendons

Pickleball is no exception Warming up and stretching before playing pickleball and cooling down afterward will not only help to prevent soreness of muscles—a phenomenon that traditionally occurs the day after exertion—but will also help to prevent injuries If, like many busy teens and adults, you do not participate in regular exercise,

tem-up before you stretch.

Warm-up activities can be of a general nature, such as walking at

a quick pace or jogging, biking from home to the pickleball courts, walking on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or a combination

of these activities Or the warm-up activities can be more specific

to the sport Any exercise involving the upper body (particularly the arms and shoulders) as well as the lower body would be specific to pickleball For instance, circling the arms from the shoulders as you walk or jog and riding a stationary bike with moving handlebars would be good warm-up exercises specific to pickleball Be sure to warm up long enough to break a sweat or at least feel your heart pumping harder than normal As soon as possible after your 15- to 20-minute warm-up, start your stretching routine

STRETCHInG

Starting with the ankles and working your way up the body, follow the same pattern of stretching every time Developing a regular rou-tine ensures that every part of the body is included

Following are some considerations for stretching:

■

■ Place the muscle group on stretch—a point where you feel the stretch as something beyond what you normally feel Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and then relax Complete the stretch and relax cycle three times before moving on to the next muscle group

■

■ Do not overstretch the muscle group “No pain, no gain” does

not apply to stretching!

Do not bob up and down as you stretch One continuous

stretch-More to choose and use

Foot and Ankle Stretch

Sit with the legs straight out in front of you With either one foot at a time or both feet together, point your toes by extending your foot at the ankle (plantar flexion) Hold that position for 10 seconds (figure

1.1a) Then relax the joint Do the stretch a total of three times Then

pull your toes back, flexing your ankle toward the body (dorsiflexion)

You should feel a pull on the Achilles tendon Hold this position for

10 seconds (1.1b) Relax Do the stretch a total of three times.

1.2 Calf muscle and Achilles tendon

stretch.

1.3 Quadriceps stretch.

Calf and Achilles

Tendon Stretch

Stand three to four feet

(about a meter) from a

wall Extend your arms

forward while supporting

yourself against the wall

Extend one leg backward

and bend the other to

help you balance Keeping

the heel of the extended

leg on the ground, lean

as far forward as

possi-ble (figure 1.2) Hold this

position for 10 seconds

Relax Do a total of three

times Switch legs and

repeat the process

Quadriceps Stretch

The quadriceps is the

large muscle group at the

front of the thigh Stand

three to four feet (about

a meter) from a wall

Us-ing one hand for support

against the wall, grasp

the ankle behind you with

the other hand; bend that

knee and pull the ankle

toward the buttocks Hold

this position for 10

sec-onds (figure 1.3) Relax

Do a total of three times

Switch legs and repeat the

process

1.4 Hamstring stretch.

Hamstring Stretch

The hamstrings are the

large muscle group in

the back of the upper leg

attached by tendons to

bones in the lower leg

Stand with legs straight

Reach down to touch your

toes without bending your

knees If you can’t go all

the way, go as far as you

can Hold the position for

10 seconds (figure 1.4)

Relax Do a total of three

times

Groin Stretch

Sit and place the soles of the feet together (figure 1.5a) With the

el-bows inside the knees, grasp the ankles and gently press the elel-bows downward, pushing the knees toward the ground (1.5b) Hold this position for 10 seconds Relax Do a total of three times

Lower-Back Stretch

Stand with your feet a comfortable distance apart Bend forward from the waist With your knees slightly bent, reach toward the ground with your arms You should feel a stretch in your lower back Hold this position for 10 seconds (figure 1.6) Relax Do a total of three times

1.6 Lower-back stretch.

Arm and Shoulder Stretch

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart Raise your arms sideward

to a position slightly above shoulder height with the palms up Slowly

pull the straight arms as far back as possible Hold this position for

10 seconds (figure 1.7) Relax Do a total of three times

1.7 Arm and shoulder stretch.

1.8 Arm circle stretch.

Arm Circle

This exercise is another good way to loosen the arms and shoulders Extend your arms to the side with the palms facing down (figure 1.8) Circle the arms 8 to 10 times forward and then 8 to 10 times backward

While most of the body positions and movements required for playing a game of pickleball are predictable, some movements re-quire a body part to stretch farther than is comfortable You need

to warm up and stretch before beginning a game and prepare your body to handle any movements that you might face in a heated rally The most common of these movements is reaching forward with the paddle arm while taking a forward lunging step with that leg This type of movement is often used as a player attempts to reach a ball that drops just over the net Stretching out the hamstrings and the Achilles tendons well before the game will enable you to perform this action safely

Certain body builds are more susceptible than others to cle strains and tears, particularly in the hamstrings Players with

mus-Take it to the court

Safety Precautions

Regardless of how conscientious you are in terms of warming up and stretching, situations will arise that could cause an injury or accident Highly competitive players who don’t tend to communicate with one another while swinging solid paddles on a court that is only

20 feet wide and 22 feet from the baseline to the net could easily collide, causing pulled or bruised muscles or lacerations requiring stitches Even though players might take every precaution to prevent

a traumatic event, accidents do happen Following are some safety precautions that if practiced will help you to prevent injury

• Make communicating with your partner your top priority when

you play doubles Even if it seems obvious who should take the ball, call it out as either “Yours” or “Mine.”

• Wear eye protection, whether or not you wear glasses During

a heated rally at the net, the ball could easily come toward your face so fast that you don’t have time to get your paddle

up to protect it No part of your body is more important to protect than your eyes!

• Never backpedal to get to a ball It’s too easy to trip, fall

back-ward, and try to catch yourself with your hand This could easily result in a broken bone in your wrist or arm If you have

lean leg muscles to suffer trauma to either the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) or the hamstrings

A good test of your vulnerability to strains or tears of the

ham-strings and gastrocnemius is to bend forward from the waist, keep the knees locked and straight, and try to touch your toes If you can

go only a short way down, you are susceptible to a strain Persistent work on stretching those muscle groups will be to your advantage

on the pickleball court Remember, no bouncing!

• Be aware of the weather conditions and dress accordingly Stay hydrated before and during play in hot temperatures and wear light-colored clothing that reflects the sun Wear a hat or cap

If you will be playing in cold temperatures, dress in layers As your body temperature varies, you can remove or add your clothing a layer at a time, contributing to a comfortable and healthy playing temperature at all times

• Athletic shoes with good support and smooth soles are the safest shoes to wear on a pickleball court Tennis shoes are

usually the best choice Running shoes or any other type of shoe that has deep ridges on the sole can cause you to trip

on the playing surface

COOLInG DOWn

As with any other athletic endeavor, allow a cool-down period after playing pickleball Cooling down after physical activity permits both the circulation and various body functions to gradually return to preexercise levels A few minutes’ worth of any mild activity—such

as gentle stretching, walking, or easy swimming or biking—will complish that

ac-You should establish a regular routine that includes warming up and stretching before playing pickleball and cooling down after play It’s easy to become so engrossed in the fun and excitement of the game itself that you become complacent about the care and attention you should give to your body before and after playing Pickleball can

be a casual game with little movement on the court, or it can be very intense and competitive If you are a highly competitive player who instinctively goes for every ball on your side of the court, give your body the best possible chance of finishing that game and many more

in the best possible condition

Use table 1.1 to record your first week of warming up, stretching, and cooling down Recording this information each time you play will help you get in the habit of listening to your body, preparing your body to play, and winding down gradually You might find it helpful

to reuse the form and record this information for a longer period

Give it a go

Table 1 1 Pregame and Postgame Personal Log

Indicate the number of reps for each stretching exercise

Total-body warm-up:

walk-ing, bikwalk-ing, easy running

(insert number of minutes)

Foot and ankle stretch:

ex-tension of both feet

Foot and ankle stretch:

flex-ion of both feet

Calf and Achilles tendon

stretch: right leg

Calf and Achilles tendon

stretch: left leg

Quadriceps stretch: right leg

Quadriceps stretch: left leg

Hamstring stretch

Groin stretch

Lower-back stretch

Arm and shoulder stretch

Arm circle forward

Arm circle backward

From USAPA, 2015, Pickleball Fundamentals (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics)

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CHAPTER

Ready Position, Grips, and Ball

Control

Key to your ability to play pickleball with any degree of success is

to begin in a good ready position from which you can handle any ball that you are responsible for returning From the ready position, you should be able to move to the ball, execute the appropriate shot

Ready Position

You assume the ready position in preparation for the ball coming

to you from the opposite side of the net, and it is crucial to the success of your subsequent shot When you are deep in the court, you should assume a balanced, comfortable position with your feet about shoulder-width apart Your weight should be on the balls of your feet, and you should hold the paddle in front of your body in a relaxed but ready position Your knees should be slightly bent and you should feel light on your feet—ready to move in any direction quickly and smoothly Your eyes should always be tracking the ball

as it crosses the net in both directions

Your ready position when you are at the non-volley zone line differs

slightly from the position assumed deep in your court (figure 2.1a and b) When you’re close to the net, you should hold the paddle

with a firm grip about chest high so that it’s in a good position to return hard-hit balls just clearing the net If your paddle is too low,

it takes too much time to move it into a strong volleying position, and you are likely to either hit an erratic shot or hit the ball into the net

2.1 Ready position (a) deep in the court and (b) at the net.

The key to assuming a good ready position, regardless of where you are on the court, is to be balanced and ready for any shot that

an opponent might hit Always expect the ball to come to you, and

be ready for it! The following checklist highlights key aspects of the ready position

Checklist for ready position

Hold the paddle in your dominant hand with the head of the paddle

perpendicular to the ground and the handle facing you Pretend to shake hands with the paddle, curling your fingers around the rub-

ber grip with the V formed by the thumb and the base of your index

finger on top (figure 2.2) The grip should be firm but not tight Your

dominant hand on the rubber grip should feel comfortable and in control If this is not the case, the size of the grip might be either too

small or too large for the size of your hand, and you should consider

trying a paddle with a different-sized grip If the grip is too small, you

More to choose and use

Some players will extend the index finger at an angle up the back

of the paddle (figure 2.3) Players who do that claim that extending a finger up the back of the paddle enables them to have better control

of the head of the paddle, and it also enables them to more easily apply spin on the ball The disadvantage of a straight finger on the back of the paddle is that it restricts the ability to use wrist action when contacting the ball Good players will shift their grip depending

on the kind of a shot they plan to execute New players should use

the standard grip while learning the game After developing

consis-tent skills, you can experiment with variations of the standard grip The kind of a grip that you use is completely dependent on what is comfortable and works for you

2.2 Standard forehand grip.

2.3 Alternative forehand grip: index

finger angled up the back of the paddle.

BACKHAnD GRIP

Some players adjust the grip on the paddle for hitting a backhand shot and others do not It is a matter of personal preference To change the grip for a backhand shot, turn your hand slightly to the left, or counterclockwise (for a right-handed player), from a perpen-

dicular position to the ground This should occur as you’re preparing for your next shot—holding the paddle in front of you in both hands with your dominant hand on the grip and the other hand above that

on the neck of the paddle

Take it to the court

Ball Control

When played correctly, pickleball is a game of finesse and soft, trolled shots at the net The ideal position for doubles partners is for both players to be just behind the non-volley zone line, facing the action on the other side of the net From this position, they hit the ball just over the top of the net until someone makes an error

con-by hitting it too high, allowing for the opponent to hit an sive, offensive shot that cannot be returned, thus scoring a point or causing a loss of serve Crucial to success in pickleball is the ability

aggres-to control the speed and direction of the ball as it comes off of the face of the paddle

In the following photos, note the position of the paddle in relation

to the position of the player While the player is always facing the net, his paddle might be square to the net in a position to contact the ball off of his front knee causing the ball to travel straight over the

net (figure 2.4a)—or if the face of the paddle is to the right and the

ball contact is opposite his right hip, the ball will travel to the right

and probably go out of bounds (2.4b)—or the face of the paddle is

to the left with the ball contact in front of the player’s body, causing

the ball to travel to the left (2.4c).

a

Here are some principles of good ball control to learn and focus on:

• Track the ball all the way to the face of the paddle See it not only contact the paddle but also leave the paddle

• Assuming that the paddle is traveling in a flat plane before contacting the ball, the ball will always leave the paddle at a 90-degree angle

• If the forward swing of the arm is down to up, the ball will travel in an upward direction

• If the forward swing of the arm is up to down, the ball will travel

in a downward direction.If the face of the paddle is square,

the ball will travel straight forward, parallel to the ground

(figure 2.5a), when the face is open, the ball will travel in an upward direction (2.5b), and when the face is closed, the ball will travel in a downward direction (2.5c).

As you are executing the ball control drills, concentrate on how you move your feet to get to the ball Since a pickleball is plastic with holes in it, the ball will not bounce as high or travel as far as a tennis ball or racquetball Therefore, you have to move to the ball—the ball won’t come to you Use short, shuffling steps and always try to be balanced with your feet under your body when you contact the ball The farther you are from the net when you contact the ball, the more important it is to step into the hit Transfer your body weight from the back foot to the front foot as your paddle arm swings forward

to hit the ball

a

Following are some drills for one player, two players, or a group of players for the purpose of practicing ball control Emphasize through-out all of the drills that the goal is to accomplish the task, whether it’s hitting a ball off of the paddle, hitting to a partner, or hitting to

a target Ideally it should be a soft, controlled shot

YO-YO UP

A single player taps the ball into the air off of the paddle, trying to keep it going as long as possible The drill is performed first with the

palm of the paddle hand facing up (figure 2.6a), then with the palm

of the paddle hand facing down (2.6b), and then with alternating up

and down paddle positions

2.6 Yo-yo up drill: (a) palm facing up and (b) palm facing down.

YO-YO DOWn

A single player hits the ball to the ground, trying to execute as many consecutive bounces as possible (figure 2.7) Then alternate between one hit into the air and one hit to the ground

2.7 Yo-yo down drill.

HIT TO A PARTnER

Two players stand facing each other about 8 to 10 feet apart The first player hits the ball, lofting it in the air; the partner hits it before it