ALL EPISODES
#1020: Tune Out the Noise, Zone in on the Shoes
Coach Mindy Yoder talks about how to cope if you get distracted by other people on both sides of the court and how to quiet your own brain if you're bugged by a partner or opponents with a different skill level, physical ability or personality. She suggests focusing on an opponents' shoes rather than on their (or your own partner's) facial expression or distracting behaviors so you can interact positively with a partner by being self-aware and kind towards yourself and others.
#1019: Good Things Can Happen in the Transition Zone
Former tennis players were trained to think of the back third of the court as "no man's land" — a place to get stuck, trapped or pulverized by opponents. Coach Thomas Yelloweyes explains how in pickleball, you can embrace the "transition zone" as a place where you can make good things happen for yourself.
#1018: Your Footwork Determines Glory or Disaster
Coach Leia Miller emphasizes how important footwork is in pickleball, and undervalued from beginners to advanced players. She discusses the proper stance, the significance of planting before hitting, and the dangers of crossing feet or backpedaling. Miller explains how good footwork is the basis of injury prevention, is central to controlling shots, maintaining stability, and is fundamental to overall success on the court.
#1017: STOP! Before You Go
Coach Lisa Palcic urges her students: Don't forget the split step! In the rush to get to the kitchen after serving, people forget to put the brakes on when the opponents hit the ball. Getting to the kitchen from the baseline is best done with a stop on the way there! Embrace the split step so you can handle any shots coming at you in the transition zone — then continue on your journey to where the fun really begins
#1016: Yours or Mine? Don’t Wind Up in “Divorce Court”
Deb "PicklePongDeb" Harrison calls the middle of the court "Divorce Court" because people bicker over whose shot it should have been when a ball flies past them both. Players should call it: "Mine"..."Me"..."I go"... Or conversely indicate to a partner: "Yours"..."You"... Or if you are lobbed, "Help!" Much better than saying "We should have talked" after you lose the point!
#1014: If it's not a drop & not a drive, it's the DRIP shot!
Coach Leia Miller explains how when you are serving, sometimes the 3rd shot — or the 5th shot — may not call for a drop. But neither is a drive the right move! Those situations might need a hybrid of the two shots — quite naturally referred to as a Drip — that will be the solution to getting you up to the kitchen effectively. She describes the how/when/where of this clever amalgamation of two other shots.
#1015: The Poacher Who Can’t Stop Himself
Coach Greg Dedrick talks about what happens when a poaching partner gets too greedy — and how to handle a partner who cannot curb his own appetite to hit your balls!
#1013: Don’t Go Into a Tournament Until You Admit You Want to Win
Thomas Yelloweyes (IPTPA and PPR certified) of Night Train Pickleball in Oregon discusses how to decide if you’re ready in your personal PB journey to try a tournament? Admit you want to win — an admission he explains is tough for many people, but without declaring it there's no point competing.
#1012: What Are You Cooking Up in the Kitchen?
IPTPA Master Coach Lisa Palcic explains that as you get better, your strategy at the kitchen needs to change. The NVZ is not just a place to practice your dinks, it's where you set up winning shots for yourself and your partner. Different strokes for different folks: depending on whether you're a low intermediate player, high intermediate or an advanced pickler, your thought process at the kitchen needs to evolve, too.
#1002: Don't Hate Lobs — Learn How to Control Them
Coach Leia Miller talks about how frustrating lobs can be and while they are rarely seen on the pro circuit, they can be a common weapon on the amateur court. She offers suggestions on how to keep them from rattling your cage, and even turn them against the lobber.
#1011: You’re faster. Seniors Are Smarter. Guess Who Wins.
The beauty of PB is that it's played by a wide variety of ages. Coach Deb Harrison, who wins tournaments as a Super Senior, says age does matter... but maybe not in the way people assume. People say younger players have an advantage (leg speed, stamina) but seniors have their own advantage of PB I.Q.: anticipation of being ready for where/how the ball will come back to them.
#1010: The 3rd Shot Drop — Everybody’s Nemesis!
Coach Leia Miller describes the shot after your serve is returned to you as difficult because you need patience, timing and finesse — without muscling the ball. The "unattackable” 3rd shot drop is how the serving team gets up to the kitchen without being nailed en route by the receiving team!
#1009: The Serve Myth — What Every Pickleballer Gets Wrong
Coach Thomas Yelloweyes of Nightrain Pickleball in Wilsonville, Oregon says the most important thing about the serve is not to dazzle (hoping ESPN is coming out to shoot a highlight reel of your killer serve!). Forget spin, slice and miles-per-hour — the serve needs to be three things: consistent, deep — it has to go in every time!
#1008: The “Twoey” Backhand
Coach Veronica Alteri has a potent two-handed backhand — watching her and the pros who use two hands on the paddle from the backhand side makes it look really intriguing. Veronica talks about what you gain and what you give up using a two-handed grip — and when you need to revert to a one-hander.
#1007: Be Kinder to Yourself on the Court
Coach Mindy Yoder points out the ways that we can undermine ourselves on the court (name calling ourselves lazy, stupid) and suck the fun out of the game. If you’re being harsh to yourself, Mindy talks about how to interrupt and change that thought process. Is there anything you can do when a partner is being unkind to him/herself since it affects you.
#1006: "Respect the X" — Do People Really Know What it Means?
This is an often-used but greatly misunderstood saying about which player takes the ball, depending on the angle at which it crosses the net. Coach Deb Harrison thinks beginners and intermediates may have never heard the phrase, whereas more advanced players think they know what it means...but there's a good chance they don't! Coach Deb calls the middle of the court between the partners "Divorce Court" because players miss the ball but blame each other because they aren't clear whose ball it is.
#1005: "Sorry Not Sorry" — Is That Funny or Snarky?
Coach Leia Miller talks about common smirking reaction to making a point off a net cord hit — "Sorry... not sorry" and asks whether its funny — or rudely snarky? Other pickleball etiquette issues are responding to partners' errors with eye rolls and a "resting bitch face" instead of smiling and being encouraging for the next shot. Or guys who lose their cool about their own errors by swearing, smacking their paddle on their thigh, or slamming it on the net — without considering the negative affect it has on everyone else on the court — or even adjacent courts!
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#1004: “Down the Middle Solves the Riddle”
When opponents miss a shot between them and people say "Down the middle solves the riddle," Coach Greg Dedrick says it's nonsensical! There should be no riddle at all if partners understand which one of them should logically take that mid-court shot (hint: it's not necessarily the player whose forehand it is!).
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#1003: How to Get Faster Hands
Coach Veronica Alteri gives tips on how to speed up your reaction time with your paddle — because some people have naturally fast hands but anybody with the intention can get faster with their paddle.
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#1001: Beating the Bangers
Coach Greg Dedrick talks about how "bangers" has become a dirty word, but with the game itself becoming faster and more powerful, there's a place for hard hitters on the court. However, they won't necessarily win if you follow a few simple suggestions about dealing with their shots.