While words may explain the new rules, not all the nuances are easily understood. With the new (and somewhat controversial) drop serve rule, I think the two videos below will clarify what IS an what IS NOT acceptable.
The video below is a conversation that explains the rules. It will furter help to explain and clarify some of the information presented by Jordan Briones in the tutorial above.
**********
More Pickleball Videos and Information
To See additional Pickleball Videos & Information Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
So…You Want to Be a
********** Pickleball Referee **********
The Following information comes to us from Lynn & Linda Laymon via Larry “Bud” Lite – Southwest Regional Director.
In our capacity as regional Referee Training Coordinators we are trying to gauge interest for an online referee training course, primarily to support the Southwest Regional tournament, but also to increase the number of trained refs for all future tournaments.
The interactive course would utilize the USA Pickleball PowerPoint presentation in one or two sessions totaling 3 to 4 hours. We ask that, prior to the course, participants watch the Referee Quick Start video and read through the Rulebook and Referee Handbook, located in the Officiating section of the USA Pickleball website (https://usapickleball.org/get-involved/pickleball-officiating/).
In order to access the Zoom platform all that is required is a computer and Internet connection; the access code will be provided. The training would take place in January to encompass the newly revised rules. It will be free, but we would expect to elicit an agreement from participants that they would begin to practice their skills during recreational play and eventually at local tournaments, since we cannot meet in person for on-court training. We will also work with Certified refs in the region to connect participants with opportunities for supervised practice and skill assessment for a rating.
Could you please utilize your regional Ambassador organization to spread the word?
Once we have an idea of those interested we will set up a time and date.
Thanks,
Stay safe!
Lynn & Linda Laymon
USA Pickleball Southwest Region
Referee Training Coordinators
Free Pickleball Strategy Course
********** By Mark Renneson *********
Many of you know Mark Renneson of Third Shot Sports. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Mark, he is a premier pickleball coach and advocate. He also provides on-air commentary for some of our most prestigious tournaments. Mark has partnered with Selkirk Sports to develop a pickleball strategy course.
For some of our advanced PB friends, much of this may be repetitive. Like most sport-related skill development or learning however, we often tend to forget some of the subtle tips, tricks and suggestions discovered if they are not reinforced.
For those who have been away from pickleball for some time because of COVID-19 or other reasons, this may serve as a good refresher.
Here is what you can expect…
Receive a free Pickleball strategy video every day for 14 days:
Find other tournaments HERE AND click “Tournaments” on the top menu.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE READ THIS FAR
How To Generate Effortless Power
********** On Your Pickleball Serve *********
Jordon Briones, of PrimeTime Pickleball, provides three tips that will help playaers generate more power on their pickleball serve which he claims has “devastating speed.”
Watch Below!
********** Archived Versions of Previous Newsletters **********
Previous newsletters that may have pickleball hints, videos, rules changes, etc. are now archived at the following link. You can check out previous newsletters there.
Recently two people approached me to ask about foot alignment when preparing to serve the ball. Let’s take a look at the pickleball court layout and make sure we understand the terms used.
When standing on the court, the right-hand side is often referred to as the “even” side and the left hand side is often called the “odd” side. We won’t go into the reason for this terminology now.
The line at the very bottom of the court is referred to as the Baseline and in the diagram above, it is being pointed to by the red arrows. Likewise, the corresponding lines on the other side of the court have the same names and distinctions. The line dividing the even and the odd courts is called the Centerline for obvious reasons.
The two double-headed purple arrows mark the right and left Sidelines.
Now let’s take a look at the pickleball court and let’s assume you are Server A in the diagram above. As you know the server has to hit the ball within the rectangle, diagonally cross court, which is represented by the point of the blue arrow.
Server A is standing in a legal position in the diagram above.
Let’s consider a slightly different position for Server A.
What if server A wants to get a better angle and he or she stands outside the sideline when they hit the ball?. Well, that would be an illegal position and thus an illegal serve.
Let’s take a look at the rule governing this situation.
At the beginning of the service motion, both feet must be behind the baseline and the imaginary extensions of the baseline. At the time the ball is struck, the server’s feet may not touch the court or outside the imaginary extension of the sideline or the centerline and at least one foot must be on the playing surface or ground behind the baseline. Page 17 of the 2020 USAPA Official Rulebook, section 4.A.3
If you notice the rule says “At the time the ball is struck.” When player A hits the ball, his or her feet may not touch the court our outside the imaginary extension of the sideline or the centerline…
The sidelines and centerline theoretically are infinite and the server is obligated to stay within the appropriate boundaries created by these lines when the ball is struck.
Server A then must be standing within the blue shaded area at the time the paddle hits the ball to deliver the serve (see the diagram below).
This applies to both the even and the odd courts on both sides although only the A court is addressed in the diagram.
One last requirement is that “at least one foot must be on the playing surface or ground behind the baseline.”
Summary:
When the ball is struck to deliver the serve, the server must stay with in the corridor formed by imaginary boundary lines that define the appropriate court side (even or odd) as indicated above
**********
More Pickleball Videos and Information
To See additional Pickleball Videos & Information Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
I can’t tell you how many times I see people using illegal serves during recreational play. A serve has several key elements:
The serve has to be done with an upward path (underhand)
The head of the paddle needs to be below the wrist when the ball is struck
Contact with the ball must be made below waist level
This is what it looks like in pictures
[ From p.17 of USAPA & IFP Official Tournament Rulebook ]
Of course the server’s feet have to be appropriately within bounds and behind the baseline until after the ball is struck.
There are those who have always used a serve that would not meet all of these requirements, but others may have “drifted” away from a legal serve through bad habits or poor practice.
My serve was questioned recently and I went back to the drawing board to make sure that I was complying with all elements. I wanted to be “obviously” correct. As you can see in the video below, it isn’t always easy to tell if a serve is completely legal.
Watch Mark Renneson of Third Shot Pickleball as he demonstrates a variety of serves and discusses the differences between them and whether or not they might be considered illegal, i.e. a fault!
**********
More Pickleball Videos and Information
To See additional Pickleball Videos & Information Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
Paddle contact with the ball must be below the server’s waist (navel level).
The serve is initiated with at least one foot behind the baseline; neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after the ball is struck.
The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the confines of the opposite diagonal court.
Only one serve attempt is allowed, except in the event of a let (the ball touches the net on the serve and lands on the proper service court; let serves are replayed).
#2 – take step forward after serving and sometimes they are caught moving backwards trying to hit the return of serve. It is more difficult to hit the ball forward while you are moving backward. Taking a step backward while hitting the ball will result only in an arm shot which is difficult to hit precisely and usually will not have much power. Stay back waiting for the return of serve, but be ready to move forward if the return is short!
#3– are facing the net, i.e. parallel when hitting a groundstroke even if they have time to set up. This is known as an open stance; not generally good for a ground stroke. A groundstroke, either forehand or backhand, has more power when you can set up with your shoulder perpendicular to the net.
#4– when not receiving the serve, partners are waiting near the kitchen line and they do not watch the ball as it is served to the receiver. I have noticed some facing completely forward without ever turning around, but just waiting to see the ball hit the opponent’s side of the court. The non-receiving partner should watch the ball as it is served to the receiver.
a – The ball may be out and the receiver may not have called it. You then call it.
b – If the receiver hits a bad shot, you have time to react if you are watching the ball. If it is a pop-up and it will be coming back hard, take a few steps back to gain more time to respond.
c- Watching the receiver hit the ball may enable the non-receiving partner to determine where the ball is headed and prepare for the return by facing in that direction with the paddle up.
I hope beginning pickleballers and perhaps others find some of these observations and associated links helpful.
Have fun on the courts!
**********
More Pickleball Videos and Information
To See additional Pickleball Videos & Information Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
When you are playing pickleball and you are ready to return serve, do you try to place the ball in a specific spot on your opponent’s side of the court? If you do, does your partner understand where they need to be to help you defend against the third shot? Do you know where you should be in relationship to your partner to best counter the returning ball?
In a recent post by Sarah Ansboury, Pickleball Tip: Follow the Ball, she explains the importance of knowing “why” you want to accomplish something on the court. She suggests that technique and knowing how to hit the various types of shots are not really enough. Sarah continues to explain why successful players need to follow specific strategies depending upon the variables.
If you want to “up your game” and begin to bring it to another level, check out her recent post by clicking this link:
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
Over the weekend we dined with some friends at a popular local restaurant. One of the people in our party ordered a glass of scotch, neat.
When the drink arrived and was placed on the table, it appeared to be tipping over and all of the diners quickly reached for the glass to prevent a spill. I guess the joke was on us because the glass was designed to wobble in place when set on a flat surface. Upon inspection, we could see a bubble on the bottom-center of the glass.
It was quite interesting. Here is a brief video:
When the wait staff returned, we remarked about the glass and they said that they don’t have spills although it does cause some interesting experiences.
All original content on this blog is copyrighted by Jeffrey B. Ross with ALL Rights Reserved. While reference links back to JBRish.comare appreciated and encouraged, please acquire approval for any reproduction of original content from this website.
**NOTE** – This is an article from Third Shot Sports that is reprinted with appropriate attribution and permissions.
The conventional wisdom is that you should always make sure your serve lands in. We don’t want you to hit out either but here is something to consider: if you are always playing it safe for fear of missing, are you losing out on a great opportunity?
Yes. You are.
Think about it — the serve is the one time in a pickleball game that you have complete control. The ball is in perfect position, you are totally on balance and you don’t have to hit it until you are completely ready. There is no other moment when the conditions are so much in your favour. Yet most people squander this opportunity by merely putting the ball in play. Here are some alternatives:
1) Aim for a weakness. If you have identified that your opponent has a preferred side (usually their forehand) this is a great time to challenge them to play the shot they don’t want. Use this opportunity to aim near a sideline and force them to hit a tougher return.
2) Pin them back. In most cases, the returner will want to come to the net after playing the ball. Make this more difficult by serving deep in the court and pushing them back behind the baseline.
3) Take away their time. A slow, high-arcing ball gives your opponents lots of time to prepare for the return. Why not hit the serve with some speed and challenge them to catch up?
4) Hit with spin. Add some difficulty by using sidespin or topspin on the serve. Doing so will make the ball bounce differently than the usual spin-free shot.
With each of these suggestions I’m encouraging you to “go for more” when hitting your serve. And yes, there is some risk in doing so. Hitting near the sideline increases the chance that the ball will go wide. Aiming for the back of the court or trying to hit the serve fast may mean your ball occasionally sails long. Hitting with spin will likely reduce your control and cause you to miss.
But with these risks comes the possibility of real reward.
A more challenging serve makes it more likely that your opponent will fail to hit the return the way they want. They are more likely to struggle with their first shot which is good news for you. They are more likely to hit the return short. They are less likely to have pinpoint accuracy. They are more likely to hit out of bounds.
Of course, if you are hitting many of your serves out of play, you are probably being too aggressive. And one ought to be selective about when they choose to go for more (serving at 9-10-2 might not be the ideal time to attempt an un-returnable serve). But I don’t see anything inherently wrong with the occasional missed serve so long as it is the result of looking to gain an advantage with the first shot.
There is an old saying that “if you aren’t falling, you aren’t trying hard enough”. Perhaps we could adapt this to “if you never miss your serve, you aren’t going for enough”.
Mark Renneson is a pickleball coach and 5.0/PRO level competitor. He is the founder of Third Shot Sports. He can be reached by email mark@thirdshotsports.com.
In Summary, I think these are the take-aways from the article:
Conventional wisdom is often “safe,” but may not be the best for a given play.
Serving is the only time a player has total control of the situation.
Serve to an opponent’s weakness. (You have to find it first)
Still serve the ball deep.
Change the style of serve using spin, pace, etc.
Weigh the risk-rewards ratio for your style of play and decide if you should “go for it” at certain times. (As the article points out, in a close game I tend to play it conservatively most of the time and just get the ball in the service box.)
While this may seem like a rather simple video, it delivers an important message. While I see this problem more with beginning players, it also happens from time-to-time with more advanced players. Some pickleballers develop this behavior as a habit and then it is hard to break.
One of the keys to winning pickleball is to hit the ball low at your opponents feet. This type of shot is more difficult to return effectively. Nobody wants to be in “no man’s land” because that exposes the player to having the ball land precisely in this hard to return area.
After serving, don’t meander toward the net until after the return of serve is played otherwise the opposing team has a chance for a hard return at your feet. The video is very persuasive as Mark Renneson of Third Shot Pickleball, shows how the best players remain behind or very near the baseline until after they have returned serve.
To See Pickleball Videos Covering Many Aspects of the Game Click Here
I have only been playing pickleball for a couple of years. When I began my pickleball experience and the serve was explained to me, the mantra at the time was “Hit the ball high and deep.” The idea was to keep the players on the opposing team back in the court and away from the net as long as possible and hopefully force a more shallow return because they would then be hitting the ball from an area near their baseline.
Instructors would sometimes point out how the serving team is at a disadvantage because they start with both players at the rear or the court while the receiving team generally has one player near the NVZ. Now that younger players and athletes who are coming from other sports are entering the game, there seems to be change in the service philosophy. The serve has been given a new status as perhaps a way to earn the advantage.
After about eight months of play, this is something I figured out on my own and here is my take on the situation…
I have tried to develop three elements to my pickleball serve:
Change of pace – I do not to use the same serve all the time. This prevents the receivers from knowing what to expect and any doubt in their mind can cause indecision or a poor selection of a return shot.
Spin – When using spin, the serve will sometimes cause just enough disruption to throw off opponents. A sudden twist here or there will cause the returning player to make a last minute adjustment which may not allow them to execute the shot they have planned. There are ways to disguise the spin somewhat so it is not anticipated too early in the shot.
A Hard, low shot – This serve is a bit of a risk. As Joe Baker points out in his videos, the harder the ball is hit the less accurate it tends to be. My success rate with this serve is better than 85%, but I still use it only selectively. Smart pickleball dictates that a player should pick-and-choose when to use certain shots and with only an 85-90 percent accuracy rate on this one, I don’t take chances in very close games; most of the time
With all this in mind, I use my general moderately fast, moderately high serve, but if I see a receiver moving up in the receivers box, I may change to hit it hard and fast. From time to time, I throw a spin at them just to keep them guessing.
Based on my observation in the games that I have played in club play, this is my biggest lesson:
On the serve, ball placement can trump everything else. If I can get the serve angled to the backhand of most of my opponents, I very often get a weak return. If the receiver is protecting their backhand and I can get it down the center line, I often get a weak return. I am only an average club player, but keeping an opponent off-balance has helped me win more points. I don’t necessarily win on a service ace, but as a result of a weak return and winning with a follow up third or fifth shot!
I am not an expert and I don’t proclaim to be a coach or instructor so don’t take my word for it. There are excellent players who are coaches and/or instructors and they currently seem to be offering similar advice.
