Pickleball Rules Refresher: Policing the Kitchen (NVZ)

How many of us have been playing pickleball, when some well meaning person tells us: KITCHEN!" We look down and our feet:

1. Aren't even close.
2. Caught in the Kitchen (NVZ)

Like I've mentioned before the kitchen or NVZ is the hardest place for new and intermediate players to stay out of, so in a practice setting having someone remind us it's great, I think?  I know for myself when I'm playing with a better intermediate player in doubles, and in the throes of back-and-forth volleys and smashes, and I know my partner is right beside me, I am honestly not looking at his feet, or my feet for that matter. But then their is a voice through the haze that shouts, "KITCHEN!" Our opponent yells that my partner stepped on the kitchen or NVZ line. Can he do that?

Looking at the IFP rules in section 6.D.1, it states, "Players will call the lines on their side of the court, excluding the non-volley zone if being called by a referee." 6.D.2. also adds, "The opponent gets the benefit of the doubt on line calls made."

In a regular practice session if there is a kitchen offender then gently remind them of their fault, or play with them keeping them in control. As the rule states that a referee is usually calling the NVZ line, but what if it's not a medal game in Canada where we don't have referees for every match, who makes the call?

Pickleball Rules Refresher: More line calls

This rule has become highly contested lately. Here's the scenario: A doubles match is underway, and play is furiously going on between both opponents. The rally has continued furiously, with great drop shots in the NVZ, high base-line lobs, quick shots down the middle of no-man's land, and both teams are doing awesome! THEN... the opponents rip a great shot down your partners side close to the baseline, you preview the trajectory and as it gets close to the ground and your partner is waiting for it to bounce, it looks like it will be out so you call it out, and throw up your hand stating the ball is out. But unbeknownst to you, the ball curves back slightly near your partners court shoes, and even though you have called the ball out, and are looking towards your opponent, the ball hits the court! The ball is in, and your partner decides to play the ball, being the honest person that they are, and sends it back to your opponents.

1. What happens? 
2. What about the call? 
3. Should they have played it?

First of all in IFP rules: 6.D.6. it states, "Don’t call a ball “out” when you are looking across the line unless you can clearly see the space between the line and the ball as it hits. The player’s depth of field judgment, based on the laws of parallax, prevent accurate judgment in these cases.

Further in 6.D.10 it states, "In doubles play, if one player calls the ball “out” and the partner calls it “in,” then doubt exists, and the ball must be declared “in” (except that any player may appeal a call to the referee in an officiated match).

6.D.12. If, while the ball is in the air, a player yells “out,” “no,” “bounce it,” or any other word to communicate to his or her partner that the ball may be out, it shall be considered player communication. If the ball lands in, play will continue. If the out call is made after the ball has hit the playing surface, it shall be considered a line call and play shall stop. (revised April 1, 2011)

Based on these rulings, and how I've been playing those rules I would say my partner was in the best position to make that difficult line call, and if he played it then play should continue. If the opponent got confused between my yelling that it was out, and my partner saying the ball was in and playing the return, and the opponent stops play, then all parties can agree to replay, if not then benefit of the doubt goes to the opponent.

Unless I hear otherwise, and often in a loud gymnasium, it is hard to hear all line calls of our opponents, I will play my returns until play stops completely by my opponent waving their paddle to stop, or my partner yelling stop play, or fault is made.

Extreme pickleball!!!

Extreme pickleball!

This location does exist! In Dubai, at a ultra expensive hotel, this court also doubles as a heli-pad. Some 500+ feet in the air hotel guests can play, a smaller version of tennis (pickleball) in a heavenly environment. Of course they will see heaven soon enough if they get ultra excited and dive for the ball.

IT WAS iiiiiiii
                       iiiiiiiiiiiii
                                  iiiiiiiiiiiiii
                                              nnnnnnnnnnn
                                                        nnnnnnnnnn!

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Laser beam NVZ

Okay, so this is a further add-on to another post I did covering the NVZ (Non Volley Zone or Kitchen.) Some racquetball converts to pickleball were unclear of the NVZ line, because of raquetball rules. In raquetball on the serve apparently, your hand or racquet can't be over the NVZ line, or it will be declared a fault. So the raquetball converts questioned if in pickleball they too would be at fault reaching into the NVZ. In Pickleball you can reach into the NVZ, over the line, you just can't step into the NVZ, have an article of your clothing fall into the NVZ while volleying the ball. There is no laser beam or lightsaber that chops off your hand where the NVZ line is! Phew! But wouldn't that make the game more interesting?

Mini-Mixed doubles tournament last night @ ARC

Last night at our tuesday evening pickleball, we had a mini-mixed doubles tournament. We took 10 gals & 10 guys, drew them from a hat and away we went. We played round robin, so every team was guaranteed 7 games. Special recognition goes out to Jane Squires at left, who with her partner Henry won all 6.5 games. 6.5 games you say? Halfway through the 7th game, Jane pulled a groin muscle, which on my advice she should definitely call it a night. We still have some varying abilities amongst our group: from beginner/intermediate - intermediate/advanced, as noted in some matches. We did notice 1 male individual, who tried winning at all costs hitting all his hardest shots at the weaker player, and controlling his own shots by poaching all the shots. It looked like a single playing against a set of doubles. Apart from those 2 incidents, everyone enjoyed the chance to meet new pickleballers that maybe only play in the afternoons or evenings, and a chance to learn more about the game.
JANE, hope you're feeling better!

Pickleball News: ARC opens new time slots

Wake-up sleepy head!

Abbotsford Recreation center has just announced more pickleball slots on the weekends. Saturdays & Sundays 7 am -8:45! What better way to start the weekend then with Pickleball? ARC also states that it is part of their early riser program so cost is only $2 each if you don't have a membership! As the Canadian nationals draws closer, any extra pickleball slots is welcomed.

Dealing with sore feet after a hard day on the pickleball court

There are times when I have been at work for 10+ hours, but wouldn't want to miss an extra 3 hours of pickleball, and I finally get home, and my feet are sore. My "dogs" are barking like crazy! I have actually used this to relieve tension in my feet and legs.

• Take a used tennis ball, and put it in a sock.  You can use the tennis ball alone, but I think the sock helps keep the ball from rolling around.
• Before starting, stand in your socks or bare feet on a flat surface, and check in with how your feet feel.  Notice any discomfort.
• Sit down in a chair that allows you to sit straight, with both feet on the floor.
• Start by rolling the tennis ball under that foot that is bothering you (or bothering you more).  Roll the ball slowly–ball of foot, arch and heel areas– , and notice if there are any places where it feels especially good, and stop at those points for a few deep breaths.  If you feel any pain, stop.
• If you think your foot can bear more pressure, take your foot off the ball, and stand up.  Roll the ball under your foot again; this time put as much weight on the ball as feels like a good massage.  Take a few deep breaths as you bear your weight on the ball.  Touch a wall or furniture if you need for balance.  If you feel any pain, stop.
• Take your foot off the ball, and once again stand with both feet on the floor.  Notice how you feet feel, compared to before, and compared to each other.  The foot you just massaged with the ball should feel flatter on the floor.
• Sit back down and do the same with your other foot.  Even if you don’t have discomfort in that foot, or think it needs a massage, spend at least a minute to roll the ball under it. It’s always a good idea to give attention to the other side.  You’ll likely feel that the other foot feels flatter on the floor, too.

If you’re at home and have the time, you can follow up by giving both feet a massage with your hands.
If you want to get the benefit of this at work, take a tennis ball and roll it under your feet while you work.  You can do it while you’re working, or dedicate a few minutes to the above exercise.  Your feet, the rest of you body, and your mind will thank you for the brief but effective break.

Pickleball Strategy: Pre-match walk

Often times when we come to afternoon or evening pickleball, and we've just completed some meal. We've also probably driven the 15 minutes to get there. We see our friends already on the court, we whip our paddle out and jump right into a game without so much as a warm-up. At our rec center we were blessed to have a running/walking track upstairs where we could easily take 2 or 3 quick laps around to get our legs moving properly. Couple that with some arm, and shoulder stretching as we walk, and we have a decent enough pre-stretch. If you are unsure of stretches before pickleball, then walking is something that 99% of us can do. If you don't have a walking/running track, then walk or light jog around the pickleball courts. People might think that you are weird, or get dizzy watching you, but you will be the one who will last longer on the court, and be less susceptible to injuries.

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Get out of the kitchen!

One of the hardest rules for newbies to pickleball, has to do with the kitchen or the Non-Volley zone (NVZ.) There are those in our Club (Like Henry!) who are very vigilant to call opponents or even himself or his teammate who have violated the NVZ. Pickleball graduates who come from tennis find this the hardest to grasp, feeling they've lost their advantage. Pickleball is about the placement, and having that boundary helps win out over power.
Section 9 of the IFP rules has a big section dealing with the NVZ,  we'll focus on 9.B, " A fault will be declared if, in the act of volleying the ball, a player or anything the player is wearing or carrying touches the non-volley zone or touches any non-volley line. For example, a fault will be declared if, in the act of volleying the ball, one of the player’s feet touches a non-volley line."
IFP Comment: The act of volleying the ball includes the swing, the follow-through, and the momentum from the action. If the paddle touches the non-volley zone during the swing, it is a fault regardless of whether the touch occurred before or after contacting the ball.

Pickleball Strategy: coming to "GRIPS" in pickleball

Post courtesy of AZPickleballfun.com:


The grips that you use have a strong influence on what you are able to do on the pickleball court. Different grips have different advantages and disadvantages and while I have my preference, the fact is that there are some pretty good pickleball players out there using a variety of grips and swing styles. That is especially true for players playing at the net. So if you have been playing for some time, do fairly well with the different shots, and are having fun don't worry about your grips.
Because of my background in teaching tennis and the fact that these grips were originally used in tennis for many years, I'm going to relate some of the traditional arguments in favor or against the different grips as they are used in tennis. I'll then offer my own opinion on how these arguments transfer to the sport of pickleball. Since the sport of Pickleball is still young, I believe knowledge on the best grips for this sport is just barely in the development stage.
In general, I normally recommend that people who play other racket sports stay as close as practical to the grips they used in the other sport to cut down on learning time and avoid confusion when switching between the two sports.
I play with pretty much the same grips in Pickleball that I use in Tennis which is the Eastern Forehand and Backhand grips with the continental for serve, volley, overhead, dink shots, lobs, and scramble points. I guess the only difference would be that my forehand is gradually slipping a little towards the Continental and away from the Eastern. I think that is probably because it's a little easier for me to do the dinks with it and also there are so many scramble points where you have to be ready to do anything to get the ball back.

Continental Grip

The Continental Grip is also known as the "hammer" grip, because if you pick up your paddle like you are going to hammer a nail with the edge of the paddle, then you pretty much have the Continental Grip. It used to be one of the most popular grips in tennis and the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) says that some of its advantages are: it requires no grip change, it is good for hitting low balls, it is good for slice, it is good for touch shots, and it has a high degree of versatility. The USPTA says that its main disadvantages are that it is tougher for weak wrists and forearms, that it is harder to generate power and top spin with than the Eastern or Western grips, and is harder to hit high balls with.

Continental Grip and Pickleball

The advantages listed above for the Continental grip would seem to make it a prime overall choice for your grip in Pickleball. It's especially useful at net where very fast exchanges often makes changing grips between forehand and backhand difficult if not impossible for the average player. It is also very good on half volleys, low balls, and dinks. The disadvantage of it being harder to hit high balls and having less topspin than with the eastern grips seems much less important in Pickleball than in Tennis. In Pickleball, where the ball typically bounces low or lower, the best way to hit a high ball doesn't appear to me to be as important as the best way to hit a low ball. The amount of topspin doesn't yet appear to be an issue in Pickleball as very few of the pickleball players using the Eastern Forehand grip hit with much top spin either at the moment. It will be interesting to see how this may change in time. The problem for people with weak wrists should also be less of a problem since the pickleball paddle is quite a bit lighter than the tennis racket.

Eastern Forehand Grip

Place your hand flat against the face of your paddle and then slide it down to the handle to get the correct grip. This is a very versatile grip, allowing the player to brush up the back of the ball for topspin or to hit a flat shot for more power. It's also easy to switch quickly to the continental grip for play up at net. In Tennis this is considered an excellent grip to learn with, but the very best players in tennis today are using some form of the western grip for tremendous spin and for ease of use on high balls.

Eastern Backhand Grip

To find the Eastern Backhand grip rotate your hand on the paddle until the knuckle of your index finger and the heel of your hand are on top of the handle grip and your thumb is extended diagonally across your grip.

Eastern Forehand Grip and Pickleball

The Eastern Forehand grip works equally as well in Pickleball as it does in tennis and probably better because the ball seldom bounces high. It is a really good choice for forehands and beginners learning to volley! So far the Eastern forehand grips appears to be the overwhelming favorite choice of Pickleball players in Arizona. It appears to work very well for the forehand ground stroke, forehand volley, overhead, and dink, and I have seen some good backhand slices with it also.
Unfortunately, for those that keep the Eastern Forehand grip for all their shots, it doesn't appear to work very well for most people on their backhand ground strokes. A few have developed some quite nice slices with it, but I haven't seen any good top spin drives with it yet. A few have also developed some interesting methods of hitting their backhand volleys, which I need to study a little more, but many are struggling on the backhand volley with this grip. Many use the same side of the paddle as their forehand turning the wrist over and standing on their head a little bit. This can work well on the higher forehands and backhands, but is very difficult on the lower backhand and extremely difficult when that low volley turns into a half-volley.
On the positive side, the Eastern forehand grip is usually easier for beginners to hit their forehand volleys with than the continental grip, and that early success helps keep them playing instead of giving up and there is a lot to be said for that!

Western Grip

Tennis describes the currently popular Western grip as being good for producing big top spin and more power, but as being difficult on low balls. Because Pickleball has lots more low balls than high balls, and because I haven't seen any Western grip players yet, although there must be a few, I'm not going to say any more about it. Time will tell if this grip has a place in the Pickleball future, but I suspect we will see more of it as our younger generation enters into Pickleball.

Some Grip Variations that may work for you!

Our best men's senior Pickleball player in Arizona, Pat Kane, puts his thumb behind the paddle for his backhand and punches it with great power. One of the main advantages to this technique is it allows him to hit the volley well in front of his body which is a big advantage in quick volley exchanges. The disadvantage would be that he has to change grips to hit a forehand volley, but I have never noticed it to be a problem with Pat. I know of another player who is copying him and also does very well on the backhand volley, but is still having problems changing grips for his forehand. Hopefully time and practice will take care of this problem.
Another gentlemen impressed me with his table tennis style backhand volley where he hit his backhand volley like the good table tennis players do. In one of the games we played, he put away a lot of backhand volleys with that style. On the low backhand volleys, he had to use a little different style, but it was very effective when he got to use it.
A couple of the best players use a lot of swinging volleys which are normally discouraged because of the time it takes to make such a big swing. However, these players have such great reactions that they can normally make that big swing quicker than the average player can make a much shorter swing.
In closing, I would say that it isn't clear yet what the dominant grips for the best pickleball players will eventually end up being, but its pretty clear to me from observing lots of players that the eastern forehand grip is not a good choice for backhands and should be discouraged as a grip of choice for the backhand. Unfortunately, I see more players using this grip for their backhand presently than any other!
It will be interesting when some of the tennis players currently using the western grip for their forehands and two handed backhands take up pickleball. I have seen only a few two handed backhands so far and it appears that the short handlegrip makes it more difficult, but time will tell.

Post courtesy of AZPickleballfun.com

Pickleball in a pickle jar (simplified version)

 

I have been asked by so many people what Pickleball is, so here is the short and simplified version: 

Pickleball is a court sport best described as half way between tennis and ping-pong. The court is 44' x 20' and divided in two courts by a 36" high net. It is played as a singles game with one person/side or as a doubles game with 2 people on each side of the net. Each player has a paddle (think larger than a ping pong paddle)  The object of the game is to score points by successfully hitting a 3" diameter plastic ball (that is perforated with holes (commonly known as a whiffle-ball) across the net without it being successfully returned by the opponent(s).

Over time the rules of the game have become more sophisticated but when first developed, Pickleball was a simple game designed for all ages and any athletic ability level. In fact it was first played in a backyard where there was a dog that loved to chase and carry away the ball. The first players soon found themselves calling the dog, named Pickles, to bring back the ball. Hence the name: Pickleball.

Today the sport is played by people all across North America and even in far away places like India & Japan. Many seniors have taken up the sport in their retirement years but it is also played by thousands of school children and top athletes in their 20s, 30s and 40s. It is an easy sport to learn and most everyone can play the game after just a short time of hitting the ball back and forth across the net. However, it is also a sport where you can keep learning new strokes and increasingly sophisticated strategies for years on end. As the sport has grown in popularity it has continued to be played in back yards but it has also spawned many competitive tournaments across the country.

Pickleball Rules Refresher: Standing in the way

I was playing with some intermediate pickleball players tonight, and I tried psyching the opposition when my partner was receiving the serve. I stood in the non volley zone, on her side. Our opponents stated, "You can't do that, you need to be in your area. " According to IFP rules 5B9, "The receiver’s partner may stand anywhere on or off the court." I can stand in the NVZ, I can stand outside the court, even hold my partners hand receiving the serve. But the rule before that clearly states in 5B8, "The receiver is the only player who may return the ball. If the wrong player returns the ball, it is a point for the serving team." I also can't let the ball strike me, or it to will be a point for the other team. The receivers partner cannot distract the server by talking to them or jumping up and down. Yes you can stand anywhere, but you need to be ready to get back into position, so you aren't a hinderance to your team.

Pickleball can be like a job interview

A couple of months ago I was laid off from my full-time job. It happened quite suddenly, and very unexpected, yet it offered me more chance to devote some time to getting Pickleball International going. Knowing that Pickleball sales wouldn't be able to solely support my family yet, I knew I had to start finding a job, so the resumes went out and the interviews begun. It took some time, but I am starting tomorrow in the school system as a teachers assistant. As I was coming out of my interviews, I realized that Pickleball can often be compared to job interviews. Let me explain:

Here’s a few:

1. One player serves the ball and the other player returns the shot, volleying until a point is scored. 

 

2. Sometimes the shots come fast and furious and out of reach, and others may seem easy and close – but players can still miss them. 

 

3. The bottom line, as in any sport, in order to be triumphant, players must practice. 

 

1. The Handshake:

Just like tennis, interviews begin and end with a handshake. How is yours? It is important to have a firm, and ideally dry handshake. Both men and women should be aware of this – I have shaken a few peoples hands in my life that were weaker than my six year old son. It is very awkward to shake someone’s hand only to find a rag doll. At the other end of the spectrum, you don’t want to crush the other person’s hand just to demonstrate how much you’ve been working out. One tip is to try to quickly sense the strength level of the other person and gauge your response to that. The best handshakes are when the shakers’ strength matches up – just like pickleball.

 

2. Serve & Game:

The recruiter “serves” with each interview question. A successful candidate will get the ball and send it back without too much struggle. However, interviews should not be a one-sided serve-hit process. Recruiters hope candidates will have a conversation, and not simply answer each question. The perfect interview should be more like a “base line” game – don’t rush the net when you answer the questions. Take time to think through your answer before you speak – set up your shot. Candidates who are not ready will struggle to keep up with the interviewer, and likely lose the match.

 

3. The Shots:

The game involves a mixture of difficult and easy shots. In interviewing, IF a candidate prepares it tends to be for the difficult questions, assuming they will ace the “easy” ones. The easy shots can often catch you off guard, though. An “easy shot” question such as, “So, tell me a little about yourself” may seem to be the soft, high bounce lob you’ve been waiting for to drill home a winner. Anyone could answer this question, right? Don’t get too confident. Sometimes the most embarrassingly missed pickleball shots are the easy ones.

 

4. Practice | Practice | Practice!

A successful player will be in the ready position, anticipating the other player’s shot and preparing to send the ball back over the net. When interviewing, candidates must anticipate both the easy and the difficult questions that could be asked of them – like a player practices both forehand and backhand. Just thinking of the answers in your head is only half of the process.

 

The biggest mistake candidates make is not being well-prepared for the “interview match.”  No one interviews successfully by winging it just like no one wins the match without being prepared. Practice always pays off. The ball is in your court – so put in the time and ensure you are prepared for your interview.

Pickleball Canada vs. Canada Pickleball???

I want to give a shout out of support to the true only Canadian Pickleball Association: Pickleball Canada!
Currently there are 2 Canadian Pickleball associations vying for your support, but 1 has true intentions of growing the sport throughout Canada, and 1 wants you to support their North American fight to approve their brand of paddles that has been causing strife for the past few years. Pickleball Canada has true intentions of growing pickleball in Canada and has been the only national association for many years. Pickleball Canada is an extension of the USAPA (USA Pickleball Association) and the IFP (International Federation of Pickleball.) Canada Pickleball on the other hand was started 3 years ago by an ex-Pickleball Canada director named Chuck Lefaivre. At the time Pickleball Canada did not like that the Apike & Hush paddles that Chuck had "interest" in, were also part of his business. Those paddles have been tested on numerous occasions and found to have too much trampoline effect resulting from their paddles. They are non-conforming by USAPA, IFP, and Pickleball Canada standards. I will cover how paddles are tested in an upcoming blog post. They have also made up their own pickleball rules so as to suit the inclusion of their paddles. Don't support Canada Pickleball!
I support Pickleball Canada, and have been a member for 4 years, and I encourage all you readers out there across Canada to become a member. It costs $12/year or $32/3 years.

Pickleball Strategy: Control the overhit!

How Do You Know When You're Over hitting? It's easy to over hit when you are tense or when the match gets very close.

There are three surefire signs of over hitting: 1) You begin missing shots you normally make, 2) You can't understand why you're missing, and 3) You lose your "feel" for the ball. The three usually occur together.

There are two things you can do to regain your feel for the ball: a) consciously relax the muscles of your hand and forearm by flexing and relaxing the muscles and taking a few deep breaths, and b) consciously begin hitting the ball with less pace.

Hitting with less pace is the most important thing you can do because it increases your ball control. Better ball control gives your muscles better feedback and very quickly improves your timing and your feel for the ball.

Pickleball Strategy: 7 keys to a better game

1. Errors usually outnumber winners. To improve you must reduce your errors.

2. Power and control are opposites. Hitting the ball harder reduces control and increases errors; hitting the ball less hard increases control and reduces errors.

3. Ball placement is more important than power. The difference between hitting the ball to an opponent and hitting it a foot beyond the opponent's reach is a matter of inches--inches that separate winning and losing.

4. Every match requires a player to take account of what is working and what is not, and then to make adjustments. Don't beat yourself by making the same mistakes again and again. Use what is working.

5. Determination and mental toughness can often overcome physical or technical weaknesses. A weaker player can defeat a stronger player by using more effective tactics, better anticipation, and more sustained concentration.

6. Good shot selection is the key to match success. Choose the right shot for the right situation. Trying to hit winners from a defensive position (when off balance, deep behind the baseline, or out of position) is the main source of unnecessary errors.

7. Successful players learn how to play well under pressure. You must put yourself under pressure and work on your concentration when you practice.

Pickleball in Dominican Republic

My mother surprised our family with a special Christmas gift: for my wife & I, and our 3 boys to accompany my mother for an all inclusive week in Dominican Republic. The first 2 days was rainy so  we felt right at home, then the clouds cleared for 5 days of hot sun. Perfect!
I had found out that the resort had 2 tennis courts, so I thought I would take down 4 pickleball paddles, some outdoor balls, and some sidewalk chalk to redo lines, as my family is always ready to play pickleball. The 3rd day after the 2 rainy days the courts were closed, due to them having to dry the courts, so we couldn't play. The following day we went to the resort courts for some family pickleball fun. We were told that we could not play, as this was only for tennis. I proceeded to tell the tennis pro that this was a game from North America, that is advancing around the world and is played on converted tennis courts everywhere. "In all my 25 years" he said, "I have never heard of this strange named sport." He told me I would be able to play with my beach paddles on the beach only. I pulled out my pickleball business card, and told him to check his computer to see if pickleball is a bona-fide sport. I told him that we would play tennis while he checked it out. We stepped on the court with borrowed tennis racquets and balls, only after we were made to leave our pickleball paddles at his office. All this time I had thought that the tennis courts would be a hard pavement like back home....WRONG! The courts were semi-hard packed sand. The tennis balls bounced normally, but my kids were not used to the extra bounce in the racquets. We rallied back and forth until, the tennis pro called out to us that he looked online, and pickleball looks real! He invited us to show him how to play, and I proceeded to tell him the rules, giving special attention to pickleballs uniqueness. I served first to my son, and the outdoor dura ball just went thud into the sand court with no bounce. We tried some more, and sometimes it bounced okay, yet other times the same result as before - thud! Not a great showing for pickleball in Dominican Republic. The tennis pro remarked that as he saw on his computer, it looked like the courts were hard pavement, and i told him he was correct. I also told him it is played indoors in gymnasiums. He told me that maybe 10% of tennis courts in DR are hard paved courts, and 90% of courts are hard packed sand.
In a previous blog, I had said how easy it was to play pickleball on vacation at a local tennis court. It is possible...you just have to know what the court is made of.

Great Lessons learned from a 4.5 player

Yesterday at pickleball (afternoon and evening sessions) we were very pleased to have Kathy Parkes husband Brian in attendance. Brian is a top ranked 4.5 pickleball player, and plays regularly with great pickleball players. I had the great fortune to play a few games with and against him, and was able to listen to great instruction from this great player. I know a # of other players in attendance also heeded his instruction. He talked of keeping calm during play, even when it seems the cards are against you. A lesson I learned is playing defensively vs. offensively, and knowing when to use both. In Canada it seems we are different pickleball players then down in USA. We tend to be "bashers & smashers" and Brian encouraged us to use the soft game to our advantage for winning matches.
I love Dr. Seuss books, always have, always will, and I saw this quote that kind of sums up Brians instruction. Perfect!

Picklebal Rules Refresher: Court Etiquette & Safety

So it was certainly my bad last night, when a full swing paddle barely missed hitting me in the face. WHY!?! I failed to follow Pickleball Etiquette. Without thinking, or LOOKING, or calling "BALL ON THE COURT!" I went to retrieve a ball from the next court while the point was being played on that court. SWISH! I barely reached in, less than a foot inside the next court, thinking I could quickly and adeptly retrieve it. SWISH! A not so gentle reminder...And a close shave.

Call it Pickleball Etiquette. Call it Good Sports Conduct. Call it Simple Courtesy. Call it Safe Sports Practices. Call it Drool Control. But do NOT do what I did.

Space is tight on some of our Abbotsford indoor courts.

Pickleball is played beyond the back lines.

• Do NOT walk on other courts to retrieve a ball while a point is being played on that court.
• Do NOT walk immediately behind other courts while the ball is still in play.

CAUTION: Sports Brainfreeze can make it hard to follow these simple court courtesies. Protect your partners call "BALL ON THE COURT!" and/or "PERSON ON THE COURT!"

* If a ball rolls onto your court during play, stop the game so that the ball can be removed and then replay the point.

*  Do not randomly roll or kick or flick the ball out of your way, but walk to the back of your court with ball in hand, find out who's missing their ball and throw or hit it back to a player on the court from where it came. (Conversely, if a ball rolls from your court to another one, make eye contact with the person returning it.)

Chalking pickleball lines on a tennis court

So most cities have outdoor tennis courts galore, so why not know how to put down chalk lines on a regular tennis court. 

According to the USA Pickleball Association's official rules, to play pickleball on a tennis court , it is necessary to define the playing area with chalk. Depending on the size of the tennis court, multiple pickleball spaces can be drawn.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Chalk
• Tape measure

1. • 1
     Use the tape measure to define the perimeter. The perimeter should measure 44 feet long by 20 feet wide, with the net at the center of the lengthwise lines.
   • 2
     Draw the perimeter with the chalk. Have someone hold the ends of the tape measure taut and use the tape as a guide to draw the lines straight.
   • 3
     Mark points along both long segments of the perimeter at 7 feet away from both sides of the net.
   • 4
     Draw lines parallel to the wide segments of the perimeter, connecting the points to define the 14 foot by 20 foot non-volley zone.
   • 5
     Draw lines with endpoints on the wide perimeter lines and the non-volley zone lines to bisect the service areas into 10 foot by 15 foot rectangles.
     
     I've had the great opportunity to play pickleball outside: it's great to be outside in the fresh air, the ball reacts differently, you play against different variables (wind, sun), it's free!
     
     
     In the lower mainland South Surrey, and Chilliwack, and Ladner are the only cities that currently have outdoor courts. Pickleball International will be sending a proposal to the City of Abbotsford to convert some of its public courts to pickleball courts. We may need your pickle voice to help...Will keep you posted.

Pickleball Resolution

Okay, so at New Years people always make these grandiose resolutions about how their life will dramatically change. Ringing in the New Year wouldn’t be the same without making New Year’s resolutions. Most of us want to lose weight. Some hope to get a better job. Mostly we strive to be a better person than the year before. The same is true for pickleball players.

What is your New Year’s pickleball resolution? Here are some to consider:

(1) Get in better pickleball shape
(2) Compete in a local pickleball tournament
(3) Learn the proper pickleball rules
(4) Spend more time on the practice court
(5) Master the backhand
(6) Practice some serve variations
(7) Take a pickleball lesson
(8) Work on improving your volley/lob/dink
(9) Take a pickleball vacation
(10) Teach your son or daughter, grandparents, or grandkids to play the game
(11) Play outside if you never have
(12) Demo some new paddles (ask me for details)
(13) Eat healthier for better performance on court
(14) Introduce pickleball to a local school
(15) Sign up to be a tournament volunteer
(16) Make more time for pickleball

There are many more pickleball resolutions to commit to in the new year and any time. Evaluate your game and your health, and make sure you have balance in your life. Are you a weekday warrior? It may be that pickleball is taking up too much time (that would be a great problem to have).

One way to find more time for pickleball is to make it part of your family or social activities. Pickleball isn’t always about competition (really). There are other ways to enjoy this great game. Teach your husband or wife how to play (remember to take it slow). Pickleball is a great family sport.

A pickleball vacation destination is another great way to love this sport. Many resorts offer fantastic tennis courts that can be used as pickleball courts with slight mods on many different surfaces. If on business travel, don’t’ forget to pack your paddle, there is always a pickleball club somewhere!
No matter what your New Year’s resolutions are, make sure to include some for your pickleball game too.

Have fun on the courts!