Notes & Homework

Skill: Push Dinking

• An offensive dink. Use it to push opponents around to create open court, imbalance and pop ups to attack.
• Contact Point: Out in front. Push forward through ball.
• Weight Transfer: Flow into your shot like a speed skater.
• Body Positioning: Square up to the ball
• Swing: Smooth, no backswing behind body. Push through all 3 balls.

Skill: Middle Dink at Inside Foot

• Dinking at the inside foot in the middle lane is profitable.
• It often creates a pop up back in the middle on your side.
• Must be low and precise to avoid being attacked.
• Push wide then hit middle to jam them on inside foot.

Drill: Middle Dink Drill

• Set up target rings next to the inside foot of each player.
• Part #1: Players set up at NVZ cross court from each other.
  • Engage in cooperative dink rally 3 dinks then players must hit the middle target.
• Part #2: Same as Part #1 but players may attack balls that are too high in the middle.

Skill: Paddle Watching

• Your opponents paddle face tells you more than just watching the ball.
• As opponent is prepping to hit-pay attention to the angle of the paddle face.
• Body Positioning is key to be ready for any change of direction.
• Body Positioning: Square up to the ball. Be prepared to shift and turn when paddle face indicates a change of direction on the ball.

Drill: Don't Look Mini Pickleball

• Players set up at NVZ for double mini pickleball.
• Players are not allowed to turn their head and look at their partner when they hit.
• Look ahead with broad vision where you can take in both opponents and see your partner in peripheral vision.
• Use the ball your opponents hit to determine what type of ball your partner will behitting: defensive, neutral or attack.