HOW DO I PLAY PICKLEBALL?
Pickleball is played either singles or doubles but is more commonly played in a doubles format. Playing singles or doubles, every point starts with an underarm serve that is hit diagonally. The serve must cross the non-volley zone line on the opposite diagonal side of the court and the receiving team must let the serve bounce once. From there, the return of serve must also bounce, meaning the serving team cannot hit the ball out of the air yet. This is called the two-bounce rule. After that, you can play volleys in the air, although not when you're standing in the non-volley zone close to the net, which is known as the “Kitchen”. You commit a fault if you hit the ball into the net or it lands outside the court, or if you miss the ball completely.
KEEPING SCORE
The first team to 11 points wins, but you have to be ahead by at least two points. You can only score points when your team is serving. The first server in a team keeps serving until their team makes a mistake or fault, and then the second server in the team serves until their team makes a mistake. Then the other team gets to serve. When you’re calling the score, you say the serving team’s score first, then the receiving team’s score and if you’re playing doubles, you then say either one or two, depending on which server for the team is starting the point.
IS PICKLEBALL EASIER TO PLAY THAN TENNIS?
Pickleball is considered easier for beginners to learn than tennis. You play on a smaller court and the ball is lighter, and you must serve underarm. It's a great sport for all ages. Just like tennis, you can learn more advanced techniques and strategies the more you play.
CAN YOU HIT A SMASH IN PICKLEBALL?
Oh yeah, you can hit a smash or overhead. Just make sure your feet stay out of the non-volley zone or “The Kitchen” when hitting overhead, including on your follow-through. If your momentum carries you into the Kitchen on a volley, it is a fault for your side.
WHAT IS A DINK SHOT?
The Dink is a very effective shot in pickleball. It's a softer shot that just clears the net and lands in “The Kitchen” on your opponent's side of the net. A good dink bounces lower than the top of the net, so your opponent has to hit up on the ball to get it back over the net, which may create a chance for a good ball for you to take advantage of. Your opponent might respond by playing a dink of their own, and you might then want to hit another dink back. If you stay patient and keep playing dinks, and using wider angles, you can move your opponent out of position, or your opponent may make a mistake hitting into the net. Or they might hit the ball too high, giving you the chance to hit a hard, aggressive shot.
